The Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings for south-east Queensland, with Brisbane on the fringe of one alert area, a day after destructive storms left about 25,000 properties without power and SES crews received more than 320 requests for help across the region.
Warnings were issued for south-east Queensland by the Bureau of Meteorology before 6pm on Thursday, with the River City on the fringe of one alert area. The bureau said severe thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding would primarily affect towns to the north-west of Brisbane. Kingaroy, Cherbourg, Taroom, Monto, Yarraman and Gayndah were listed as among the areas that could be hit hardest.
The destructive storms that struck on Wednesday afternoon left a trail of damage. Trees fell in Regents Park, Logan. A falling tree knocked out traffic lights before crashing into cars on Aspen Circuit in Logan Reserve about 4pm. Another tree came down on Logan Road in Eight Mile Plains, striking two vehicles just before 5pm. A trampoline was lifted onto a road in Regents Park. Hail measuring about six centimetres was recorded at Churchable before 5pm, and 75 millimetres of rain was recorded within an hour at Mount Moffatt. Wind gusts of up to 96km/h were recorded at Brisbane Airport, leading to delays and diversions.
SES crews responded to more than 320 requests for help across the state’s south-east. Most requests were related to fallen trees affecting structures or blocking entry or exit to properties, and many needed tarpaulins for leaking roofs. Among the hundreds of requests, 243 callouts were from Logan City. On Thursday morning, 11 schools in the area were closed.
“It’s a bit of a stormy next few days,” senior meteorologist Robert Lawry said. “There is a chance in Brisbane that we could see some thunderstorms overnight into the early hours.” The weather is expected to ease on Friday before a resurgence in storm activity at the weekend. “Into the weekend, we do see those thunderstorms reinvigorate as another surface trough develops across inland parts of Queensland,” meteorologist Jonathan How said. Lawry added that storms were forecast for Brisbane on Saturday and Sunday, with a chance of severe storms.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Tens of thousands of residents are without power, facing a weekend of renewed severe weather.
- Damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding pose ongoing risks to property and safety.
- Eleven schools were closed on Thursday, indicating the severe impact on the community.
Background
Brisbane and south-east Queensland were hit by a destructive storm system on Wednesday afternoon, bringing wind gusts of up to 96km/h, hailstones measuring six centimetres and flash flooding as up to 80 millimetres fell in half an hour. The State Emergency Service responded to more than 320 requests for help, mostly for fallen trees and leaking roofs.
Key Perspectives
Bureau of Meteorology: has warned that severe thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall could arrive over the weekend, primarily affecting towns north-west of Brisbane. The weather is expected to ease on Friday before storms reinvigorate on Saturday and Sunday.
State Emergency Service: responded to more than 320 storm-related requests for help across south-east Queensland, with 243 callouts from Logan City alone for fallen trees and structural damage.
What to Watch
- The forecast resurgence of severe storms on Saturday and Sunday.
- Whether power can be restored to the 25,000 properties still affected before the next weather system arrives.
- The potential for further flash flooding given the heavy rainfall already received.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedMore wet weather is possible for Brisbane after storms hit the city.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Brisbane may not be out of the woods just yet, with more wet weather possible a day after destructive storms swept the city.”
- SupportedForecasters expect storm activity to return over the weekend.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The weather is expected to ease on Friday before a resurgence in storm activity at the weekend.”
- Partly supportedAbout 25,000 properties remained without power after the storms.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “As of 6pm on Thursday, about 25,000 properties in south-east Queensland remained without power following a lashing that damaged homes and brought trees down onto traffic.”
- SupportedThe Bureau issued south-east Queensland warnings before 6pm Thursday, with Brisbane on the fringe of one alert area.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Warnings were issued for south-east Queensland by the Bureau of Meteorology before 6pm on Thursday, with the River City on the fringe of one alert area.”
- SupportedThe warning forecast damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain that could cause flash flooding, mainly north-west of Brisbane.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “It said severe thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding would primarily affect towns to the north-west of Brisbane.”
- SupportedSES crews received more than 320 requests for help across south-east Queensland.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “SES crews responded to more than 320 requests for help across the state’s south-east.”
- SupportedRobert Lawry said, “It’s a bit of a stormy next few days.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““It’s a bit of a stormy next few days,” senior meteorologist Robert Lawry said.”
- SupportedRobert Lawry said, “There is a chance in Brisbane that we could see some thunderstorms overnight into the early hours.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““There is a chance in Brisbane that we could see some thunderstorms overnight into the early hours.”
- SupportedJonathan How said thunderstorms would reinvigorate over the weekend as a surface trough developed inland in Queensland.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Into the weekend, we do see those thunderstorms reinvigorate as another surface trough develops across inland parts of Queensland,” meteorologist Jonathan How said.”
- SupportedLawry said storms were forecast for Brisbane on Saturday and Sunday, with a chance of severe storms.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Then as we go into Saturday, there’s definitely storms expected again for Brisbane … there’s storms again forecast for Sunday, and there is a chance of those being severe.””
- SupportedWind gusts of up to 96km/h were recorded at Brisbane Airport, leading to delays and diversions.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Wind gusts of up to 96km/h were recorded at Brisbane Airport, leading to delays and diversions.”
- SupportedLogan City accounted for 243 SES callouts.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Among the hundreds of requests, 243 callouts were from Logan City.”
