Giant hailstones pounded parts of South East Queensland on Saturday afternoon, some of which were up to nine centimeters in size. The dangerous weather left thousands without power and caused major damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles across the region.
Massive Hail Causes Widespread Damage
Among the places most severely affected were Pratten, west of Warwick, where around 1 pm nine-centimeter hailstones were reported. At MJ’s Cafe in Pratten, owner Richard Manley saw his grand opening turn into a disaster when hail the size of a tennis ball broke through the roof. The entire roof collapsed into the bar area, thus, all the people present had to go to the kitchen for their safety. Approximately thirty drivers whose windscreens had been smashed sought refuge in the cafe from the hail that was striking them relentlessly.
In Clifton near Toowoomba, the cafe of Julie Blurton was hit directly when hail the size of a golf ball broke through the skylight and windows at about 2 pm. The storm also broke the dishes and the street’s trees were left bare. Many of the cars that were parked had their windows completely shattered. The hail came in two waves and lasted for twenty minutes, and what Blurton describes as “a very big mess” was left behind by it.
Supercell Storm Moves Through Region
The Bureau of Meteorology identified the storm near Toowoomba that caused the most damage as a supercell. Senior meteorologist Harry Clarke informed the press at 3 pm that they were following a very dangerous cell that was located north of Gatton. The storm had already resulted in giant hail across the Darling Downs and was still very active. Clarke said the situation was “very dynamic” and advised people to keep checking for updates on warnings.
The area from Strathpine in the Moreton region to the New South Wales border experienced lightning. More than 3000 people in the South East Queensland region had no power. Toowoomba, Logan, and Maranoa were among the areas most affected. In addition, hail with a size of two centimeters also fell at Mount Walker in the Scenic Rim. The bureau announced severe thunderstorm warnings over a large area of South East Queensland, the Darling Downs, and central Queensland due to the expectation of further storm activity.
FAQs
- Giant hailstones of a nine-centimeter diameter hit Pratten, a place located west of Warwick and major damage ensued to the properties.
- On MJ’s Cafe opening day roof collapse took place due to hail, and thirty motorists who were looking for shelter from hail came under the roof that fell apart.
- The hail in Julie Blurton’s cafe in Clifton went through skylights and windows as the hailstones reached the size of a golf ball.
- The Bureau of Meteorology classified the storm as a dangerous supercell that was moving north of Gatton and had a history of giant hail.
- Around 3,000 people were left without power in south-east Queensland, and more storms were predicted for Saturday.
FAQs
1. How big were the hailstones that hit Queensland on Saturday?
The biggest hailstones were nine centimeters in diameter, about the size of tennis balls, which resulted in the smashing of parts of homes and cars.
2. Which areas in Queensland were hit hardest by the hail?
Pratten west of Warwick, Clifton near Toowoomba, and Allora south of Toowoomba were the places that most heavily impacted by the hail.
3. What is a supercell storm and why is it dangerous?
A supercell is a rotating storm which can very quickly produce giant hail, damaging winds, and other severe weather.
4. How many people lost power during the Queensland hail storms?
The number of people who lost power were 3,000 plus and they were living in different places in the South-East of Queensland such as Toowoomba, Logan, and Maranoa areas. Apart from these places, power outages occurred in various locations across the south-east of Queensland, too.
5. What should people do during a severe hailstorm warning?
In the case of a hail storm, people have to find a safe place inside, not approach windows, and not driving until the weather has passed.
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