Two tornadoes spotted in Queensland as severe storms sweep across parts of Australia

Two tornadoes were witnessed as thunderstorms intensified with big hailstones and heavy downpours which swept through wide areas of Queensland in Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) of Australia confirmed of a tornado in the southwest of Toowoomba's Pittsworth and said it was looking into another one in Bracewell, near Gladstone. 

At nearly 5:30 p.m. (local time) on October 18, Monday, the bureau discontinued a severe thunderstorm alert for the state's southeast, stating the movement of the weather system was towards the offshore, leaving land regions with precipitation below severe criteria. However, severe thunderstorms with significant rainfall stormed over southeast Queensland earlier Monday afternoon, with around 80mm of rain falling in an hour near Molendinar on the Gold Coast. 

The bureau further stated that they had confirmed a tornado which was recorded sometime before 11:00 a.m. (local time) in the southwest of Toowoomba near Pittsworth, while, for the second tornado, the bureau was investigating the tornado claims which were mainly done by the residents of Bracewell. As per the ABC News website, an inhabitant of Bracewell, Heather Cuzens said she has never witnessed any storm which she had experienced this morning. 

Destructive gusty winds, big hailstones, as well as torrential rain, might lead to flash floods

According to the BOM, golf-ball-sized hailstones were reported at Mount Larcom in central Queensland. BOM further reported that 51 mm of rain fell for nearly 30 minutes at Centenary Bridge on the Darling Downs this morning. The Central Highlands and Coalfields district might experience extreme fire risk situations due to a conjunction of above-average temperatures, dry air, as well as fresh west-to-southwesterly winds. 

Earlier today, Shane Kennedy, a BOM forecaster, warned that destructive gusty winds, big hailstones, as well as torrential rain, might lead to flash floods, this afternoon and also expected for tomorrow. He further informed that showers and storms are expected to continue overnight and into tomorrow. 

BOM further revealed that the intense storm activity was produced by a hot and humid air mass stream over the south-eastern regions, paired with an upper depression. In this week, an extreme heatwave will occur in the Gulf and surrounding areas, peaking on Wednesday. While the storm activity is expected to last until Thursday. Today, the Central Highlands and Coalfields District have already been notified with a fire alert.  

(Image: AP/ Representative Image)