Parts of Australia’s east coast were battered with severe thunderstorms and massive hail on Good Friday – with many residents urged to stay indoors.
Sydneysiders were enjoying a sunny 24C day before the weather quickly turned into a vicious thunderstorm late on Friday afternoon bringing heavy wind gusts and lightning.
South-eastern parts of Queensland were also in the firing line with the Bureau of Meteorology warning two ‘very dangerous thunderstorm cells’ were moving through the Somerset region.Hailstones up to 11cm wide were seen in the Darling Downs region, while hail as big as 8cm fell in Haden, in the Toowoomba region.
However, those planning an Easter Sunday barbecue are in luck with showers expected to clear on Saturday across most of Australia.Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said southeastern Australia was copping the worst of the weather.
#Bowral Woah insane storm and hail!!! pic.twitter.com/vLIzh6Ji0o
— Gidgit VonLaRue (@GidgitVonLaRue) April 7, 2023
‘An upper-level trough passing over southeastern Australia on Friday will cause the atmosphere to become unstable and primed for severe thunderstorms,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘This volatile weather pattern will result in widespread showers and thunderstorms over central and southeast Queensland, eastern and southern NSW, the ACT and Victoria.’
The BOM issued a severe thunderstorm warning for residents in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and Wollongong at 8.20pm on Friday.
Residents across Sydney, including in Kellyville, and in Bowral, in southern NSW, shared footage of hail lashing down on their homes.
Meanwhile, the SES urged those in the Greater Wollongong area to stay indoors away from windows and keep cars away from trees as a storm battered the NSW south coast.
Hailstones at a size of 6cm were reported in Yass, south-west of Sydney, while wind gusts of 104 km/h were felt in Cabramurra, in NSW’s western Snowy Mountains.In Queensland, Crows Nest and Somerset in the state’s south-east were put on alert as dangerous thunderstorms swept through.
A 104km/h wind gust was recorded at Oakey in the Toowoomba region, while Blackwater in central QLD, saw winds up to 98km/h.
Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra – are expected to see storms clear in time for Saturday.
But for those in Melbourne hoping to spend the long weekend outside, the wet weather is forecast to hang around the Victorian capital until Tuesday.
Tasmanians are also in for a wet Easter with the sun not expected to come out in Hobart until next Wednesday.
Sydney will be mostly sunny on Saturday with tops of 25C forecast.
Canberra has a chance of showers over Saturday with a dry but cool day forecast for Easter Sunday with tops of just 15C on the horizon.
Meanwhile Brisbane residents wouldn’t know the seasons have changed with temperatures to soar in the late 20s and early 30s over the weekend and next week – with no rain in sight.
Adelaide may see some showers on Saturday but a dry and cloudy day is in store for Easter.
On the other side of the country Perth will be warm and sunny with tops of 25C forecast over each day of the long weekend.
