Tornadoes and heavy rain damage southeastern QLD
Tristan Meyers,
Monday June 20, 2016 - 12:55 AEST
A broad, moisture-laden trough drenched eastern and southeastern QLD yesterday, bringing a month's worth of rain in a day to many places.
After inland areas experienced record rainfall on the previous day, it was the eastern QLD's turn as the low pressure trough responsible for these totals moved east.
Brisbane and nearby areas were among the wettest in the state, with widespread 70-160mm across the suburbs of Brisbane, and as high as 199mm at Warner.
Archerfield was doused with 141mm, twice the entire month's average. 17mm of this fell in just 10 minutes. Similarly, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Bundaberg areas all had rainfall rates in excess of 11mm in 10 minutes. All up, Brisbane copped 110.4mm, the heaviest June rain since 1967.
Many places in the southeast scored rain totals exceeding their monthly average in under 24 hours, including Warwick at 68mm, Rockhampton with 65mm, Toowoomba at 41mm and Kingaroy at 51mm. However, inland locations didn't miss out on these falls - Stanthorpe received 43mm, its heaviest June rain in 11 years.
Among the rain, severe thunderstorms fired-up around the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane last night. Additionally, residents around Mooloolaba reported damage to their homes, suspected to be caused by a tornado.
The radar, based in Brisbane, is a little too far to resolve whether a tornado formed around the Sunshine Coast. However, clear tornadic signatures were seen further east and offshore, as well as a gust of 107 km/h recorded at Inner Beacon at 6:20pm, the highest gust for this location in over six years.
The trough responsible for these large rainfall totals has since moved offshore. Westerly winds and a high pressure ridge are strengthening in its wake, bringing a sunny and dry day.
- Weatherzone
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2016