Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Thunderstorms on the way for southeast Qld
Severe thunderstorms are on the way for southeast Queensland this weekend, bringing a cool change.
December 21, 2018
Severe thunderstorms similar to those that battered Sydney are set to hit southeast Queensland, breaking a two-day hot spell.
“We’ve got the possibility for large hail and strong damaging winds, and possibly heavy rainfall,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Jess Gardner told AAP on Friday.
“So a little bit of everything – we definitely have all the ingredients for some very severe storms.”
The storms could hit inland areas late Friday but are more likely to make an impact from the Gold Coast up to the Wide Bay area and inland to the Darling Downs on Saturday.
The thunderstorms are being carried by a southerly change moving up the coast.
They’re set to bring respite for southeast Queenslanders baking in oven-like conditions just days before Christmas.
At 11.25am on Friday it was 34.9C in Brisbane city and at 12.50am it was 36.8C at Ipswich.
The maximum temperatures are forecast to peak at 36C for the city and the low 40s in the western suburbs.
Conditions will be cooler in the south for Christmas Day with Brisbane forecast to reach a maximum of 29C, Ipswich 31C and Roma 35C.
The north tropical coast, however, could experience heavy rainfall as the cool southerly change reaches the north, Ms Gardner says.