Frightening twist: BOM warns of tornadoes after wet and wild morning
Several days of warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology for wild weather and damaging storm cells finally arrived on Queensland’s south-east overnight with a series of powerful storms shaking the region from its slumber.
But the worst may be yet to come, with the chance of supercells, giant hail and even tornadoes later in the day.
Brisbane city picked up 51 millimetres in 24 hours and some areas to the east got up to 90mm.
Severe storm warnings for Brisbane, Moreton Bay, the south-east coast, parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett, the Darling Downs and Granite Belt were cancelled by mid-morning, however, senior Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Shane Kennedy said more were on the way.
BOM warns there is the potential for higher-end severe storms and supercell activity this afternoon.
Kennedy said there was an āoutside chanceā of tornadoes forming in inland areas like the Darling Downs.
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BOM said the atmosphere was āvery much primedā for storm activity throughout south-east Queensland for most of the day, possibly even stretching to Friday morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said severe cells formed over Somerset early Thursday morning and were moving east to be over Narangba, Burpengary and Moreton Bay about 7:30am
Severe thunderstorms were detected on the radar near the area west of Esk and the area northwest of Esk, with both moving east.
Senior forecaster Shane Kennedy said up to 26 millimetres of rain had fallen in just an hour in Brisbane Thursday morning.
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Since 9:00am yesterday, 75mm had fallen in Brisbaneās east and 84mm at Wynnum on Brisbaneās bayside.
BOM forecaster Grace Legge said the storm cells would ease off later, before returning.
āWeāll probably have a little bit a bit of a break while the environment sort of re-charges, if you will, and weāll start to see those thunderstorms again in the afternoon though and they could be quite severe today,ā she said.
Senior forecaster Felim Hanniffy said āsevere storms are likely about the south-eastā throughout the day, which could bring ālarge hail, damaging winds and locally heavy rainfall.ā
āThere is potential for the higher-end severe storms for some supercell activity as well,ā which carry the risk of āgiant hail, destructive wind gusts and intense rainfallā.
Hanniffy said a trough āconduciveā to severe storms posed a risk to areas south of Capricornia, but northern parts of the state could still see less-intense storms.
āYou have to wait for them to form for us to pinpoint exactly, then thatās where the warnings come in play.ā
āThereās still a potential for severe storm risk during the first part of Friday about the south-east until that trough moves through, and then we get this drier air following,ā Hanniffy told the ABC.
āThereās still a potential for severe storm risk during the first part of Friday about the south-east until that trough moves through, and then we get this drier air following,ā Ā Hanniffy said.
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