Airport chaos amid severe storms warning for Queensland

One state is under immense pressure on several fronts as wild winds, heavy rain and even bushfires continue to intensify.

Severe weather warnings have been issued for Queensland as the sunshine state battles intense wind, rain and fire in some parts.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued the warning on Tuesday, covering the southeast coast and parts of Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett and Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts.

Residents are being warned to prepare for wild weather in Warwick, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, Ipswich, Stanthorpe, Caboolture, Cleveland, Gatton and Jimboomba.

“A moist and unstable air mass ahead of an inland trough and southeasterly change is combining with an upper trough to increase the risk of severe thunderstorms across southeast Queensland,” the bureau stated.

“Thunderstorms should gradually amalgamate and focus about the northern southeast coast, and eastern Wide Bay and Burnett during the evening.”

⚠️⛈️Severe Thunderstorm Warning update. The warning has been upgraded to include intense rainfall for cells in the northern Wide Bay. 58mm has fallen in 30 minutes at Mt Rawdon Alert. https://t.co/FBmpsInT9opic.twitter.com/b0ehryKlXF

— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 14, 2023

Wide Bay and Burnett districts are preparing for potential flash flooding, with damaging winds and large hailstones forecast over the next several hours.

Large hail has also been recorded near Toowoomba, with 2-3cm hailstones observed at Highfields and 4-5cm hail observed at Kingsthorpe.

At least seven flights due to arrive at Brisbane Airport today have been cancelled and dozens of others have been delayed as the southeast cops a drenching.

Fire storms form

Meanwhile, firefighters are working tirelessly to contain several large blazes which have destroyed an estimated 38 homes and structures across the Western Downs in Queensland.

The fires have been reportedly burning for more than three days, with residents in Tara and surrounding areas forced to evacuate.

Rural Fire Service Superintendent Wayne Waltisbuhl told The Toowoomba Chronicle a large bush fire at Myall Park, north of Miles, destroyed about 26,000 hectares of forest and farmland and showed no sign of stopping.

“It is about 15 per cent contained and the rest is out of control and running hard,” he said.

LEAVE IMMEDIATELY - Kowguran, Myall Park and Hookswood (near Miles) - fire as at 4:23pm Tuesday, 14 February 2023.
For all current warnings, updates and mapping go to https://t.co/vqyJTUPBhe. pic.twitter.com/Eia7zPamWG

— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) February 14, 2023

“We are working with earth moving machinery to get containment lines on the southern side, between the fire and Miles but to the north it is running freely.

“The fire has grown rapidly; it quickly developed a pyrocumulus cloud and developed its own weather system.

“There was no opportunity for firefighters to stop something like that.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services confirmed 18 structures – a mix of homes, sheds and other farm buildings – were destroyed on Tuesday.

Heatwaves continue to keep temperatures high

The bureau also forecast heatwave conditions for Queensland, NSW and Western Australia are set to continue over the coming days.

A Heatwave Warning is current for parts of Queensland with maximum temperatures 5-10C above average across eastern Queensland.

Conditions are forecast to ease on Tuesday with cooler temperatures, and possible severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds and heavy rainfall expected.

A hazardous surf warning remains current for southeast Queensland and northeast NSW as easterly swells from ex-Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle continue.

The system has since moved into New Zealand.

Many people will be trying to cool off as heatwaves continue to hit large parts of the country. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Low to severe intensity heatwave conditions continue to build over Western Australia with temperatures up to 10C above average.

A heatwave warning and a fire weather warning for extreme fire danger are both current for parts of inland Western Australia and will continue through the week.

“Heat over Western Australia will start shifting east in coming days, peaking across southern and southeastern Australia late this week and into the weekend with max temperatures 6 to 12C above average,” the bureau states.

A severe heatwave warning remains in place for the East Gippsland district.

Cyclone watch issued for tropical North Australia

A tropical low remains over Gulf waters and an active monsoon trough continues to bring widespread rain, squally showers and thunderstorms to much of the Top End, Gulf of Carpentaria and Northern Cape York Peninsula.

The bureau stated the tropical low lies over the western Gulf of Carpentaria. Its risk of developing into a tropical cyclone remains low on Tuesday.

A tropical low over Gulf waters and an active monsoon trough continue to bring widespread rain, squally showers and thunderstorms to much of the Top End, Gulf of Carpentaria and northern Cape York Peninsula.

Latest: https://t.co/XNskUnVW0Mpic.twitter.com/CFg0wJtVS0

— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) February 14, 2023

The low is expected to move south-eastwards initially, then over the southern Gulf coast late on Wednesday or Thursday.

New South Wales

A severe weather warning has been cancelled for the Central West Slopes and Plains district after severe thunderstorms stopped.

However, severe thunderstorms remain in the northern part of the state.

The bureau forecast the system is likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones over the next several hours in parts of the Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes and Plains districts.

Residents in Lismore, Tenterfield, Byron Bay, Ballina, Casino and Kyogle are also being urged to prepare for intense rainfall.