Severe storms in Australia
The following day (28 February) many homes in Canberra were subjected to flash flooding, caused either by the inability of storm water infrastructure to cope, or through mud slides from cleared land.
It began to move through Tuggeranong, which prompted the Bureau of Meteorology to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Damaging Winds, Heavy Rainfall and Large Hailstones.
The storm event and emergency services response to it was the subject of a formal Inquiry by the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing.
The storm cell developed on the morning of New Year's Day, a public holiday in Australia, over the Blue Mountains, hitting the city and dissipating east of Bondi Beach in the mid-afternoon.
Hail up to almost the size of cricket balls – 8 to 9 centimetres (3.1 to 3.5 in) circumference – fell in a damage path that extended from Bundeena in the south to Darling Point in the north, and from Sydenham in the Inner West to Bondi Junction in the east.
[20] A Piper Chieftain light aircraft crashed west of Condobolin in December 2005 during storms killing Peter Menegazzo, one of Australia's biggest landowners, and his wife.
The resultant swell from the storm on 8 June caused the bulk carrier, Pasha Bulker, to run aground off Newcastle's Nobbys Beach.
[24] Beginning on the evening of 12 February 2010, some regions of Sydney were inundated by strong rain and localised flash flooding caused by a Black nor'easter.
[26] Throughout summer 2011–2012 Sydney experienced above average rainfall, with many cases of flash flooding, and rivers breaking their banks due to sustained rain periods.
[28][29] On 16 December a tornadic supercell thunderstorm struck the east coast, with high rainfall, hailstones and unusually strong winds.
Roof damage also occurred at Westfield Bondi Junction and in South Nowra, Thousands of homes lost power in Bulli, Thirroul and Woonona north of Wollongong.
[13] From 7–10 February, many areas on the east coast of New South Wales received heavy and continuous rain, the heaviest falls for thirty years.
The maximum recorded hail size was 6 cm, and the roof of a shopping mall collapsed in the suburb of Mount Druitt due to extremely heavy rainfall.
[44] 18 people were killed, most of whom lost their lives when a storm surge caused a breach of the Ross River on 26 January, travelling 3 miles (4.8 km) upstream, and flooding parts of Townsville to a depth of 2 metres (6 ft 7 in).
A Category 4 cyclone with barometric pressure at the eye as low as 933 hectopascals (13.53 psi), Mackay and Rockhampton experienced the death of some 30 people, hundreds of injuries, and A$60 million damage.
[48] 10 March 1918 saw an even stronger cyclone and storm surge cross the coast at Innisfail, with further desolation at Cairns, Babinda, and on the Atherton Tableland.
[52] On 16 November 2008, Brisbane was hit by a thunderstorm with wind gusts up to 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph)[53] reaching speeds of Category 2 tropical cyclones,[54] and flooding throughout the region.
[56][57] On 27 November 2014, Brisbane was hit by a Mesoscale convective system[58] which brought wind gusts up to 141 kilometres per hour (88 mph), reaching speeds of Category 2 tropical cyclones, and hail stones up to 8 centimetres (3.1 in) in diameter.
There was widespread flooding and hail damage in the city and the suburbs of Inala, Archerfield, Moorooka, Annerley, West End, Toowong, Fortitude Valley and Bowen Hills.
[66] On 18 October[citation needed] and 22 December 2018[67] the Gold Coast got hit with supercell storms producing hail the size of golf balls and damaging winds.
[68]On 13 December another severe storm hit the very South of QLD 120 millimetres (4.7 in) of rain and left Biggera Waters, and Labrador without mains power.
[72] On 15 December 2023, a fast-moving severe thunderstorm struck South East Queensland producing a wind gust of 169 kilometres per hour (125 mph) over Archerfield Airport around 4:30pm.
The storm resulted in the death of a 30-year-old man caused by fallen powerlines, and the loss of power to 19,000 properties across council areas in South Eastern Queensland.
[74] A day later on 16 December 2023, a girl was struck by lightning from storms on the Sunshine Coast[74] On Christmas night around 8:30pm Tornadic Supercell storm event begun to build around Cedar Vale east of Jimboomba moving south-south east towards Tamborine Mountain[75] knocking out power lines and toppling and uprooting large trees.
Several eyewitness accounts[76] spoke of a funnel formation with wind gusts of up to 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph) via a private weather station[77] on top of the mountain.
The tornado then reduced to 169 kilometres per hour (105 mph) over Coombabah and caused destruction in Runaway Bay, Hope Island and Paradise Point.
As the storms passed over central Melbourne they released large hailstones and very heavy rainfall, causing localised flash flooding and extensive property damage.
This stationary pattern allowed for a number of days of warm, moist northerly airflow across Victoria which lead to high moisture levels through a deep layer creating unstable conditions.
Numerous reports of large hail were received, ranging from 8 centimetres (3.1 in) in diameter and causing significant damage to property, transport and infrastructure.
[91] The hot, windy conditions on the evening of the storm led to the spread of fine grass pollen particles, which sparked asthma symptoms in thousands of people across the city.
