Severe thunderstorms expected in South East Queensland and northern NSW on Tuesday

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms across South East Queensland and northern New South Wales on Tuesday. Meteorologist Robert Urbaniak said the storms could produce hail larger than 5 cm, wind gusts exceeding 125 km/h and heavy rainfall, with a small chance of tornadoes forming inland.

A low-pressure trough moving from central Queensland toward the coast is expected to clash with warm, humid air from the Coral Sea, creating conditions conducive to intense thunderstorms. The threat is strongest inland, though coastal areas such as Dalby, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie and the Gold Coast are also at risk.

Urbaniak noted that early-morning thunderstorm activity could reduce the severity of later storms by cooling the environment. The region also faces a moderate fire-danger rating in Brisbane and surrounding areas, with higher ratings on the Darling Downs, Toowoomba and Dalby.

The weather is forecast to improve on Wednesday, bringing mostly sunny conditions for the rest of the week, with isolated showers possible in Wide Bay, the Burnett region and the Sunshine Coast over the weekend.

"Basically, severe thunderstorms are possible anywhere east of Charleville tomorrow, and they’re actually likely pretty much anywhere south of Biloela in southeast Queensland tomorrow," Urbaniak said.

"In that area where they’re likely, including Dalby, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, the Gold Coast, there’s the chance of giant hail — which is greater than 5 cm in diameter — along with destructive wind gusts greater than 125 km/h and heavy rainfall as well," he added.

"There’s also a chance for a tornado or two and that again will be somewhere inland," Urbaniak said.

"If thunderstorm activity is higher in the early morning, that will cool down the environment and potentially make it worse for thunderstorms later in the day," he explained.

The forecast for the week includes partly cloudy skies on Monday with a high of 32 °C, showers and storms on Tuesday, sunny conditions on Wednesday and Thursday, and partly cloudy weather later in the week.