Gympie Direct Chemist Outlet’s roof collapses as hail hits town

Residents have been forced to flee for cover as a severe storm cell dropped grape-sized hail with enough force to cave the roof of a shopping centre store in. SEE PICTURES, VIDEO

Severe storms are expected to lash southeast Queensland hours after Gympie residents were forced to run for cover as hail smashed through a shopping centre roof.

Early rumblings of thunder shortly after 2.30pm swiftly turned into a deafening hail of ice on the city centre as the storm passed over, unleashing chaos on the streets at school time.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the Direct Chemist Outlet at Goldfields Plaza, at the corner of Monkland and Wickham Streets, just before 3pm.

Staff clean up after Gympie hit by a big downpour and hail on August 29, 2023.

A QAS spokeswoman said no-one was injured when the roof of the shop collapsed, inundating the store and the shopping centre’s entry with water.

The chemist has been closed for the afternoon due to flooding.

Bureau of Meteorology’s Felim Hanniffy said small pockets of storms would continue across the southeast on Tuesday afternoon, but Wednesday’s weather would be the most “unstable”.

“The storms kicked off this afternoon with the bulk focused up around Caboolture, Gympie, and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland,” he said.

“Some catchments around the Glasshouse Mountains caught up to 20mm, and there were some reports of small hail accumulations indicating atmosphere that is much more unstable today than yesterday.”

Meanwhile, between 12pm and 3pm the Hume Lane catchment at Peachester saw 13mm fall, 9.9mm at Eerwah Vale, Tiaro on the Fraser Coast got 6mm, Grigor Rd at Conondale 5mm, and Gympie received 5mm with intense hail.

Leonie Porter posted this picture of hail after the storms over Gympie and the Sunshine Coast.

Caboolture north of Brisbane also copped hail alongside 12mm of rain, Monsildale in the Somerset region caught 5mm as Junction View at the Lockyer Valley caught 5.8mm, Beerburrum 15mm and Rose Creek Road 13mm.

While most of the heavy rain fell north of Brisbane Molendinar on the Gold Coast caught 17mm, Neranwood 12mm, and Tallebudgera Creek Road 10mm.

Mr Hanniffy said some small pockets of storm bands will remain over the region, weakening as the evening approaches, before conditions become even more unstable on Wednesday.

“This afternoon the Wide Bay Bay and Burnett regions still could see some sharp showers, especially around elevation and further west,” said Mr Hanniffy.

Hail stones battered Gympie on Tuesday afternoon.

“Once we hit tomorrow when the heat kicks in the atmosphere will be more unstable so showers and storms are forecast again, broadly across the southeast.”

With more instability comes an increased risk of potentially dangerous storms fuelled by “a lot more energy around”.

“There is more risk of severe isolated thunderstorm activity, probably from tomorrow afternoon and evening at the Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley,” said Mr Hanniffy.

In Gympie, some areas avoided the chaos.

Gympie Mazda, which would have been struck by the hail at its former home opposite Gympie Central Shopping Centre, instead only received rainfall at its new location about 5km south of the city centre.

The rainfall itself was minimal with BoM records showing 5mm fell at Gympie.

Hail was reported in multiple parts of the region, including at Pie Creek 10km southwest of the city.

Andrea Daley captured this picture of hail covering a road at Gympie.

A shopping centre roof was caved in during the storm at Gympie.

Hail covers a yarn on Rifle Range Road, Gympie. PHOTO: Karen Wilcox

Michael Wedge posted this picture of the lightning over the hinterland after storms and hail at Gympie and on the Sunshine Coast.

Parts of regional Queensland had been forecast across the region earlier in the day, with some areas told to expect a drenching.

Areas of the Sunshine Coast also faced heavy rains with storm clouds looming over the hinterland, particularly around Maleny.

The extreme weather followed a drier than usual winter.

The Gympie region had been on the receiving end of a short but heavy downpour on Monday afternoon.

Hail covers the ground at Tamaree. PHOTO: Sue Kingsley.

Originally published as Gympie Direct Chemist Outlet’s roof collapses as hail hits town