Qld weather: City of Moreton Bay demands answers over lack of storm alert

The Bureau of Meteorology has been slammed over a lack of storm warning alerts as Morayfield was smashed yesterday, with businesses damaged, power cut and roads turned to ice.

A council north of Brisbane has blamed the Bureau of Meteorology over the lack of alerts issued as wild weather hit Morayfield, damaging businesses, cutting power and prompting dozens of SES call-outs.

A City of Moreton Bay spokeswoman said, in a statement, that the council’s weather warnings were based on warnings issued by the weather bureau.

Hail pictured in the carpark of Bunnings at Morayfield, which copped the brunt of a massive storm. Picture: Facebook

“MoretonAlerts are generated based on BOM warnings,” the statement read.

“There were no BOM warnings received for City of Moreton Bay about the storm yesterday.

“Last night the City of Moreton Bay lodged an urgent inquiry to BOM about why warnings were not received.”

In a statement, the bureau claimed it had issued severe thunderstorm warnings for “parts of Moreton Bay” at 5.53pm.

However, it said that “some storms do not meet the specific criteria for severe thunderstorm warnings to be issued”.

“Some significant storm activity occurred beyond the zones for which specific severe thunderstorm warnings were issued,” the statement read

“Storm impacts can arise from storms that do not meet severe thunderstorm criteria.

Morayfield in Queensland got hit by heavy rain and hail this evening. October 9th 2024. Picture: Facebook

“Severe thunderstorms arise and move rapidly, which is why the bureau support targeted warnings with localised forecasts, briefings and public information in the hours and days leading up to an expected severe weather event.

“The bureau acknowledges community concerns and is working with local emergency management partners to better understand the severe weather impacts across SEQ over the past few days.”

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery expressed his concerns regarding the alert issued yesterday.

“The 5.53pm alert noted by the Bureau occurred after the impacts that were experienced in Morayfield and the surrounding area,” Cr Flannery said.

“We are unable to respond and issue accurate warnings from such generalised messaging.

“If this is what BOM thinks is accurate information then we are in serious trouble.”

Morayfield Woolworths flooding from the ceiling. Picture: Contributed

A BOM warning issued at that time does not appear to mention Moreton Bay and was issued after the ceilings of Woolworths and Red Dragon Martial Arts School at Morayfield collapsed.

Security footage obtained by The Courier-Mail showed students and families rushing to get away as water burst through the ceiling of Red Dragon at 4.25pm on Wednesday, October 9.

The severe thunderstorm alert issued at 5.53pm by the Bureau of Meteorology warned of heavy rainfall, large hailstones, and damaging winds for people in Wide Bay and Burnett and parts of Central Coast and Whitsundays, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Southeast Coast and Maranoa and Warrego Forecast Districts.

The ceiling collapsed at the Red Dragon martial arts studio at Morayfield at 4.25pm on Wednesday October 9. Pic: Supplied.

“Severe thunderstorms are continuing across southeast Queensland,” the warning read.

“Weather Situation: A surface trough extends from the central highlands area southward through the southern inland of Queensland. A moist and unstable air mass is in place to the east of this trough. Strong winds in the upper atmosphere provided by an approaching upper level trough will assist this storm activity, and have lead to continuing severe storm activity this afternoon.

Heavy hailstones recorded at Morayfield.

“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, large hailstones and damaging winds in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Dalby, Emerald, Clermont, Kingaroy, Goondiwindi and Nanango.”

Caboolture resident Anita Hogan said the warnings were “definitely” not sufficient.

“I was at Morayfield Shopping Centre and a warning would have meant that I would not have been on the road or away from home and not put myself in the situation that I was stuck in the shopping centre at risk of being locked in or unable to leave,” she said.

“People looked shocked and appeared scared.

“I’m ex-Defence so I just went into that mode and left before as the lights went down a few times.

“It was a danger that the council should have tried harder to prevent.

“It came on all of a sudden.

“I heard in the news about bad weather but nothing else to be honest.”

Steve Douglas at storm clean up at AMX Superstore, Morayfield. Picture: Richard Walker

Ms Hogan said she thought authorities would have learned from past weather events.

“You’d think after the flooding in Morayfield two years ago and all access cut off, that they wouldn’t be so complacent,” she said.

The council spokeswoman added that the fact no warning was issued yesterday has no connection to the delay in storm alerts issued via MoretonAlert earlier in the week.

“The fact that there was no BOM warning for yesterday’s weather event has no connection to the delay in storm alerts via MoretonAlert that was experienced by Moreton Bay residents

earlier in the week,” the statement read.

Hailstones on a trampoline at Morayfield. Picture: Facebook

“City of Moreton Bay’s SMS delivery system is working properly and if a warning had been received by BOM would have been activated.

“The event yesterday in Morayfield took place in a matter of minutes.

“This emphasises the need for residents and businesses to plan, prepare, and survive.

“This includes ensuring the property is maintained to be resilient and having appropriate insurance to cover storm damage when the worst happens.”

Originally published as Qld weather: City of Moreton Bay demands answers over lack of storm alert