New severe thunderstorms warning issued for Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley, Southern Downs
A new severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of SEQ this morning with the threat of large hail and heavy rainfall after Brisbane was hammered by 72mm rainbomb last night.
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A new severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of South East Queensland this morning after Brisbane was hammered by 72mm rainbomb last night.
The new warning was issued about 6am for people in Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley and Southern Downs areas to contain damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall.
“Severe thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding were detected near the area north of Millmerran and the area west of Toowoomba,” the warning read.
“These thunderstorms are moving towards the northeast. They are forecast to affect the area northwest of Toowoomba and Allora by 7:20am and the area north of Toowoomba, Pittsworth and Highfields by 7:50am.”
It comes after parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast were smashed by severe thunderstorms overnight with heavy rain and wild winds unleashing on the southeast.
Emergency services were called to Indooroopilly about 9.30pm on Wednesday after reports of a man who was trapped in his car which had been hit by a fallen tree.
Multiple paramedics attended the scene and assessed a man, aged in his 70s, who was trapped by his arm.
The man was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a stable condition.
More than 20 callouts were made to SES since 4pm on Wednesday. There were 12 calls made for Brisbane, five for Moreton Bay, two to Ipswich, two to Redlands, two South Burnett and one for Toowoomba mainly for trees and structural assistance.
According to Energex, 170 homes and businesses are without power in Indooroopilly following the severe weather. About 200 customers are also without power in Brookfield and Windsor.
Last night, the weather bureau issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 9.45pm for people in parts of Brisbane City and the City of Moreton Bay areas.
“A severe thunderstorm likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding was detected near Brisbane CBD and Enoggera,” the warning read.
“This thunderstorm is moving towards the north. It is forecast to affect Boondall, Sandgate and Brighton by 10:10pm and Strathpine, Redcliffe and Scarborough by 10:40pm.”
Brisbane has a 80 per cent chance of rain today with falls of up to 10mm possible while there are a chance for thunderstorms, according to the bureau.
Amateur weather chasers, including Higgins Storm Chasing and Weatherman Dan, are warning this pattern is a sign of more to come.
Higgins Storm Chasing warned for “truck loads” of severe weather to come across the region in coming days.
“Numerous storms likely to be severe with heavy rain under them (50-100mm possible in just one hour) causing flooding,” Higgins posted yesterday. Some places could easily get 100-200mm in seven day rainfall totals.”
“This is a sign of the weather to come for much of SEQ and the NSW coastline,
where we are looking at 50-100mm+ over the coming eight-days,” Weatherman Dan posted.
Last night’s warning comes after 58mm of rainfall was recorded at Goolman Alert in the hour to 8:57pm, 45mm was recorded at South Ripley (Wards Rd) in the 30 minutes to 8:53pm, 47mm was recorded at Washpool Alert in the 30 minutes to 8:22pm, and 57mm was recorded at Maroon Dam HW Alert in the hour to 7:38pm.
Earlier 72mm of rainfall was recorded at Queen Mary Falls in the hour to 6:58pm, 53mm was recorded at Carrs Lookout in the 30 minutes to 6:39pm, and 44mm was recorded at White Swamp in the 30 minutes to 6:54pm.
“They are forecast to affect Little Nerang Dam, Mudgeeraba and Canungra by 7.15pm and the area northeast of Kingaroy, Cherbourg and Goomeri by 7.45pm.”
Heavy falls have been recorded in the Scenic Rim late on Wednesday afternoon and parts of the southwest have copped hail.
A more general severe thunderstorm warning is also current for parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and Southeast Coast regions. Locations which may be affected include Taroom, Injune and Carnarvon National Park.
Photographs on social media reveal large and widespread hail near St George, in Queensland’s southwest and the Bureau says 3cm was observed in that area, while 2cm hail was reported in Roma about 4.30.
It’s the start of what the Bureau of Meteorology says could be a volatile period throughout Queensland.
The chance of thunderstorms continues from Thursday across much of Queensland and are forecast to bring severe storms, producing damaging wind gusts in the south.
Bureau community information officer Daniel Hayes warned of the potential for daily storms through inland parts of the state throughout the week.
“The may start to develop later this afternoon with a few storms in the Maranoa and Warrego and with storms showing in that area, and activity in northern NSW south of the border Scenic Rim,” Mr Hayes said on Wednesday.
“90km wind gusts in parts of Darling Downs, Granite Belt and Scenic Rim and parts of the Maranoa and Warrego.”
Mr Hayes said storm activity would increase over the coming days and shower activity would become more widespread with the potential for storms to produce more than 100mm of rain.
There is the possibility of severe thunderstorms inland between Emerald and Toowoomba on Friday.
“Shower activity looking 10 to 15mm each day through Friday to Sunday and elements of hit and miss in some areas. As there will be thunderstorms in the mix some isolated heavier falls will push into the 50mm in some areas,” Mr Hayes said.
“It’s possible with some areas receiving 10 to 15mm and thunderstorms in the mix; you could see some accumulations go over the 100mm over the coming days.”
“Likely that will be fairly isolated showers, in the Central Highlands and Wide Burnett but can’t rule out that it might affect the south east.”
Originally published as New severe thunderstorms warning issued for Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley, Southern Downs
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