The 2014 Brisbane hailstorm struck

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, the capital city of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia on 27 November 2014. The storm caused severe damage to many buildings and cars in the city. Around 40 people were injured. Wind speeds of were recorded with multiple reports of hail in the city and surrounding areas.

Climatology and conditions

Warm, humid air over South East Queensland was hit by a cooler southerly change causing instability. Multiple cells formed near the

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

border and tracked northwards, with one storm intensifying into a strong supercell.

Progression of the storm

The storm struck during

peak hour A rush hour (American English, British English) or peak hour (Australian English) is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice every weekday: on ...

. It was of short duration, lasting just half an hour. Wind gusts of were recorded at Archerfield. While supercell storms form every year in the region it was rare for one to strike the central parts of Brisbane. Reports of giant

hail Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...

were widespread across the city. The storm continued to track north, threatening suburbs in the Moreton Bay region. It passed near Redcliffe and

North Lakes North Lakes is a suburb in the Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia. According to the , North Lakes had a population of 23,030 people. Geography The suburb is mostly made up of newly developed housing originally around the North Lakes G ...

, around 30 or 40 minutes after the city impact, not causing anywhere near as much damage. By this time it had turned north east, and eventually shifted out to sea not long before dusk.

Aftermath

A senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology described the storm as the worst in a decade. More than 100,000 homes lost power supply. 642 power-lines were brought down. Around 2,000 homes experienced roof damaged caused by hail. 39 people were injured with 12 treated at hospitals. A number of planes were flipped over at Archerfield Airport. More than 12 schools were closed following the storm. Brisbane City Council and

State Government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or ...

buildings suffered $50 million worth of damage. In mid February 2015, it was estimated the storm caused $1.1 billion worth of damage. Many drivers were caught unaware and unable to escape the hail. According to the Insurance Council of Australia 100,000 insurance claims have been lodged with almost two thirds for vehicles. Hail-damaged cars were expected to undergo repairs until the end of 2015.

References

External links

*{{Commons category-inline, November 2014 Brisbane hailstorm Disasters in Queensland Natural disasters in Australia Disasters in Brisbane 2014-11 Brisbane hailstorm Brisbane hailstorm Brisbane hailstorm

2014 Brisbane hailstorm The 2014 Brisbane hailstorm struck Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia on 27 November 2014. The storm caused severe damage to many buildings and cars in the city. Around 40 people were injured. Wind speeds of were recorded with ...

2010s in Brisbane

Climatology and conditions

Progression of the storm

Aftermath

See also

References

External links