Severe thunderstorms are likely to hit many parts of South-East Queensland and beyond on Tuesday afternoon and evening.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist David Crock said wild weather was on the way.
“There’s a big severe thunderstorm outbreak expected this afternoon right across South-East Queensland and well and truly further as well, up into Central Queensland and down into Northern New South Wales,” Mr Crock said.
“Some of those storms could produce giant hail and destructive wind gusts of 125km/h-plus.”
Mr Crock also said there was the possibility of heavy rain, which could lead to some flash flooding, while tornadoes “can not be ruled out”.
But he said the Sunshine Coast might avoid the brunt of the storms.
“The Sunshine Coast is kind of on the edge of areas that are more likely to see severe storms, so it’s a tricky one (to accurately predict),” he said.
“The severe storms are forecast, more likely, inland around Kingaroy and down to the Darling Downs, and probably a bit further south of the Sunshine Coast, around Ipswich and Brisbane.”
“A complicating factor is the rain and storms moving through this morning, just to the north of the Sunshine Coast for the most part. Those morning storms can tend to put a lid on things in the afternoon.”
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About 1000 properties were without power near Boreen Point just north of Noosa on Tuesday morning, when powerlines came down.
The official forecast for the Sunshine Coast, as of Tuesday morning, was for a “very high chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms, possibly severe with damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding. Light winds.”
Satellite notes stated that “a low pressure system centred in central New South Wales extends a broad trough up through western Queensland and into the northwestern interior of the country. Remnant mid level cloud and some thunderstorms can be seen about this trough”.
The Sunshine Coast was drenched on October 22, when more than 200mm of rain fell on some parts of the region in less than 24 hours, after heavy falls in the preceding 24 hours. The state emergency services received dozens of calls for assistance.
