Stormy School Holidays Loom for Queensland: Chaotic Weather Forecast to Bring Rain and Temps Plunge by 6 Degrees Celsius
- South-east Queensland bracing for a dramatic drop in temperature and chaotic storms as school holidays begin
- Rain and thunderstorms expected across the state, with some areas to receive up to 25mm of rainfall
- Weather bureau warns of severe storms with heavy rainfall and damaging winds, but no hail expected
Queensland is bracing for a tumultuous stretch of weather as school holidays kick off, with a dramatic drop in temperature and chaotic storms forecast to sweep across the state.
After a series of severe storms and giant hail lashed the state’s south-east in recent weeks, the Bureau of Meteorology is warning of a significant cool change, with temperatures expected to plummet by up to 6 degrees Celsius in some areas.
Rain and thunderstorms are expected to hit parts of south-east Queensland, with the Sunshine Coast set to receive up to 25mm of rainfall on Tuesday. “We are expecting more showers and thunderstorms, particularly around the Sunshine Coast,” said Jordi Cairol from the Bureau of Meteorology.
In a stark contrast to the scorching temperatures that have plagued the state in recent weeks, Monday is expected to bring cloud cover and a chance of isolated showers across the south-east. Brisbane is forecast to hit a maximum of 34C, while the Gold Coast and Maroochydore will reach 31C and 32C respectively.
But it’s not all good news, with central Queensland expected to bear the brunt of severe storms with heavy rainfall and damaging winds. “We are expecting severe storms with a risk of heavy rainfall,” warned Mr Cairol.
The weather bureau is also forecasting a heatwave warning for Cape York Peninsula, but that is expected to ease in the coming days. Temperatures in the state’s north have been slightly below average this month, with showers expected from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Many residents are still reeling from the aftermath of days of storms that lashed parts of the state, especially the south-east, in late November. Thousands were left without power for days after strong winds, hail and flooding took out power infrastructure and damaged homes.
Despite the severe storms, Queensland’s December rainfall is sitting slightly below average, while both maximum and minimum temperatures have been broadly above average. But for the next couple of weeks, the weather bureau is predicting an average chance of rain, with temperatures expected to be a little higher than average around the holiday period.