Qld weather: Bureau of Meteorology issues severe thunderstorm warning for South East Queensland
Large hail – some the size of tennis balls – has pelted the Moreton Bay region, with the Bureau warning of a ‘very dangerous’ storm cell headed for the Sunshine Coast.
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Severe storms bringing damaging winds, hail and heavy rain are expected to lash southeast Queensland into the night as the bureau issues multiple weather alerts.
Several storms have formed from the Sunshine Coast to the NSW border with warnings unstable weather could continue throughout the night into the morning.
Mount Mee, Delaney’s Creek, Moreton Bay and Caboolture have been pelted with large hail, some as large as tennis balls.
At 4.29pm the Bureau of Meteorology issued a new alert, warning a very dangerous thunderstorm was detected near Crohamhurst and Maleny, heading east towards the Sunshine Coast.
At 4.44pm the alert was upgraded to warn that Maroochydore, Caloundra and Nambour may be impacted by damaging, destructive winds, large, possibly giant hail and heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding.
The alert warned the thunderstorm is slow moving.
Another alert, issues at 4:50pm, warned of very dangerous thunderstorms likely to produce destructive winds, giant hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding were detected near Montville, Palmwoods and the area south of the NSW border.
These thunderstorms are moving towards the north to northeast. They are forecast to affect Nambour and Mapleton by 5:05pm and Yandina, waters off Tweed Heads and the area northwest of Mapleton by 5:20pm.
More storms have begun forming on the radar west of Somerset and near Toowoomba.
The Bureau warned severe thunderstorms are developing in a humid and unstable air mass over inland parts of the southeast and may persist throughout the afternoon.
An updated weather alert was issued by the Bureau of Meteorology at 4.04pm, warning of damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rain for residents in the Southeast Coast forecast district, including an area spanning from Caboolture to Maroochydore.
A similar alert was issued at 4.05pm, warning that, at 4:00pm, a severe thunderstorm likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding was detected near Peachester and Crohamhurst. This thunderstorm is moving towards the northeast. It is forecast to affect Beerwah and Landsborough by 4:15pm.
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Caboolture and Caloundra.
At 3.26pm The Bureau of Meteorology warned that, at 3:20pm, a severe thunderstorm likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding was detected near Wamuran and Beerburrum. The thunderstorm was moving towards the northeast, forecast to affect the area southwest of Caloundra and Beerwah by 3:50pm.
Earlier in the afternoon the cell headed for Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast was flagged as a “very dangerous” thunderstorm, but at 3.07pm it was downgraded to severe.
It comes after residents across South East Queensland were warned to expect possible “extensive” storms from Thursday evening, with conditions said to worsen on Friday.
BOM meteorologist Shane Kennedy said Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts were facing possible volatile conditions on both days, although it was more likely the storms would hit the area on Friday.
Another alert was issued at 3.24pm, for a severe storm for people in parts of Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Southeast Coast and Wide Bay and Burnett Forecast Districts. It was also expected to bring damaging winds, hail and heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding.
“This afternoon storms across SEQ will be hit or miss, they could become more extensive in the late afternoon as evening as they move,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Rainfall is expected to be a non significant 5-10mm.”
The storm threat is likely to increase slightly further inland, however, Mr Kennedy said.
“The Scenic Rim, near the Queensland and New South Wales border, could see large hail, damage and wind gusts on Thursday afternoon and evening,” he said.
Mr Kennedy said storms on Friday could compare to the destructive storms seen on Tuesday around South East Queensland.
The temperatures across Queensland over the weekend are expected to be three to six degrees higher than on the same dates in other years.
“Weather over the weekend will calm down with only a few showers,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Brisbane is expected to be 31C across the weekend.”
Originally published as Qld weather: Bureau of Meteorology issues severe thunderstorm warning for South East Queensland
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