Toowoomba Lockyer Valley road closures: Major highway cut as authorities issue warning to drivers

More than 100 roads have been cut across Toowoomba, the Lockyer Valley and the Southern Downs, including multiple highways. FULL LIST OF CLOSURES

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has issued a “red alert” warning to drivers during the busy school drop-off time, as continuing rain cuts off roads and leaves some traffic signals down.

Several roads have already been cut in Toowoomba, including in Glenvale, Rangeville, Highfields, Meringandan West and down the range in Murphys Creek.

Further down in the Lockyer Valley, many roads are closed, centring around the Laidley area where an emergency warning was issued late on Sunday night.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for parts of the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley regions on Monday morning.

It has since been cancelled.

The Warrego Highway at Glenore Grove on Monday morning.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council said the Warrego Highway would be cut at Glenore Grove later on Monday.

There are reports authorities are already turning away cars.

Schools across Toowoomba will reopen this morning, as power mostly returns to the nearly 25,000 homes that were cut following wind gusts reaching 100km/h across Toowoomba.

There are still pockets of Highfields, Goombungee and north of Crows Nest still waiting for power to be returned to their property.

Toowoomba had been spared of big rainfall totals on Monday morning.

Toowoomba across Sunday escaped most of the torrential rain that has been dumped over the wider Brisbane area and the Lockyer Valley.

In addition to the Laidley alert, emergency warnings have been issued for parts of Brisbane.

But further rainfall is predicted to continue into Monday morning, before easing in the later parts of the day.