Qld weather: Huge hail smashes southeast as storms roll through, Qld temps hit 40C
Thousands are without power and hail the size of tennis balls has been reported in the southeast corner as storms and extreme heat hit the region.
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More than 22,000 properties in the southeast are without power after storms and extreme heat hit the region.
Hail the size of tennis balls has been reported on the Gold Coast, while hail was also reported in the state’s Far North.
At 3.30pm there were 22,396 properties without power in the southeast according to Energex.
Of those, more than 13,000 were in Brisbane, 2958 in Gympie, 2707 on the Sunshine Coast, 1875 on the Gold Coast and more than 1000 in Ipswich.
The giant hail was reported in parts of the Gold Coast as storms moved from near Springbrook to the coast via Tallebudgera, Mudgeeraba, Miami, Southport and Coolangatta in the early afternoon. Hail has also been reported in the state’s Far North.
The Bureau of Meteorology first issued a warning for “destructive winds” and “potentially giant hailstones” for parts of the Scenic Rim and Gold Coast council areas at 12.37pm Thursday, but these have since moved on and the warning was cancelled at 3.23pm.
A more general severe thunderstorm warning for damaging winds and large hailstones remains active for the Wide Bay and Burnett district.
The latest update for that warning was issued at 3.17pm.
“A warm and very unstable airmass is in place over southeast Queensland. A trough moving north through the southeast will combine with very strong winds aloft ahead of a potent upper trough system, providing an environment supportive of scattered severe thunderstorms today,” the updated warning said.
“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Rainbow Beach, Maryborough and Tiaro.”
Severe thunderstorms are no longer occurring in the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands and Southeast Coast districts and the warning for these districts has been cancelled.
It comes as parts of the state are subject to a heat warning, including Brisbane, which has been hotter than outback town Birdsville.
At 2pm Brisbane was sitting on 37.2C - the foreacst was 37C. Earlier the apparent or “feels like” temperature was 38.5C but this had since dropped after clouds and showers came through. Thunder could be heard from about 2.20pm.
It was already 31C in the city at 9am, compared to 28.7 at Birdsville, with the capital still hotter than the outback town at 2pm (37.2C compared to Birdsville’s 35.2C).
Multiple areas had hit more than 40C by 2pm, including Longreach Blackall, Longreach, The Monument, Century Mine, Cloncurry and Gladstone.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Patch Clapp said Thursday morning it would be hot across most of Queensland.
“Most places would see above average temperatures today across Queensland, including a 37 expected top for Brisbane,” he said.
“There will be some warm conditions around the Sunshine Coast as well – 37C for Maroochydore and Noosa as well as around the Gold Coast. We are also seeing some warm conditions down in the southeastern corner.
“We are looking at 35C for Surfers Paradise today, so warm conditions all the way up the coast. So 37C is also for Bundaberg, and 35C is up around Mackay, Townsville, and Cairns.”
Rockhampton can expect a scorcher with 39 degrees, Gympie will feel the heat on 38 degrees, Bundaberg can expect 37 degrees and Hervey Bay 34 degrees.
Meanwhile, southwestern towns would be relaxing in below to average heat with Cunnamulla and Thargomindah set to see 35C – lower than their metropolitan counterparts.
“The very southwestern corner is closer to or below their averages. So while Birdsville will hit 37C it won’t reach the mid-40s,” Mr Clapp said.
Along with high heat, the southeast could also expect thunderstorms from the late morning.
“We can expect to see storms through the southeastern parts of the state, possibly severe storms as well, particularly around the border ranges,” the meteorologist said.
“The border ranges and across the border into New South Wales, were also very much a watch point today as well for Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and out towards the Southern Downs and Granite Belt as well.
“There is still a chance of those very dangerous storms – so damaging wind and large hail could be seen around those Border Ranges.”
Thursday’s extreme weather comes after an intense storm, which ‘shook homes’ turned the night into day and sounded like ‘bombs’ going off, across the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and even as far as Central Queensland Wednesday night.
Some homes on the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere lost power as bolt after bolt hit the region from Caloundra to north of Noosa.
“The sky turned purple! The thunder sounded like a bomb was exploding!,’ Luci Valenzisi said.
Jan Saunders said it was the ‘longest sustained thunder I’ve ever heard I reckon!
“Good 30 mins plus couple of ear splitting cracks giving the feeling the (brick!) house shook!
“Two young French backpacking sisters staying with me so scared poor loves!!! And glad they were not in their car tent.”
There was no storm warning issued by BOM but Higgins Storm Chasing posted warnings at 1am.
A BoM spokesperson said there were non severe wind gusts up to 65km/h for Sunshine Coast Airport.
One gauge near Gympie received 30mm, and most falls around Gympie and the Sunshine Coast region were 1-20mm.
A 61km/h gust was recorded at Bundaberg and 43km/h at Hervey Bay, while there was 58mm of rain at Stony Creek (Bucca Road) near Bundaberg and 45mm for Bargara.
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