The first week of 2024 has begun with extreme weather across Australia. The east coast is experiencing powerful storms, while a heatwave is scorching the north.
On Wednesday, thunderstorms were expected to impact central Victoria, with heavy rainfall, large hail, and damaging winds predicted. Melbourne faced showers and potentially severe thunderstorms, which led to flight cancellations on Tuesday due to lightning.
Nearly 50,000 properties were without power, with Powercor reporting over 90,000 lightning strikes in 24 hours. Although efforts are underway to restore power to 2,400 homes, some may remain without electricity overnight. AusNet reported 7,600 customers were still in the dark by Wednesday afternoon.
Queensland battles thunderstorms and extensive storm damage as recovery efforts continue.Authorities have advised against driving through floodwaters after a man and his dog were swept away, though the man was rescued and hospitalized without serious injury.
Northern New South Wales is also reeling from severe weather. In the 48 hours to Tuesday evening, some areas received over a month’s worth of rain, with totals exceeding 500mm in parts of the northern rivers.
The State Emergency Service conducted 28 rescues during this period, and more rain is expected. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warned of increased storm risks for southeast NSW and parts of Victoria on Wednesday, with potential flash flooding in locations like Katoomba and Lithgow.
Queensland, still recovering from severe weather, faces a new round of thunderstorms. Troops are aiding recovery efforts, with power restoration expected by the weekend. The federal emergency management minister highlighted the need for additional resources due to compounding weather events.
Queensland has seen significant damage, with 17 homes destroyed and many others affected. Despite the worst of the weather moving on, isolated storms and showers are likely to continue across Queensland. The BoM is working to improve communication and emergency alerts following previous criticisms.