‘Dangerous’: Warnings as more wild storms, heatwave coming for Queensland, NSW
A vicious storm has ripped the roof off a home and destroyed a shed at the Warwick Turf Club, as wild weather continues along the east coast.
A roof has been torn off a Queensland home during a vicious storm that tore through the parts of the state.
Allan Weiland told 7News he was at his home in Warwick, about 150km southwest of Brisbane, and decided to go outside to watch the rain thinking the storm was not that severe.
But when he returned inside he heard “a mighty bang”.
Mr Weiland was standing inside his bathroom when the ceiling caved in and his roof ended up in his neighbour’s yard, who saw lightning strike next door.
Bree Shields told 7News her daughter was asleep in a bunk bed when debris struck her home.
“Luckily that protected her head because it was directly over her head,” she said.
A shed at Warwick Turf Club was also destroyed during the storm days before a race meeting was scheduled to take place at the course.
Track manager Maurice Monckton said a digital gauge at the track recorded wind gusts about 180km/h at 8.30pm on Wednesday.
Warnings for more storms
Intense thunderstorms continued up the parts of the east coast with destructive winds, giant hail and heavy rainfall expected to hit anywhere from Coffs Harbour to Gladstone on Thursday.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned widespread severe storms would also be possible from Cape York at the top of Queensland all the way down to Port Macquarie on the Mid North NSW coast.
Meteorologist Dean Narramore said not everywhere would be hit by a storm, but they would be severe in areas when they strike from Thursday afternoon into the evening.
“Storms will be quite isolated through far northeast NSW and southeast Queensland, but they’re likely to be intense with widespread severe storms further north,” he said.
Central Australia and inland of South Australia could be hit with storms on Friday as the weather system moves east.
“Friday gives us all a break to clean up and recover after a big week of storms (in southeast Queensland and northeast NSW),” Mr Narramore said.
“The focus on Friday is South Australia and the Northern Territory where the next weather system moves in, combined with the moisture to bring widespread rain and thunderstorms through inland areas.
“Some of those storms could be severe with large hail, damaging winds and heavy rainfall through inland parts of South Australia and southern parts of the Northern Territory.
“Adelaide could see rain and storms (on Friday) and there could be heavy falls with that, but the severe is probably more north of there.”
Man killed by falling tree
One man was killed and thousands left without power after monster storms swept through NSW on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that while the east coast is likely to swelter through a heatwave, more wild weather is on the way for those in parts of northern, inland, and eastern Queensland.
The greatest risk is in the northern districts, the bureau says.
“Severe storms are most likely to bring heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding,” senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.
“Those storms are most likely through this late morning going into the afternoon, possibly continuing into the evening for parts of Queensland.”
The bureau warned the severe storms are likely to bring heavy rain, severe and damaging winds and large hail.
Thousands in the dark after storms, heatwave settles over Queensland
Heavy rainfall and destructive winds also tore through parts of Queensland on Wednesday, with a gust speed exceeding 165km/h reported at Leslie Dam near Warwick.
The wind was so extreme it caused several homes to lose their roofs and downing power lines.
About 1.6 million lightning strikes were recorded in southeast Queensland between Sunday afternoon and Thursday morning.
While about 90 per cent of homes have had their electricity restored, roughly 15,600 homes and businesses remain without power on Thursday morning.
Hardest-hit areas included Armstrong Creek, Boreen Point, Cooran, Bribie Island and Hinterland, Eerwah Vale, Goomboorian, Kilcoy, Ningi, Yandina Creek and Woodford.
About 9300 residents in Moreton Bay are affected, followed by 2800 in Noosa, 2200 on the Sunshine Coast, 300 in the Gympie Regional Council area, 200 in Somerset, 130 in Ipswich and 100 in Logan.
Queenslanders will also swelter through an oppressive heatwave, which is forecast to stick around until Saturday.
Severe heatwave conditions are forecast to settle over the western parts of the state and shift eastwards before dissipating by Saturday.
Areas affected include the Peninsula, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, North Tropical Coast and Tablelands, Herbert and Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsundays, Capricornia, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, North West, Channel Country, Maranoa and Warrego, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast.
Residents have been told to keep cool by seeking shelter inside, closing curtains and using fans or an airconditioner if available.
Clean-up begins in NSW
Severe storms ripped through the NSW Central Coast overnight, with blistering winds tearing down trees and power lines.
A 76-year-old man died on Wednesday after he was struck by a falling tree in Glenworth Valley.
The severe storms left a trail of destruction in their wake and tens of thousands of residents without power.
Some of the worst damage was at Blacktown in Sydney’s west, with trees smashing into homes and downing power lines.
Wild winds reaching speeds of 119km/h were recorded in Knobby’s Head, while gusts in excess of 111km/h were reported in Trangie in the Orana region.
“The winds were the biggest story for NSW, with wind damage seen in several areas,” Ms Bradbury said.
Some 15,000 homes and businesses remained without power across NSW as of Thursday morning. This includes about 2600 impacted in Sydney, 4600 in Newcastle and Maitland, 3400 on the Central Coast and 4500 at Muswellbrook and Singleton.
An Ausgrid spokesperson said the majority of residences and businesses would have their power restored on Thursday, though this is dependent on the damage caused by the storms and access to properties.
“Crews worked through the night to respond to over 900 electrical hazards reported by emergency services and customers, including fallen poles, powerlines, trees and branches on wires,” they said.
Heatwave and fire warnings issued for NSW
While part of the state sustained serious damage after the dangerous storms, “catastrophic” heat suffocated the Lower Central West Plains, with more hot and dry weather on the way.
“We are seeing a very slight reprieve in conditions today, but it still is going to be another dangerous fire weather day for many areas,” Ms Bradbury said.
A fire weather warning has been issued for residents in northeastern and central NSW, including the Greater Sydney Region.
Areas impacted by the extreme fire danger warning include the Greater Hunter, Greater Sydney Region, Central Ranges and North Western regions.
“Thankfully there are no catastrophic fire dangers forecast today,” she said.
“We are still going to see significant fire dangers in some areas, but it’s unlikely to be quite as dangerous as what we saw on Wednesday.”
Originally published as ‘Dangerous’: Warnings as more wild storms, heatwave coming for Queensland, NSW
