Perilous
Times and Climate Change
Australia: Third day of massive super storms slam Queensland
* From: AAP
* December 17, 2010 7:58PM
SUPER storm cells are closing in on parts of southeast Queensland
for the third day in a row.
Queensland's State Emergency Service (SES) is preparing for
another hectic night after responding to 530 jobs following 35,000
"apid fire" lightning strikes on the previous day.
The Bureau of Meteorology said today storms were nearing Beenleigh
and Jimboomba.
"These thunderstorms are moving towards the east, they are
forecast to affect Russell Island by 6.50pm (AEST) and South
Stradbroke Island by 7.20pm," the bureau said.
There have been more than 3500 lightning strikes since midday, and
the bureau said three-centimetre hailstones were reported at
Biddeston and 2cm stones at Highfields earlier in the afternoon.
Wind gusts of 104km/h were recorded at Inner Beacon in Moreton Bay
this evening.
Meanwhile, some Brisbane commuters faced delays on the way home
tonight.
Public transport provider TransLink warned of major disruption to
the Ferny Grove train line and minor delays on the Gold Coast and
Sunshine Coast rail links.
Crews of electricity provider Energex were bracing for a third
night of storm repairs to fallen powerlines.
An Energex spokeswoman said there were 9000 homes without power at
Petrie in Brisbane's north.
Brisbane Valley, Caboolture, Logan and Beenleigh also had some
outages, she said.
Severe thunderstorm warnings are current for the Logan, Brisbane,
Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Redland council areas.
There's also a warning for people in Wide Bay, Burnett, Central
Highlands, Coalfields, Capricornia, Maranoa, Warrego, Darling
Downs, Granite Belt and Southeast Coast regions.