Severe thunderstorms and flooding hit Australia as major storm system spreads

A large storm system has swept across Australia, bringing severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding risks to several states, with dangerous conditions expected to continue into Monday, October 26.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued severe thunderstorm warnings on Sunday for Sydney, greater Wollongong and parts of the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Gosford, Wyong, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee.

• Severe thunderstorms swept across multiple Australian states, with wind gusts reaching 100 km/h in New South Wales and approximately 12,000 customers losing power in South Australia.
• Southern Queensland faces eight flood warnings after parts of the Sunshine Coast received 200-400 mm of rain in a week, with major flooding forecast along the Mary River.
• The Bureau of Meteorology warned of further severe storms on Monday, including possible hail exceeding 5 cm, destructive winds and flash flooding.

Warnings also covered large areas of southern Queensland, western New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and eastern Victoria. The storms were capable of producing large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and widespread power disruptions.

A broad line of thunderstorms had already moved through western NSW by Sunday afternoon, with wind gusts reaching 100 km/h in the state’s central west around midday. Parts of Sydney experienced severe weather on Sunday evening as the system advanced towards the coast.

The weather followed several days of intense rainfall in Queensland and widespread storms across South Australia and Victoria. Emergency services have responded to fallen trees, structural damage, flooding and power outages, while authorities continue to monitor the possibility of further severe weather.

Severe thunderstorms spread across Sydney, NSW and eastern Australia

The storm system developed as a cold front moving east across southern Australia encountered warm, moisture-laden air drawn south from tropical regions.

By Sunday afternoon, a line of thunderstorms extended across NSW from the Snowy Mountains to the Queensland border, affecting central parts of the state and Canberra.

We have a big line of storms that’s extending all the way from the Snowy mountains to the Queensland border. Behind that we are watching to see if there’s going to another band developing behind it.

Meteorologists were monitoring the possibility of additional thunderstorms forming behind the initial front.

The system followed approximately 10 days of persistent high pressure over the Tasman Sea, which had blocked approaching weather fronts and contributed to repeated rainfall and thunderstorms across southern Queensland.

“Eventually you get a strong enough system that pushes that blocking pattern away and that typically brings severe weather with it,” Crock explained.

As the blocking pattern weakened, the advancing cold front drew tropical moisture into southern and eastern Australia, creating conditions for widespread thunderstorms.

The bureau expected storm activity to continue into Sunday evening and Monday, particularly across northern NSW and southern Queensland.

South Australia records damaging winds and 12,000 power outages

South Australia was among the first states affected by the advancing system, with powerful thunderstorms bringing heavy rain, damaging winds and widespread disruption on Saturday and overnight into Sunday.

Wind gusts of 96-98 km/h were recorded in several locations late on Saturday, including Port Augusta, where strong winds caused property damage.

In Adelaide, falling tree branches damaged vehicles, including a parked car behind a Hyde Park cafe. Emergency crews also responded to damaged roofs, fences and fallen trees.

South Australia State Emergency Service duty officer Ian Bonython said crews attended approximately 60 incidents in the 24 hours from 7am Saturday.

Most requests for assistance came from Adelaide’s northern suburbs and the Port Augusta region.

SA Power Networks reported that approximately 12,000 customers lost electricity between midday Saturday and 10am Sunday.

The storms also delivered substantial rainfall. Adelaide and the surrounding hills received 15-20 mm from 9am Saturday, while parts of eastern South Australia recorded 25-30 mm.

Crock said the rainfall was generated by a cold front drawing moisture southward across the continent. A cold front off Southern Australia is picking up all that moisture and it’s generated a rain band across South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania during early Sunday.

The bureau expected further rain in Adelaide on Sunday before conditions improved as the weather system moved towards the eastern states.

Melbourne also experienced heavy overnight rainfall and thunderstorms as the system crossed Victoria.

Queensland faces major flood risk after 200-400 mm of rainfall

Southern Queensland remained at risk of further flooding following several days of torrential rain.

Eight flood warnings were active across the region, including a forecast for the Mary River downstream of Gympie to reach major flood levels at Tiaro on Sunday evening and into Monday.

Areas around the Sunshine Coast received between 200 mm and 400 mm of rainfall over the preceding week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

One area recorded 289 mm during October, more than three times its average monthly rainfall of 90 mm.

The unusually heavy rainfall followed a very dry September. Crock described the rapid change in conditions as weather “whiplash”, noting that parts of southern Queensland had received several times their typical October rainfall.

Emergency services were already responding to numerous flooding incidents.

The Queensland State Emergency Service received 124 calls for assistance on Friday night, with most originating from the Sunshine Coast region.

A driver was also rescued from a submerged vehicle in floodwaters at Doonan as the prolonged weather event affected the region.

The persistent rain and flooding have placed additional pressure on communities facing another round of potentially severe storms.

Giant hail and destructive winds forecast for Monday

The Bureau of Meteorology warned that Queensland could face another period of dangerous thunderstorms on Monday as the cold front continued moving east.

Senior meteorologist Felim Hanniffy said the system would bring a broad risk of severe thunderstorms to western and inland Queensland before more isolated but potentially dangerous storms developed.

Large hailstones, damaging winds and intense rainfall could cause further property damage and flash flooding in areas already affected by the previous week’s storms.

Airlines had begun preparing for possible disruptions associated with Sunday’s severe weather.

Crock expected Monday to bring the final major phase of the weather system, particularly across northern NSW and southern Queensland.

The bureau anticipated that the advancing cold front would eventually bring an end to the prolonged severe weather affecting the region.

Victoria issues thunderstorm asthma warning for East Gippsland

The storms also prompted a public health warning in Victoria, where authorities identified an elevated risk of thunderstorm asthma, particularly in East Gippsland.

Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Clare Looker, warned of “a high-risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma” on Sunday.

The warning followed forecasts of high grass pollen concentrations combined with thunderstorms capable of producing strong winds.

Looker said these conditions could cause large numbers of people to develop asthma symptoms within a relatively short period.

Authorities advised people susceptible to asthma to remain indoors during dangerous conditions and keep prescribed medication accessible.

The warning came as central and eastern Victoria faced an increased likelihood of severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hail as the cold front encountered warm, humid air near Australia’s eastern coastline.

Further rain, snow and cooler conditions across southern Australia

Beyond the main storm-affected regions, unsettled weather was expected across other parts of the country. Coastal showers were forecast for Victoria and Tasmania, with snow possible in Tasmania at elevations above 800 metres.

Western Australia was expected to experience cooler conditions on Monday, with showers possible in parts of the state’s southwest.

The widespread storms followed an extended period of unsettled spring weather across eastern Australia, particularly in Queensland, where persistent rainfall contributed to flooding and repeated emergency service callouts.

Australian weather outlook points to wetter conditions through January

The Bureau of Meteorology’s long-range forecast for November 2026 through January 2027 indicates that rainfall is likely to be above average across most of Australia.

The exceptions include the far north of the country and much of Tasmania, where the forecast does not indicate the same likelihood of above-average rainfall.

November is also expected to be warmer than usual across the southern half of Australia. Night-time temperatures, in particular, are forecast to be well above average across most of the country.

The bureau’s long-term climate records show that Australia has warmed by approximately 1.5°C since 1910, providing broader climate context for the country’s temperature outlook.

In the immediate term, authorities remain focused on flooding across southern Queensland and the threat of further damaging thunderstorms in eastern Australia, with Monday expected to bring the final major phase of the current storm system.