Severe thunderstorms pound Queensland with giant hail and intense flooding, Australia
Severe thunderstorms struck Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW) on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, bringing hailstones up to 7 cm (2.75 inches) in diameter, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and damaging winds. Thunderstorm warnings remain in effect, with more dangerous weather expected.
Severe thunderstorms developed over parts of Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW) on the afternoon of Wednesday. These storms brought hail up to 7 cm (2.75 inches) in diameter, intense rainfall, flooding, and damaging winds.
The thunderstorms were triggered by a combination of surface-level and upper-level troughs, along with moisture-laden easterly winds, affecting southwestern QLD and northeastern NSW.
Giant hail, reaching up to 7 cm (2.75 inches) in diameter, was observed near Injune, QLD, around 13:20 local time (LT). By 14:46 LT, approximately 35.6 mm (1.40 inches) of rain had fallen in Inverell over a 30-minute period, with intense rain and flooding also reported in Southport, QLD.
Mudgeeraba recorded 86 mm (3.39 inches) of rainfall in the 1 hour leading up to 16:16 LT, with around 69 mm (2.72 inches) falling in just 30 minutes. Similarly, along the Warrego Highway, 62 mm (2.44 inches) of rain was recorded in the 30 minutes leading up to 16:15 LT.
Widespread rainfall of approximately 50 – 70 mm (1.97 – 2.76 inches) was reported across southeast QLD and northeast NSW between 09:00 and 16:00 LT.
As of 17:12 LT, a severe thunderstorm warning remained active for the region, with very dangerous storms capable of producing large to giant hailstones and damaging winds.
In NSW, a separate thunderstorm warning was issued for heavy rainfall, large hailstones, and damaging winds affecting areas around the Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes.
Over the next several hours, very dangerous thunderstorms in the warning areas are expected to bring heavy, locally intense rainfall, posing a risk of life-threatening flash flooding, along with large to giant hailstones and damaging winds.
Locations likely to be affected include Toowoomba, Dalby, Emerald, Clermont, Ipswich, Kingaroy, Coolangatta, Goondiwindi, and Gatton.
The thunderstorms are expected to continue through Wednesday evening, before easing in some areas on Thursday, October 10. While the storms are forecast to move out of NSW by Thursday, central and northeastern QLD may experience further severe thunderstorm development, with damaging gusts expected.
Severe thunderstorms had already lashed southeast QLD on Tuesday, October 8 when parts of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast were struck by heavy rains.
References:
1 Severe Thunderstorm Warning – BOM -October 9, 2024
2 Giant hail and intense rain lash Qld, NSW – Weatherzone – October 9, 2024
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
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