Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in parts of Gulf Country, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, North West, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Channel Country, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego and Southeast Coast Forecast Districts.

Issued at 5:19 pm Wednesday, 20 December 2023.
Severe thunderstorms have developed west of Brisbane.

Weather Situation: Severe thunderstorms have developed along a trough in a humid airmass through the interior of Queensland and in the southeast this afternoon and evening.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in parts of the Gulf Country, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, North West, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Channel Country and Maranoa and Warrego districts. Locations which may be affected include Charleville, Longreach, Winton, Cloncurry, Richmond and Julia Creek.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast districts.
Locations which may be affected include Ipswich, Esk, Kilcoy, Laidley and Lowood.

100 km/h wind gust recorded at Cloncurry Airport at 4:11 pm.
46.0 mm recorded at Ravenscourt Alert (NW of Charleville) in one hour to 3:20 pm.
43.0 mm recorded at Charleville in one hour to 3:51 pm.

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.