Heavy rain and cloudy conditions are set to persist across much of Australia’s east coast through Christmas Day, prompting revelers to consider indoor plans for the holiday.
On Sunday, Queensland experienced severe thunderstorms, including massive hailstones and intense rainfall, with northern Brisbane seeing up to 43mm of rain in just 15 minutes. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warned that these conditions would likely continue into Christmas Day.
Sydney is expected to have showers with a maximum temperature of 27°C and a chance of thunderstorms. Melbourne will see rain and a high of 23°C, potentially accompanied by thunderstorms. Canberra is forecast to experience up to 50mm of rain with a high of 23°C.
Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra brace for showers and possible thunderstorms on Christmas Day.Thunderstorms hit Queensland’s southeast on Sunday, causing disruptions in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, including power outages for over 56,000 customers. Reports included fallen trees, downed power lines, and flash flooding.
Felim Hanniffy, a senior BoM forecaster, noted significant hail sizes in areas such as Dayboro and Caboolture, with reports of hailstones reaching up to 15cm. The BoM recorded 58mm of rain at Wivenhoe Dam in just 30 minutes.
The weather is expected to remain unstable with thunderstorms likely through Christmas and Boxing Day. Senior BoM meteorologist Angus Hines highlighted that warm ocean temperatures are fueling these storms.
A developing low-pressure system near the Victoria-NSW border will intensify on Christmas Day, affecting areas from Mackay to Melbourne. Severe thunderstorms are likely in northern and northeastern NSW, as well as central and southeast Queensland.
Other parts of Australia will see more favorable weather, with Darwin and Hobart experiencing partly cloudy skies and temperatures of 34°C and 21°C respectively.
Perth is forecast for sunny conditions with a high of 35°C, but ongoing bushfire risks remain due to the recent heatwave.