Australia’s east coast bracing for rain, thunderstorms

Millions of Aussies are bracing for more thunderstorms and rain this weekend, after a wild start to storm season.

Millions of Australians along the country’s east coast is bracing for possibly severe storms and heavy rainfall this weekend.

Late thunderstorms and high winds through the afternoon and evening are possible in Sydney on both Friday and Saturday, following warm temperatures during the day.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jonathon Howe said much of south eastern Australia is set for a number of “unsettled days” over Friday and Saturday due to a developing cold front.

The severe thunderstorm above Purga. Photo: Brisbane Weather

Australian weather chart for Friday 7th November. Source: BOM

“Today (Friday) we are looking at the possibility of thunderstorms all the way from southern Victoria across to South Australia and up into northern parts of NSW,” he said.

Mr Howe said parts of northern Victoria and northwestern NSW should also brace for damaging wind gusts on Friday afternoon.

He said thunderstorms were possible in Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, and Sydney.

“Severe thunderstorms are possible through the day for the northwestern slopes of NSW, into southern inland Queensland and a large swath across Central Australia,” he said.

“For these areas, we could see damaging wind gusts with thunderstorms as we head into Saturday.”

Heavy rainfall, damaging winds and hail could hit large parts of the east coast across Friday and Saturday. Picture: Lyndell Richards

Mr Howe said heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hail was also possible from Wollongong to Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter Region, Mid North Coast and into the interior pars of Queensland.

In Brisbane, thunderstorm activity was more likely to hit the western suburbs out towards Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.

Mr Howe said conditions would be calmer on Sunday, but thunderstorms were possible for northeast NSW and eastern Queensland.

“At this stage, we’re not expecting any severe activity,” he said.

Thunderstorms are possible in Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, and Sydney. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Those in the country’s southeast can expect a cool change, with Melbourne set to experience cold winds and temperatures dropping below 8C on Friday, according to Weatherzone.

Tasmania is also expected to experience cold and wet weather over the weekend.

The warnings come after Sydney was lashed with a heavy but short lived thunderstorms on Monday night.

Incredible images showed fallen trees, giant hailstones and flooded streets across the Harbour City.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) received about 400 calls for help.

The clean up efforts continued late into the night.

Hail fell at Berowra in a severe storm on Monday. Picture: Facebook

Huge slabs of hail at Denial Bay, near Ceduna. Picture: Andrew Brooks

Weekend forecast

Sydney

• Saturday: High 31C, Low 15C. Partly sunny, very warm; thunderstorms in the afternoon.

• Sunday: High 19C, Low 14C. Cooler, sunshine with a few clouds.

Canberra

• Saturday: High 24C, Low 7C. Thunderstorms possible in morning.

• Sunday: High 16C, Low 6C. Mostly cloudy.

Melbourne

• Saturday: High 12C, Low 10C. Rain in morning, then clouds, windier and cooler.

• Sunday: High 16C, Low 8C. Brief morning showers.

Brisbane

• Saturday: High 31C, Low 21C. Very warm, widely separated thunderstorms.

• Sunday: High 25C, Low 17C. Humid, thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Perth

• Saturday: High 27C, Low 16C. Mostly sunny.

• Sunday: High 28C, Low 16C. Mostly sunny.

Hobart

• Saturday: High 13C, Low 8C. Sunny

• Sunday: High 18C, Low 10C. Cloudy.

Darwin

• Saturday: High 34C, Low 26C. Partly sunny.

• Sunday: High 33C, Low 24C. Partly sunny.

Originally published as Australia’s east coast bracing for rain, thunderstorms