Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in Herbert and Lower Burdekin and parts of Gulf Country, North Tropical Coast and Tablelands and Central Coast and Whitsundays Forecast Districts.

Issued at 4:54 pm Tuesday, 17 December 2024.

Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall and damaging winds occurring over the NE tropics. Damaging winds possible over the Gulf Country.

Weather Situation: A very moist unstable atmosphere in combination with an upper low pressure system is triggering thunderstorms with heavy rainfall about parts of the Central Coast and Herbert and Lower Burdekin districts. Other thunderstorms with possible damaging wind gusts are forming north of a surface trough across northwestern Queensland.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in the Herbert and Lower Burdekin and parts of the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands and Central Coast and Whitsundays districts. Locations which may be affected include Proserpine, Bowen, Townsville, Palm Island, Ingham, Ayr, Cardwell, Clare and Lucinda.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds over the next several hours in parts of the Gulf Country district. Locations which may be affected include Augustus Downs Station, Riversleigh Station, Donors Hill Station, Gregory Downs Station and Lawn Hill.

106 km/h wind gust recorded at Lucinda at 4:49 pm.

93 km/h wind gust recorded at Century Mine at 4:26 pm.

55mm recorded in the 30 minutes to 4:05 pm at Peter Faust Dam.

Emergency services advise people to:
* Park your car undercover away from trees.
* Close doors and windows.
* Keep asthma medications close by. Storms and wind can trigger asthma attacks.
* Charge mobile phones and power banks in case the power goes out.
* Put your pets somewhere safe and make sure they can be identified in case they get lost.
* Do not drive now unless you have to because conditions are dangerous.
* Tell friends, family and neighbours in the area.
* Go inside a strong building now. Stay inside until the storm has passed.