Hold on tight, South-East Queensland! Mother Nature just unleashed her fury, and the aftermath is something you need to be aware of right now. A severe thunderstorm ripped through the region, leaving a trail of hail and high winds in its wake. But here's where it gets controversial... some experts are already linking this event to larger climate patterns. Are they right, or is this just a particularly nasty, isolated storm? Let's break down what happened and what you need to know.
Just a short while ago, at 6:53 AM on Sunday, October 26th, 2025, reports started flooding in of five-centimetre hailstones pounding the ground and wind gusts reaching a staggering 96 kilometres per hour. These weren't your average raindrops; these were potentially damaging conditions, and a severe thunderstorm warning was quickly issued.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), the official weather authority, didn't hold back. They issued a severe thunderstorm warning covering a wide swathe of South-East Queensland, including parts of Brisbane itself, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Logan, the Sunshine Coast, Noosa, the South Burnett, and even the popular Gold Coast. Think of it as an arc of potential danger stretching across some of the most populated areas of the state.
And the warnings didn't stop there! The BOM also flagged the Wide Bay-Burnett region, the Southeast Coast, and even portions of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, and the Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts. This means a large portion of Queensland was potentially in the crosshairs of this severe weather event. The sheer scale of the warning area is a testament to the storm's intensity.
According to the BOM's reports, large hailstones started falling in the southern suburbs of Brisbane around 4:45 PM. Simultaneously, Archerfield Airport recorded those powerful 96-kilometre-per-hour wind gusts. That's strong enough to cause some serious damage to trees, power lines, and even property. And this is the part most people miss... the combination of hail and high winds can be particularly devastating, as the wind drives the hail with even greater force.
Senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury explained that the storm activity was likely sparked by a weak trough – essentially an elongated area of low pressure – moving through the region. This trough created an unstable and moist environment, providing the perfect fuel for thunderstorm development. Think of it like adding kindling to a fire; the trough provided the spark, and the moisture-rich air was the fuel.
The BOM is forecasting scattered showers and thunderstorms across much of eastern Queensland for Monday, with the low-pressure trough expected to deepen. This means the threat isn't necessarily over yet. "We may once again see severe storms developing across areas mainly to the north of Brisbane, but pushing up a large part of the coast as well," Ms Bradbury warned. This suggests that the area affected could even expand on Monday.
"Severe storms tomorrow may once again bring damaging winds, large hail or possibly heavy falls," she added, emphasizing the potential for a repeat performance. The key takeaway? Stay informed, monitor weather updates, and take necessary precautions to protect yourself and your property.
So, what do you think? Are events like this becoming more frequent and intense? Is climate change to blame, or is this just part of the natural weather cycle? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
