Bureau warns of 'unusually large' multi-state storm sweeping eastern Australia

Severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail forecast for NSW, Queensland, ACT and Victoria with more dangerous weather expected on Monday.

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published25 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Illustration: Bureau warns of 'unusually large' multi-state storm sweeping eastern Australia

Eastern Australia is being battered by what the Bureau of Meteorology has described as an 'unusually large' multi-state system of severe thunderstorms, bringing the threat of damaging winds, hail, flash flooding and power outages across a vast area from southern Queensland to Victoria. Bureau meteorologist David Crock said the line of storms extended from the Snowy Mountains to the Queensland border, with the potential for further dangerous weather on Monday.

Large parts of eastern Australia were put on alert for severe thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon, with the Bureau of Meteorology reporting a broad line of storms had already swept through western New South Wales. Eight flood warnings were in place across southern Queensland after days of torrential rain.

Severe thunderstorms likely to bring hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and power outages were forecast over a huge area, including southern Queensland, western NSW, the ACT and eastern Victoria. Wind gusts of up to 100km/h were recorded in the central west of NSW around midday on Sunday.

Bureau meteorologist David Crock said the system was "unusually large" and explained that an area of high pressure had been sitting over the Tasman Sea for the past 10 days, blocking weather fronts and bringing storms and rains to southern Queensland. "Eventually you get a strong enough system that pushes that blocking pattern away and that typically brings severe weather with it," he said.

A front of cooler air was moving from the west on Sunday afternoon, dragging in tropical moisture from the north and creating storm conditions. Storm activity was likely to continue through Sunday evening and into Monday in northern NSW and southern Queensland. Mr Crock said Monday is expected to be the last big bang of the system, which will be a great relief for those in south-east Queensland.

Southern parts of Queensland had been through a weather whiplash in the past week. The Mary River downstream of Gympie was forecast to reach major flood levels in Tiaro. After a very dry September, southern parts of the state had seen October rainfall multiple times their average for the month, with areas around the Sunshine Coast seeing between 200mm and 400mm of rain in the past week.

The bureau's current long-range forecast for November to January suggests rainfall is likely to be above average over most of the country except the far north and much of Tasmania. November is likely to be warmer than usual for the southern half of the continent, with night-time temperatures in particular forecast to be likely well above average. Global heating has seen Australia warm by about 1.5C since 1910, the bureau's long-term climate data shows.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The 'unusually large' multi-state system poses an immediate threat to life and property across a densely populated region of Australia, including major cities like Brisbane and Canberra.
The severe weather is arriving on the back of a month of exceptionally heavy rain in southern Queensland, increasing the risk of compounding disasters and major flooding.
The event provides a stark example of the volatile weather patterns that climate scientists warn are becoming more common as Australia warms.

Background

The severe weather is the result of a persistent high-pressure system over the Tasman Sea that blocked weather fronts for over a week, funnelling tropical moisture into southern Queensland. The arrival of a cooler front from the west has broken this blocking pattern, drawing that moisture south and creating a vast line of severe thunderstorms. The system follows a very dry September for many of the affected areas.

What to Watch

The progression of the cold front into Monday, which the Bureau predicts will be the final major push of severe weather for south-east Queensland.
Flood levels on the Mary River at Tiaro, where major flooding is forecast to peak.
The Bureau's long-range outlook, which points to above-average rainfall and warmer nights for much of the country into the start of next year.

Sources

‘Unusually large’ multi-state storm causing severe weather for Australia’s east – with more on the way · The Guardian

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

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Partly supportedEastern Australia is being battered by the storm system.World news | The Guardian: “Large parts of eastern Australia were put on alert for severe thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon”
SupportedThe Bureau described the multi-state storm as “unusually large”.World news | The Guardian: ““This is a multi-state system of storms and it’s unusually large,” said bureau meteorologist David Crock.”
SupportedDavid Crock said, “Eventually you get a strong enough system that pushes that blocking pattern away and that typically brings severe weather with it.”World news | The Guardian: ““Eventually you get a strong enough system that pushes that blocking pattern away and that typically brings severe weather with it,” he said.”
SupportedThe storm line extended from the Snowy Mountains to the Queensland border.World news | The Guardian: ““We have a big line of storms that’s extending all the way from the Snowy mountains to the Queensland border.””
Partly supportedSevere thunderstorms, hail and flash flooding were forecast across NSW, Queensland, the ACT and Victoria, with more dangerous weather expected Monday.World news | The Guardian: “Severe thunderstorms that could bring hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and power outages were likely over a huge area on Sunday afternoon ... including across southern Queensland, western NSW, the ACT and eastern Victoria.”
SupportedEight flood warnings were in place across southern Queensland.World news | The Guardian: “eight flood warnings were in place across southern Queensland after days of torrential rain.”
SupportedWind gusts of up to 100km/h were recorded in central-west NSW around midday Sunday.World news | The Guardian: “Wind gusts of up to 100km/h were recorded in the central west of NSW around midday on Sunday”
SupportedHigh pressure over the Tasman Sea had been blocking weather fronts and bringing storms and rain to southern Queensland.World news | The Guardian: “Crock said an area of high pressure had been sitting over the Tasman Sea for the past 10 days that had been blocking weather fronts and bringing storms and rains to southern Queensland.”
SupportedMonday was expected to be the last big bang of the system and a relief for south-east Queensland.World news | The Guardian: ““[Monday] is the last big bang of this system and that’s going to be a great relief for those people in south-east Queensland,” he said.”
SupportedAreas around the Sunshine Coast received between 200mm and 400mm of rain in the past week.World news | The Guardian: “with areas around the Sunshine Coast seeing between 200mm and 400mm of rain in the past week.”
SupportedThe Bureau’s November-to-January forecast suggests rainfall is likely to be above average over most of the country, except the far north and much of Tasmania.World news | The Guardian: “The bureau’s current long-range forecast for November to January suggests rainfall is likely to be above average over most of the country except the far north and much of Tasmania.”
SupportedGlobal heating has seen Australia warm by about 1.5C since 1910, according to the Bureau’s long-term climate data.World news | The Guardian: “Global heating has seen Australia warm by about 1.5C since 1910, the bureau’s long-term climate data shows.”