A line of severe thunderstorms swept across southeast Queensland yesterday, leaving thousands without power, bringing small hail and producing a spectacular lightning display.
The line, which was part of a complex that stretched from Grafton in northeast NSW up to Emerald in southeast QLD, intensified over parts of the southeast as it hit the coastal moisture. Those in in Logan City Council, Ipswich City Council, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim copped it the hardest, with more than 20,000 homes left without power due to strong winds and lightning. Some places also reported hail as large as 10 cent piece in diameter.
Today, these thunderstorms have contracted into central east QLD, including the Central Highlands & Coalfields and inland parts of the Wide Bay & Burnett and Capricornia, where thunderstorms bring the risk of large hail and damaging winds this afternoon and evening.
However, tomorrow thunderstorms are again expected to fire up over the state's southeast, with the most widespread thunderstorm activity likely on the Darling Downs & Granite Belt, Southeast coast and Wide Bay & Burnett. Strong wind shear aloft makes severe thunderstorms likely, with the risk of large hail and strong winds. Those over the northern southeast coast, eastern Darling Downs and Wide Bay & Burnett also have the chance of very heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding, with isolated totals in excess of 30-to-40mm possible.
Thunderstorm activity will clear the region on Sunday due to a strong and gusty southeast change.
Image 1: Lightning strikes out in front of the storm front near Springwood, QLD on Thursday 17 October, 2019 (Source; Andy Barber)