Storm warnings are in place for multiple capital cities across Australia’s east and south-east as a severe weather front sweeps across the country. A cold front meets warm, humid air, with thunderstorms, possible damaging winds and possible flash flooding in some areas forecast from Saturday afternoon into Sunday.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of possible flash flooding in some areas and potentially destructive winds of over 125km/h, with possible heavy rainfall and large hailstones also forecast in some areas.
Melbourne and parts of Victoria recorded moderate rainfall and some lightning on Saturday morning, but a more intense band of thunderstorms was forecast for the afternoon, affecting Melbourne, Gippsland, the north-eastern ranges and north-central Victoria.
‘It’s this follow-up band of storms which could pack a punch,’ BoM meteorologist Angus Hines said on Saturday.
The storm front is expected to travel further east, impacting Canberra and inland NSW before reaching the east coast on Sunday, stretching as far as southern Queensland. The risk area will extend north through inland NSW into the evening, up to Queensland’s southern interior and along the NSW coast south of Sydney around Wollongong and the Illawarra.
Hines said the timing would be mid to late afternoon for many of these areas, and potentially not until the evening for storms reaching the east coast.
On Sunday, the focus of concern will shift further north, with heavy rain and storms around Brisbane during the afternoon and early evening. Severe thunderstorms were most likely for parts of the NSW mid-north coast, the northern rivers, parts of the tablelands and the Hunter region, with possible hail, heavy rainfall, flash flooding and destructive winds of more than 125km/h.
Areas that had recorded heightened rainfall in the past fortnight were also at risk of flash flooding, Hines said.
‘If you do live through this area, tomorrow is definitely a day you’ll want to keep a watch on the radar to see if any big storms are headed your way,’ he said.
A broader area of potential concern for Sunday stretches from Newcastle, north of Sydney, up to Gympie on the Sunshine Coast. A severe wind warning is also in place across the mountains of northern Victoria and southern NSW, with wind gusts of more than 100km/h recorded on Saturday morning.
Analysis
Why this matters
- Residents in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and surrounding regions face potential flash flooding, falling trees and property damage from destructive winds over 125km/h.
- Travel and outdoor plans will be disrupted across the weekend, with storms moving east and intensifying on Sunday.
- Recent heavy rainfall in parts of NSW and Queensland increases the risk of flash flooding in already saturated areas.
Background
The severe weather is driven by a cold front sweeping across south-eastern Australia, colliding with warm, humid air. Such fronts are common in late spring, but this system is particularly strong, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing multiple warnings for damaging winds, heavy rain and large hail across a wide geographical area.
What to watch
- Watch for flash flooding in areas that have already received above-average rainfall in the past fortnight, particularly in NSW and southern Queensland.
- Monitor the Bureau of Meteorology’s radar and warnings for possible escalation of destructive winds or the development of supercell storms.
- Storms are expected to affect Brisbane from Sunday afternoon; residents should prepare for potential severe weather in the afternoon and early evening.
Checked
10 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
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- SupportedStorm warnings cover Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane as a cold front sweeps east.World news | The Guardian: “Storm warnings for Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane as cold front ‘packs a punch’.”
- SupportedPossible damaging winds, heavy rain and large hail are forecast from Saturday into Sunday.World news | The Guardian: “The forecast in these areas includes possible damaging winds, heavy rainfall and large hailstones.”
- SupportedA cold front meeting warm, humid air is bringing thunderstorms and possible flash flooding from Saturday afternoon into Sunday.World news | The Guardian: “Heavy rain, winds and thunderstorms are forecast to hit Melbourne and eastern Victoria throughout Saturday afternoon as a cold front meets warm, humid air.”
- SupportedThe Bureau warned of possible flash flooding and potentially destructive winds over 125km/h.World news | The Guardian: “The Bureau of Meteorology warned of possible flash flooding in some areas and potentially destructive winds of over 125km/h”
- Partly supportedThe more intense afternoon storm band is forecast to affect Melbourne, Gippsland, the north-eastern ranges and north-central Victoria.World news | The Guardian: “The storms are expected to impact Melbourne, parts of Gippsland, the north-eastern ranges, and north-central Victoria”
- SupportedAngus Hines said, “It’s this follow-up band of storms which could pack a punch.”World news | The Guardian: ““It’s this follow-up band of storms which could pack a punch,” BoM meteorologist Angus Hines said on Saturday.”
- SupportedThe storm front is expected to move east through Canberra and inland NSW before reaching the east coast on Sunday and southern Queensland.World news | The Guardian: “The storm front is then expected to travel further east, impacting Canberra and inland NSW before reaching the east coast on Sunday, stretching as far as southern Queensland .”
- SupportedHines said storms may reach the east coast in the evening, after mid-to-late-afternoon storms in many areas.World news | The Guardian: ““Expecting some very active storms here a little bit later on in the day, mid to late afternoon for many of these areas, and potentially not until the evening hours by the time we’re looking at storms getting out towards the east coast,” Hines said.”
- SupportedSevere thunderstorms are most likely in parts of the NSW mid-north coast, northern rivers, tablelands and Hunter region, with destructive winds over 125km/h possible.World news | The Guardian: “Severe thunderstorms were most likely for parts of the NSW mid-north coast, the northern rivers, parts of the tablelands and the Hunter region, with possible hail, heavy rainfall, flash flooding and destructive winds of more than 125km/h.”
- SupportedWind gusts over 100km/h were recorded Saturday morning in the mountains of northern Victoria and southern NSW.World news | The Guardian: “A severe wind warning is also in place across the mountains of northern Victoria and southern NSW, with wind gusts of more than 100km/h recorded on Saturday morning.”