Australia weather: Massive storm system sweeps across Australia, hail warning for NSW and Queensland

Australia’s east coast is bracing for further wild weather – including giant hail stones bigger than golf balls – and torrential rain.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned a low pressure system moving over the country will bring four days of ‘severe’ wet weather stretching more than 2,000km from central Queensland down through NSW, Victoria and into Tasmania 

Heavy rain, large hail and damaging winds are all likely to smash much of the east coast with thunderstorms on the horizon for NSW and Queensland in particular. 

The BoM’s Jonathan How warned that thunderstorms could cause ‘large to giant hail’.

‘Large hail is anything more than 2cm across, but giant hail is more than 5cm across and these are the hail stones bigger than golf balls,’ he told the ABC on Thursday morning. 

Queensland residents have been warned to be on high alert through the day. The most intense storms are expected to occur over the central and southern inland and parts of the central coast of the state.

Don’t put your umbrellas away just yet!: Australia’s east coast is expected to be smashed by more heavy rain this weekend (pictured Queenslanders braving the wet weather in Brisbane)

A large stretch of the east coast from Townsville in the north right down to the NSW south coast will be smashed by a severe storm trifecta of heavy rain, large hail and damaging winds

‘Severe storms with damaging winds, large hail & heavy rain likely in eastern inland Qld today, & coast from Ayr to St Lawrence,’ the BoM tweeted. ‘Very dangerous storms with giant hail, intense rain possible.’

Weatherzone added: ‘Supercell thunderstorms are also a risk in this region, which are the most dangerous type of storm, capable of causing destructive winds and giant hail.

A severe thunderstorm warning also remains in place for much of NSW, which could includes large hail, heavy rain and damaging winds. The wild weather could also cause flash flooding.

‘In NSW, showers should affect part of every district at some stage on Thursday with thunderstorms possible over most of the state, excluding the far northwest and far southeast,’ Weatherzone said.

‘Severe storm activity is possible in a broad corridor extending from the state’s southwest up to the northeast, most likely over the central and northern inland. 

‘Supercell thunderstorms are a risk over the Central West Slopes and Plains, North West Slopes and Plains districts, and eastern parts of the Upper Western district.

The Queensland central highlands town of Emerald recorded its wettest October day on Wednesday with 135mm of rain. 

A severe storm ‘trifecta’ of heavy rain, large hail and damaging winds is forecast for part of NSW and Queensland. Pictured is a previous hailstorm in Canberra

Thunderstorms are forecast all along the Queensland coast on Thursday. The worst hit areas are in red

In far northern NSW, Moree will see the brunt of the rain with meteorologist Dean Narramore warning floods are a concern.  

Northern Victoria could also see more ‘widespread moderate to major flooding’ is likely. 

In South Australia, heavy rain will be focused on the state’s south-east from Port Pirie to Renmark near the Victorian border.

Tasmania will also be hit with much of the rainfall, though should escape the worst of the downpour.

Perth and Darwin will also see some rain with northern parts of WA the only area of the country remaining fully dry over the weekend.

Melburnians will be in for rain heading into the weekend but should escape the ‘intense’ falls seen elsewhere (pictured: Melbourne last Thursday)

Residents in Echuca (pictured) and Moama near the Victorian border have been told to evacuate immediately as the Murray River rises to record levels

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