Hail hits parts of Sunshine Coast as thunderstorm moves through region

Parts of the Sunshine Coast have been smashed by hail as a thunderstorm moves through the region, bringing an epic light show and grim clouds.

House hit by lightning at Boonah QLD. Image via HigginsStormChasing

Hail has smashed parts of the Sunshine Coast as an epic thunderstorm rolled through the region.

The Mooloolah Valley Country Club received pea-size hail as the storm took hold this afternoon.

Small hail was also reported over North Buderim about 3pm.

Some drivers also took shelter from hail under bridges about 3.20pm near Caloundra.

Sunshine Coast line trains were suspended between Caboolture and Nambour stations due to an overhead power line issue as a result of storm.

The Mooloolah Valley Country Club was hit by hail earlier today in a storm that rolled through parts of the Sunshine Coast.

Translink reported there were delays of up to 60 minutes for customers travelling in both directions.

BOM senior meteorologist Felim Hanniffy said the cell that was near the Sunshine Coast had weakened and allowed a reprieve.

Barbara Edmiston reported small hail at North Buderim, and snapped this photo of the clouds rolling in during the Sunshine Coast storm. Picture: Barbara Edmiston

“It was around Maroochydore, a pretty slow moving one that just popped up and sat there for a bit,” he said.

“It was pretty lightning active there for a while.

“There’s still thunderstorm activity around, but it’s not severe.”

He said the main “severe cells” were west and south of the Sunshine Coast but they could move up over parts of the hinterland and the coastal areas over the next hour or two.

Storm clouds over Nambour about 5.10pm on Thursday, November 14. Picture: Mark Furler

“We could see further severe thunderstorms that could generate large hail damage, winds, and heavy rainfall,” he said.

BOM could not confirm reports of hail but had warned of it before the storm hit.

A double rainbow over Maroochydore following the storms. Picture: Contributed

Lightning hits Hervey Bay suburbs

This morning, Hervey Bay residents described a huge cracking noise which shook windows after what’s believed to have been a lightning strike in Thursday morning’s storms.

According to the My Lightning Tracker app, the strike was in Denmans Camp Rd.

Multiple people in Torquay, Scarness and Kawungan took to social media to describe the impact.

“I agree with the app as my street stems off Denmans Camp (Rd) and the glass nearly fell out of my windows”, Billy Robinson wrote on the All New Hervey Bay Community Noticeboard.

Wendy Jane said she lived in Bideford St where the “windows rattled” while Julie Ann Marshall replied, “same, my hubby was putting the bins out. I thought the worst – it was so loud and close”.

Paulene Christie said “I was out running in (the storm) – made me run a little faster to home” and Lenore Kempnich agreed it “definitely sounded like it hit something”.

Overnight, there were ore than 215,000 lightning strikes which left about 1700 homes and businesses without power on Thursday morning.

Supercell storms smashed Brisbane and the southeast, lashing the regions with golf ball-size hail, damaging winds and torrential rain.

Energex spokesman Danny Donald said that crews were out early to assess power outages.

“Some Energex customers in Gympie, Sunshine Coast, Macgregor, Logan, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim are without power this morning,” Mr Donald said.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman confirmed there were severe thunderstorms and lightning at Hervey Bay this morning.

She said in the past three hours alone there had been approximately 166 lightning strikes, with between 30 to 40 of those being directly cloud to ground strikes.

The BOM spokeswoman said Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast, and the South Burnett would continue to be at risk of thunderstorms today.

"There is potentially a risk of severe thunderstorms that could produce heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and hail," she said.

She said the risk of high end thunderstorms, with destructive winds and heavy hail, would hit further south of Hervey Bay including the South Burnett and hinterland areas of the Sunshine Coast.

"The peak time is likely to be into the afternoon and evening … any warnings will be issued into the afternoon," she said.

The BOM spokeswoman said thunderstorms are forecast for Hervey Bay and the Sunshine Coast on Friday as well.

Hervey Bay will also be hit on Saturday, Sunshine Coast not so much – she said.

She said Sunday will hopefully see a reprieve from the storms. "They should ease off but then come back late Monday and Tuesday as the next system moves across," the spokeswoman said.

Weatherzone reported Australia could see 10 million lightning strikes this week.

A large storm brewing south west of Roma that has been warned to bring damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain. Picture: Higgins

“Australia is locked into a stormy weather pattern that will generate prolific lightning every day this week, possibly causing around 10 million lightning strikes across the country by week’s end,’’ the site said.

“ Monday kicked the week off with more than 1.4 million lightning strikes over the Australian region, some of which were produced by a destructive thunderstorm that tore a roof off a building in Queensland.

“A combination of abundant atmospheric moisture and a series of low pressure troughs and cold fronts will continue to cause widespread thunderstorm activity over the Australian region each day for the rest of this week.”

Higgins Storm Chasing has predicted more big storms for Thursday and Friday.

Originally published as Hail hits parts of Sunshine Coast as thunderstorm moves through region