Summer of ‘severe thunderstorms’ ahead – here’s what you need to know about the wild weather likely to strike Australia
- Australia could be getting a gusty summer, with two states in the firing line
- Seasonal thunderstorms are expected for Queensland and New South Wales
- Heavy rain, damaging wind gusts are likely for the states, as well as Victoria
- Large hail could be unleashed ‘damaging buildings, cars and smashing roofs’
- The top end expects the most severe thunderstorms due to the current monsoon
- This will affect Kimberley Region, top of the Northern Territory and north QLD
Australia is in store for a gusty summer of ‘severe thunderstorms’, with the two states set to bear the brunt of the wet weather already in the firing line.
Queensland and New South Wales are forecast to be lashed with damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall along the east coast on Tuesday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
The forecast comes after a line of thunderstorms hit Sydney on Monday, grounding air traffic at Sydney Airport on the tarmac for an hour, with western, southern and north coast areas of the state also copping storms.
Queensland and New South Wales are forecast to be lashed with damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall along the east coast on Tuesday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said (pictured, Sydney copping lightning strikes)
Meteorologist James Rout told Daily Mail Australia that the extra heat of summer makes it the high season for severe thunderstorms, particularly for Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
‘It’s the hottest time of the year and thunderstorms need heat as well as moisture – there is plenty of moisture from the Coral Sea and Tasman Sea that can reach to Queensland and NSW.’
He said these states are in line to cop both thunderstorms with cold fronts as well as individual rotating storms.
‘Either of those can produce damaging wind gusts and knock down trees and damage buildings, as well as large hail that can damage cars and smash roofs and heavy rainfall that can lead to flash flooding,’ Mr Rout said.
Heavy rainfall in NSW and Queensland could bring flash flooding (pictured, cars negotiating flooded roads n Sydney)
‘They get hit by severe storms each summer so as usual, there will be some types of severe thunderstorms.’
Despite the prediction for the populous east coast states, forecasters believe another part of Australia will experience more storms over summer due to a monsoon.
‘Northern Australia will get the most thunderstorms I think – the Kimberley region of Western Australia, the top end of the Northern Territory and northern Queensland,’ Mr Rout said.
The wet season underway in the north will bring severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and tropical cyclones over the oceans, Mr Rout added.
The east coast is hit by severe storms each summer and that states such as Queensland and NSW are in line to cop both thunderstorms with cold fronts as well as individual rotating storms, according to meteorologist James Rout
The climate in South Australia and in the southern parts of Western Australia presents a different picture over summer as there is generally not enough moisture in the air to create severe thunderstorms.
‘If they can get moisture they can produce storms – there are thunderstorms over Western Australia at the moment, they are not severe – they are more isolated as well,’ he said.
‘They can still be severe but less frequent [in these areas].’
Tasmania is expected to get more of a reprieve from summer heat with wet gusty weather across the season.
Mr Rout said the mainland heat doesn’t reach down to Tasmania as often, which is needed to stir up a severe thunderstorm.
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