IN PICTURES: Amazing scenes as storm lights up Toowoomba sky

A CHRONICLE photographer has snapped some amazing pictures showing the exact moment lightning struck and lit up the skies of Toowoomba.

FRIDAY night's storm may have plagued havoc with the social plans of residents, but it definitely put on a show for the city.

A Chronicle photographer managed to snap these amazing images at Laurel Bank as the weather system rolled into Toowoomba.

Lightning is seen over Laurel Bank Park as the flower gardens look spectacular for Carnival of Flowers 2017 after a brief storm brings needed rain to Toowoomba, Friday, September 22, 2017. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The pictures, taken at the exact moment the lightning strikes, showcased the the weather event that battered Toowoomba and south-east Queensland.

Here is how the storm formed over time:

Storm in Toowoomba

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The storm had thwarted an open air movie screening at Laurel Bank, but those who came were treated to a visual treat of another kind.

Lightning is seen over Laurel Bank Park as the flower gardens look spectacular for Carnival of Flowers 2017 after a brief storm brings needed rain to Toowoomba, Friday, September 22, 2017. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The brave photographer took his chances in what was expected to be dangerous conditions to get the pictures, offering a rare insight into how weather systems form and develop.

Originally published as IN PICTURES: Amazing scenes as storm lights up Toowoomba sky