Qld weather: Thousands without power, huge hail smashes southeast as Qld temps hit 40C

The clean-up will continue today after homes and cars were damaged and power cut to thousands after a freak storm hit Brisbane’s east.

• ‘Instantaneous’: Why BoM couldn’t predict 90km/h storm

Fallen trees damaged homes and 20,000 properties were left without power when a freak mini tornado tore through Brisbane’s east on Thursday.

Powerlines were brought down in Carina, Carina Heights, Coorparoo, Morningside, Tingalpa and Seven Hills.

Clean-up operation under way on Birdwood Rd at Carina on Fiday morning. Picture: Annette Dew

The SES had more than 20 callouts in Brisbane on Thursday afternoon and overnight. Power has been mostly restored.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said on Friday that the council will undertake additional bin collection in Carina Heights, Carina, Seven Hills and Camp Hill next week following Thursday’s storm.

“While green bins in these suburbs had their fortnightly collection this week, we’ll be doing an additional collection next week on the regular day of service for any additional garden debris,” he said.

“Council crews will continue prioritising safety jobs in parks and along footpaths and roads (Friday) and (Saturday).”

The weather bureau failed to issue a severe storm warning before the event, which meteorologist Shane Kennedy said was because an analysis of the radar suggested the storm would not produce damaging wind gusts.

Dee Ford and John McDougall survey the aftermath of the storm at Anzac Rd Park at Carina. Picture: Annette Dew

“But it does look like at least it got a significant wind gust or two through the region,” he said.

“Likely it was at least in that 70km/h to 80km/h range.

Major storm damage on Gallipoli Rd, Camp Hill on Thursday afternoon. Photo Steve Pohlner

“There is a chance it could have been locally damaging wind gusts, so some isolated 90km/h or more given the damage there.”

Traffic lights were shut down across multiple suburbs, causing peak-hour chaos.

In Carina Heights, which bore the brunt  of the storm, houses were damaged by fallen trees and shops were forced to close due to the power cut.

Major storm damage along Gallipoli Rd, Camp Hill. Picture: Steve Pohlner

A more-than-100-year-old giant tree crashed into a house, destroying half of it.

One man said his sister’s master bedroom was gone. Her two cats were found safe.

“The whole roof was damaged. Half of the house was damaged,” he said.

“I’m just glad she wasn’t home.”

Trees felled at Carina Heights. Picture: Jen Hadson

Resident Patsy Simmons said a small tornado had smashed the suburb.

“It was a really, really strong wind, and we had hail here as well,” she said.

A trampoline went flying in the storm in Brisbane's east on Thursday afternoon. Picture: Lesley Walker

“It lasted for 10 minutes. It was all done.”

Andrew Bobir, who has lived in the area for more than 40 years, said: “We were in my daughter’s house.

Major storm damage at Gallipoli Rd, Camp Hill. Photo Steve Pohlner

“All her trees got blown away.

“The whole road was blocked.

“There’re still a blackout.”

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said clean-up crews had been deployed.

“This afternoon’s storm was very concentrated in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs,” Cr Schrinner said.

A car was damaged by fallen tree branches at Osterley Rd, Carina Heights. Picture: via Higgins Storm Chasers

“We’ve rapidly deployed crews to prioritise safety issues, including the removal of trees across roads, on footpaths, and in our parks.

“Impacted residents will also be able to drop off green waste for free at the Chandler Resource Recovery Centre from (Friday) until the Australia Day public holiday on January 27.

Trees down in Carina Heights after the storms. Picture Higgins Storm Chasers/Peter

“We will have more crews on the ground (on Friday) to assist with the clean-up and assess the damage further.”

The storms wreaked havoc in a band across the southeast.

Mr Kennedy said there were reports of damage at Gympie and giant hail on the Gold Coast.

“Just to the northwest of Coolangatta, there was giant hail, around the 5cm mark was reported there,” he said.

Hailstones were reported at Upper Springbrook and Tallebudgera Valley Thursday afternoon. Picture: via Higgins Storm Chasing

Mr Kennedy said there could be more storms in the days ahead.

“Looking into tomorrow, we are looking at a least to moderate chance, around that 50 to 60 per cent chance of seeing some showers, rainfall in that 3mm to 10mm range, and there is a chance we could see some isolated thunderstorms again on the Friday, maybe during that afternoon period.”

Trees down on ANZAC Road Park (Birdwood Road), Carina Heights. Picture Higgins Storm Chasers/Peter

The storms coincided with a heatwave in which temperatures reached as high as 38.1C at Brisbane Airport.

The highest temperature recorded by BOM was 42.8C at Longreach at 4.15pm.

Several other areas reached more than 40C including Clermont, Emerald, Blackall, Winton, The Monument, Century Mine, Cloncurry, Camooweal, Mount Isa, Julia Creek and Gladstone. Many areas were still sitting on more than 40C at 4.40pm.

Hail reported at Tallebudgera Thursday afternoon. Picture: via Higgins Storm Chasing/"Kim"

Brisbane reached a top of 37.4C at 2.08pm - the forecast was 37C. It was still sitting on 37C at 4pm but dropped to 29.6C by 5.20pm. Earlier, the apparent or “feels like” temperature was 38.5C.

Conditions should ease on Friday with a top in Brisbane of 31C.

Storm clouds off the Gold Coast on Thursday. Picture: Kylie Funnell

A tree uprooted at Banora Point, just south of the Queensland border, as storms hit northern NSW and southeast Queensland Thursday afternoon. Picture: via Higgins Storm Chasing/Rheannon

Thursday’s extreme weather came after an intense storm, which ‘shook homes’ turned the night into day and sounded like ‘bombs’ going off, across the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and even as far as Central Queensland Wednesday night.

Some homes on the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere lost power as bolt after bolt hit the region from Caloundra to north of Noosa.

“The sky turned purple! The thunder sounded like a bomb was exploding!,’ Luci Valenzisi said.

A Radarscope image showing the intensity of the storm before 1am on Thursday.

Jan Saunders said it was the ‘longest sustained thunder I’ve ever heard I reckon!

“Good 30 mins plus couple of ear splitting cracks giving the feeling the (brick!) house shook!

“Two young French backpacking sisters staying with me so scared poor loves!!! And glad they were not in their car tent.”

A lightning strike turned night into day on the Sunshine Coast in the early hours of Thursday.

There was no storm warning issued by BOM but Higgins Storm Chasing posted warnings at 1am.

A BOM spokesperson said there were non severe wind gusts up to 65km/h for Sunshine Coast Airport.

One gauge near Gympie received 30mm, and most falls around Gympie and the Sunshine Coast region were 1-20mm.

A 61km/h gust was recorded at Bundaberg and 43km/h at Hervey Bay, while there was 58mm of rain at Stony Creek (Bucca Road) near Bundaberg and 45mm for Bargara.

Originally published as Qld weather: Thousands without power, huge hail smashes southeast as Qld temps hit 40C