Queenslanders have been warned to brace for another dramatic deluge, with a new round of storms to hit the state.
Severe storms rolled in Thursday afternoon, inland west of Brisbane, with more wild weather predicted for coastal areas into Friday.
Damaging wind gusts, large hail, heavy rain and even tornadoes were all possible. The Bureau of Meteorology described forecast conditions as “tricky”.
Warnings for flood-affected southeast Queensland were downgraded, with the focus shifting north of Bundaberg for people in Capricornia and Wide Bay and Burnett.
“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours,” the BOM said.
An Emergency Alert remained in place for Brisbane. Earlier in the day residents in Grantham, east of Toowoomba, were evacuated as a precaution ahead of the wild weather.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the move comes amid “serious concern” for people and homes from Brisbane all the way to Bundaberg.
“Across the entire southeast, I am asking people to think about not being on the roads tomorrow and staying at home,” she said.
“The conditions are going to be unstable for the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Earlier in the day, Ms Palaszczuk also advised parents in the area to collect their children from school “when it is safe” if they live between Bundaberg and northern Moreton Bay.
“It is a serious situation. These are unprecedented times,” she said.
“I have lived in Brisbane essentially all my life and I haven’t seen storms anxjmtzywd floods like this – all being thrown at us at once.
“We will get through it together, but it is of course a very concerning time.”
Schools will be open on Friday for children of essential workers.
In other areas across the state’s southeast, schools can decide whether or not to remain open for the rest of the week.
Brisbane was on Thursday morning hit with another spell of out-of-control weather.
The very dangerous storms smashed Queensland’s southeast on Thursday morning, with 48mm of rain dumped on Brisbane’s CBD in half an hour.
Wind gusts of 93km/h and giant six-centimetre hail were also part of the wild weather that swept through the Sunshine State.
The Bureau of Meteorology earlier warned the city would experience “very dangerous” intense rainfall, flash flooding, damaging winds and large hailstones.
Residents in Cleveland, Sandgate and Maroochydore were also issued a weather warning.
The wild weather is also threatening to disrupt major clean-up efforts in Queensland’s southeast and leave hundreds cut off.
A series of “very dangerous” thunderstorms has been forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology, with hail showers predicted in the next 48 hours.
Winds of almost 100km/h have already been recorded at Dalby, west of Brisbane, with giant hailstones also recorded in the area.
The bureau had previously warned of an “unstable air mass” over southeast Queensland that could lead to major thunderstorms in the area.
“Combined with strong winds in the upper atmosphere, the approach of an upper level trough from the west will lead to increasing chances of severe thunderstorms,” the bureau said.
“Initially, large hail and damaging winds will be the main potential hazards, but heavy rainfall will become more likely with clusters or bands of storms later tonight.”
Similarly, wild scenes have been recorded in NSW, with severe weather and flooding hitting Sydney and surrounds on Wednesday night.
Evacuation orders were issued for parts of the city’s west due to rapidly rising water levels.
Bureau meteorologist Dean Narramore said the biggest concern was Thursday morning, with severe weather warnings issued for heavy rainfall and damaging winds.
The warnings extend from the mid-north coast all the way towards the south coast.
“We could see hit and miss severe thunderstorms bringing heavy rain, damaging winds and possibly even large hail,” he told media on Wednesday.
“While it won’t be widespread and everywhere, isolated communities and those currently recovering from the flooding could have impact there as well.”
State Emergency Service crews are on standby for flooding in Gippsland, in Victoria, as the rains that devastated NSW and Queensland head south.
