Giant hail, heavy rain and damaging winds possible for south-east Qld

Severe thunderstorms are expected to affect south-east Queensland today, bringing the potential for large hail, heavy rain, and strong winds. The Bureau of Meteorology warns that the storms could hit between midday and 5pm, peaking in intensity during this window. Areas south of Hervey Bay, down to the Gold Coast, and west of Toowoomba may be particularly impacted.

Hail larger than 5 centimeters and winds exceeding 125 kilometers per hour are possible. While regular thunderstorms are anticipated elsewhere, the south-west region will remain unaffected. A heatwave warning persists for Northern Peninsula, North Tropical Coast, and Tablelands districts, with Weipa experiencing 41 consecutive days above 36 degrees Celsius.

By the end of the week, temperatures may reach an unprecedented 48 days above 36 degrees. In contrast, southern areas will see a midweek cooling trend, dropping to the mid-20s by the end of the week. After today's storms, conditions are expected to shift northward to Capricornia Coast by Tuesday and Wednesday. A new weather system is forecast to arrive in far-western Queensland on Thursday and Friday, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms to the Gulf Country, Charleville, Augathella, and Cunnamulla.