Gold Coasters are being urged to keep an eye on the weather warnings over the coming hours as severe thunderstorms develop right across the south east.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned severe storms could possibly bring giant hail and destructive winds over the next few hours.
“Strong heating of moist airmass over southeastern and central Queensland east of a surface trough is leading to moderately strong instability. This is combining with strong winds in the upper atmosphere to provide a favourable environment for the development of scattered severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening,” BOM’s warning states.
“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones, damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in the Wide Bay and Burnett, Southeast Coast and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and Maranoa and Warrego districts. Locations which may be affected include Toowoomba, Brisbane, Dalby, Maroochydore, Gympie, Gladstone, Ipswich, Kingaroy, Cleveland, Gatton, Jimboomba and Caboolture.”
3-7 centimetre hail has already been reported in Redcliffe and Laidley Creek this afternoon. Thousand of homes and businesses have also lost power across multiple regions, particularly the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Logan City.
