Weather warnings issued across Australia’s east coast as ‘supercell’ storm hits with damaging 85km/h winds and large hailstones
- Weather warnings issued in NSW, ACT, Victoria and south-eastern Queensland
- Severe thunderstorms and potential flooding are possible amid wild weather
- NSW and South Australia saw giant hailstones this week as storms escalate
- Bourke in western NSW recorded its average monthly rainfall in one day alone
Weather warnings have been issued across eastern Australia as a ‘supercell’ system creates the perfect landscape for thunderstorms, giant hail and damaging winds.
New South Wales has been drenched with rain this week with the northern town of Walgett receiving 60mm on Wednesday alone – double its monthly average.
Giant hailstones of up to 5cm in diameter have been seen in the north-western suburb of Bourke with wind gusts measuring a ferocious 85km/hr.
The ACT hasn’t been spared the miserable weather either with Canberra recording half its monthly average in one day with 38mm on Wednesday.
Several flood and severe thunderstorm warnings have been given for NSW, Canberra south-east Queensland and Victoria but the wild weather is expected to ease up in time for the long weekend.
Weather warnings have been issued across eastern Australia as a ‘supercell’ system creates the perfect landscape for thunderstorms, giant hail and damaging winds
BOM meteorologist Hugh McDowell said widespread rainfall and thunderstorms in inland NSW had peaked on Wednesday and Thursday and the weather front was now moving towards the coast.
‘We’re not going to see severe thunderstorms everywhere but there are risk areas across the eastern portion of NSW including the east coast,’ he said.
The meteorologist said while the showers and thunderstorms would linger into the weekend, by Saturday in NSW the undesirable conditions would start to improve.
‘Sunday looks mostly dry with temperatures above average – even into the 30s – with quite warm conditions developing and that’s going to continue until Monday and potentially Tuesday,’ he said.
Friday could bring isolated thunderstorms over central eastern NSW but many locations will be spared storms.
Several flood and severe thunderstorm warnings have been given for NSW, Canberra south-east Queensland and Victoria but the wild weather is expected to ease up in time for the long weekend (pictured, women walk at Bronte Beach in Sydney)
‘But there will be widespread showers across many parts of the state,’ he said.
Canberra on the other hand could see the wet weather hang around well into next week but showers will be less severe.
The weather is caused by a low pressure system moving across central Australia to the east coast and dragging down humid air down from the tropics.
While storms will be seen across most of the country on Thursday and Friday, northern NSW and south-eastern Queensland are expected to see the worst.
‘In the first significant storm outbreak of the season, severe thunderstorm warnings are expected with flash flooding a particular risk,’ Bureau meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said on Wednesday.
Those in Melbourne can also expect to have their weekend plans ruined with high chances of rain forecast well into next week, while thunderstorm and flood warnings are issued for the state’s regions.
Further north in Brisbane, up to 45mm of rain is expected to fall over Thursday and Friday with severe thunderstorm warnings for south-eastern parts of the state and the Sunshine Coast.
South Australia was battered by heavy hailstones earlier this week
Hail is seen covering a track in South Australia as thunderstorms lash much of Australia
Western parts of the state have already been battered by wild weather this week including on Tuesday night with severe winds shattering car windows and up to 50mm of rain falling.
Brisbane will welcome back the sun on Saturday after the thunderstorms from Thursday and Friday finally ease.
Adelaide also copped the brunt of the weather earlier in the week with monster size hail stones being seen around the Barossa Valley.
The South Australian city will continue to see showers on Friday and Sunday.
Over in Perth a cold front will bring heavy rain on Friday morning with the Western Australian city to see up to 25mm over the weekend.
The next few days will see drenching rain over most Australian capital cities (pictured Bondi in August)
Sydney will see a partly cloudy weekend with the mercury hitting maximums in the mid-20s on Saturday and Sunday but the sun will be out by Monday.
Tasmania will also be drenched with rain over the coming days with the sun not coming out until next Wednesday.
Darwin is the only capital city to miss out on the miserable conditions and will instead see a sunny weekend with tops of 33C forecast.
Those living in high risk areas are urged to check the flood and thunderstorm warnings on the BOM website.
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