A massive storm has produced the largest hailstones ever recorded in Australia, smashing houses and even collapsing a shopping centre roof.
The Bureau of Meterology said hail 16cm wide that fell at Yalboroo, north of Mackay in north Queensland, is a new Australian record.
‘The previous record was 14cm observed in south-east Queensland last year,’ the BoM said on Wednesday.
‘The atmosphere was extremely unstable, which allowed hail to continue growing before gravity forced it to the ground.’
The previous record hail fell during severe thunderstorms in southeast Queensland on October 31 last year.
Hailstones collected by Mackay local John Caporn after the severe hailstorm in Queensland yesterday
‘Hail that size has a terminal velocity of well over 100km an hour,’ forecaster Shane Kennedy said
The roof of a Lowes store in Toormina, south of Coffs Harbour, collapsed under the weight of water, forcing the evacuation of 400 people from the shopping centre
‘Hail that size has a terminal velocity of well over 100km an hour,’ forecaster Shane Kennedy told the ABC.
Severe storms also hit northern NSW including the Coffs Harbour and surrounding towns, including damaging hail and winds.
The roof of a Lowes store in Toormina, south of Coffs Harbour, collapsed under the weight of water, forcing the evacuation of 400 people from the shopping centre.
SES Coffs Harbour said it was responding to more than 200 callouts about damage to properties and cars across Coffs Harbour, Toormina and Sawtell.
The heavy storm followed tornadoes seen on Monday near Pittsworth, west of Toowoomba, and in Bracewell, near Gladstone.
The hail smashed car windshields and the roofs of some houses in the area as part of rolling thunderstorms experienced in the state this week.
‘That’s some big ice falling down!’ Proserpine mechanic Chris Harvey said as he filmed the record-setting Yalboroo hail, which badly damaged his truck (above)
Hail on the ground in Biloela in central Queensland after a severe storm passed through the area on Monday
Proserpine mechanic Chris Harvey filmed the Yalboroo hail after pulling to the side of the road.
‘That’s some big ice falling down! Old mate is stopped in front of me, he’s got a broken windscreen,’ he said.
Mr Harvey told Daily Mail Australia his truck was badly damaged in the downpour.
‘Hail this size should be called ‘widowmaker’ hail,’ Patrick Schubert commented online.
‘Biggest hail I’ve ever seen,’ Mackay local John Caporn posted alongside pictures of huge balls of fused hailstones.
The Bureau has forecast further giant hail as well as destructive win, heavy rain and severe thunderstorms for many parts of the Queensland coast on Wednesday afternoon
The heavy Queensland storm followed tornadoes seen in the state on Monday spotted near Pittsworth, west of Toowoomba, and at Bracewell, near Gladstone
The size of the hail had even attracted international attention, the Facebook account of the US National Weather Service in Nashville, Tennessee.
‘I don’t know that we’ve ever seen hail this large. My favorite is the reference to ‘cricket ball sized stones and larger,’ it said.
Social media accounts have featured shots of clumps of hail much larger than a person’s hand.
The weather bureau forecast more giant hail as well as destructive win, heavy rain and severe thunderstorms for many parts of the Queensland coast this afternoon, including Gympie, Noosa and Murgon.
The Bureau forecast an average to slightly above average risk of tropical cyclones and above-average rainfall across the east coast over the summer season.
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