Australia weather: Thunderstorms, floods and rain for Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania
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Urgent flood warning issued for Australia’s east coast as a ‘tornadic supercell’ storm system crashes, causing massive hailstones and a massive rain bomb – these are the areas most at risk
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Australia’s east coast is gearing up to close the shutters with more wild weather to come, including torrential rain, hail and flooding.
Heavy showers are expected on Thursday evening along the east coast of southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and all the way to Tasmania, as part of a ‘tornadic supercell’ system.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that the wild weather will continue this weekend, leading to renewed and prolonged flooding.
Thursday’s wild weather has caused chaos in Sydney, where the ceiling of the Coles supermarket in North Sydney on the lower north coast has collapsed on a day the city had recorded its wettest year on record.
Footage shows staff and shoppers rushing to avoid the store’s deluge.
Further south, towns in northwestern Victoria are at risk from a ‘tornadic supercell’ system.
The Murray River towns of Echuca, Swan Hill and Mildura are at risk and the hazardous weather system could extend into southern NSW as well.
Australia’s east coast (pictured) will be ravaged by more wild weather this weekend
Due to Sydney soaking, the ceiling of Coles North Sydney collapsed on Thursday afternoon
“There is a risk of tornado supercells, i.e. large hailstones, damaging wind gusts and isolated heavy rains” Sky News said meteorologist Alison Osborne.
‘That storm threat will quickly diminish into the early hours of (Friday) morning. It becomes less intense, but broader.’
Multiple flood warnings have been issued in the inland and central coastal areas of NSW.
“From late Friday, the intensified system will bring widespread heavy rainfall across NSW, particularly the eastern half, including the western slope and ranges and the central and southern coasts.
Sydney officially recorded wettest year on record (Photo, Sydneysiders try to stay Thursday)
Renewed river rises and the possibility of flooding is expected with the rain. The northern rivers are not expected to be affected by river rises.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds remains in effect for parts of northwestern Tasmania.
Rain is expected to ease in most major cities by the middle of next week.