![Storm Brunswick Heads091007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Storm_Brunswick_Heads091007.jpg)
Severe storms in Australia refers to the
storms
A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), ...
, including
cyclones, which have caused severe damage in Australia. For comparison
a comprehensive list of all damaging stormscan be found on the
Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
website.
Australian Capital Territory
1971
On 26 January 1971 a severe storm caused flash-flooding on the
Woden Valley
The District of Woden Valley () is one of the original eighteen districts of the Australian Capital Territory used in land administration. The district is subdivided into divisions ( suburbs), sections and blocks. The district of Woden Valley ...
freeway when culverts became blocked with debris at either end. Several cars were swept from the road into the rushing water. Seven people were killed, 15 were injured, and 500 people were affected by the
1971 Canberra flood
The 1971 Canberra flood was a flash flood that occurred on 26 January 1971, in the Woden Valley district of Canberra, Australia.
Canberra flood
The flood killed seven people including four children, injured 15 and affected 500 people.Attorney ...
. Insurance damage was estimated at $9 million (1971 dollars). Significant rectification work was undertaken at the
Yarra Glen arterial roadway.
1990s
Five people were injured in the suburb of
Chisholm in 1990 by a tornado which destroyed a wooden church and damaged 37 houses.
27,000 people were affected across the territory by a severe storm in November 1996.
2005 and 2006
There were heavy storms (and a possible tornado) which hit Canberra, and the surrounding
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 ...
region, on 2 December 2005. The storms were the worst emergency to hit Canberra since the
2003 Canberra bushfires
The 2003 Canberra bushfires caused severe damage to the suburbs and outer areas of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, during 18–22 January 2003. Almost 70% of the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) pastures, pine plantations, and nat ...
. The storms caused much damage to houses and property, and one man was killed by a falling tree in the suburb of
Curtin. The storm hit Canberra at about 4.30 pm, and moved south-eastwards across the city. There were 51 Canberra suburbs which reported damage during the storm, the most extensive being in
Fyshwick
Fyshwick () is a retail and light industrial suburb of Canberra, Australia, east of the South Canberra district. At the , Fyshwick had a population of 56.
It has many motor vehicle dealers, stores selling home furnishings and hardware, and sto ...
estimated to be 3–4 million in damage. The ACT Emergency Services received about 200 calls for help during the storm, with the NSW SES getting more than 500 calls. Calvary Hospital, and thousands of houses lost power, with
ACTEW saying that about 5% of the network had been affected. Calvary utilised a generator until power was restored. The storm was rated as one of the biggest ever to hit the ACT, with an estimated 15 million in damages across the city.
On 31 December 2006 a huge thunderstorm, the third in three days, caused havoc in the southern part of Canberra – inner suburbs and
Tuggeranong
The District of Tuggeranong () is one of the original eighteen districts of the Australian Capital Territory used in land administration. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks and is the southernmost town cent ...
.
2007
On 27 February 2007 a
supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, persistently rotating updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four classifications of thunderstorms ( ...
storm hit Canberra City, with hail covering the ground to a depth of and creating high hail drifts in
Civic
Civic is something related to a city or municipality. It also can refer to multiple other things:
General
*Civics, the science of comparative government
*Civic engagement, the connection one feels with their larger community
*Civic center, a comm ...
. The ice was so heavy, a newly built roof of the newly constructed shopping centre collapsed. Birds were killed by hail produced from the supercell (Northbourne Avenue), and people were stranded.
The following day (28 February) many homes in Canberra were subjected to flash flooding, caused either by the inability of
storm water
Stormwater, also spelled storm water, is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil ( infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed land ...
infrastructure to cope, or through mud slides from cleared land. As reported by the Bureau of Meteorology, February 2007 had a record number of thunderstorms.
November to February is traditionally the thunderstorm season in the ACT.
2020
On the afternoon of 20 January 2020 a short
but severe storm struck Canberra and nearby
Queanbeyan in NSW. Hailstones as large as golf-balls and winds over were noted. Many thousands of motor vehicles were badly damaged by hail and many were
written off
A write-off is a reduction of the recognized value of something. In accounting, this is a recognition of the reduced or zero value of an asset. In income tax statements, this is a reduction of taxable income, as a recognition of certain expenses ...
.
Over 50,000 insurance claims were lodged, largely for vehicles, and the event was declared a catastrophe by the National Insurance Council.
The cost of the storm was over .
Power to about 1,000 homes was cut. Sixty-five
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency responsible for scientific research.
CSIRO works with leading organisations around the world. From its headquarters in Canberra, CSIRO ...
(CSIRO) experimental
greenhouses were severely damaged by hail, and as consequence years of crop, and other types of research, were lost.
The Australian Academy of Science's
Shine Dome was seriously damaged, with smashed skylights and denting of the copper roof surface. Large numbers of
fauna
Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is ''funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as ''Biota (ecology ...
were killed
and trees were also damaged.
2022
On the evening of Monday 3 January 2022, a power supercell thunderstorm impacted Canberra. It began to move through Tuggeranong, which prompted the Bureau of Meteorology to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Damaging Winds, Heavy Rainfall and Large Hailstones. The storm underwent further intensification as it moved over Canberra and hit Belconnen at peak strength. As the storm moved over West Belconnen, the Bureau of Meteorology updated their Severe Thunderstorm Warning to include Giant Hailstones.
The storm reportedly produced hailstones the size of golf balls. Many trees and powerlines were also brought down, causing 17,000 people to be without power. Flash Flooding was also reported in various suburbs.
The ACT SES received over 800 calls for help, with teams from NSW SES brought in to assist with clean up efforts.
It took up to seven days before power was fully restored to some parts of Canberra, such as Scullin.
New South Wales
1947
The 1947 Sydney hailstorm was a natural disaster which struck
Sydney on 1 January 1947. The
storm cell developed on the morning of New Year's Day, a public holiday in Australia, over the
Blue Mountains, hitting the city and dissipating east of
Bondi Beach in the mid-afternoon. At the time, it was the most severe storm to strike the city since recorded observations began in 1792.
1991
![Thunderstorm in sydney 2000x1500](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Thunderstorm_in_sydney_2000x1500.png)
On 21 January 1991 supercell thunderstorms moved across the
Northern Suburbs
Northern Sydney is a large metropolitan area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the north shore of Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River. The region embraces suburbs in Sydney’s north-east, north and inner north west. Northern Sydney ...
of Sydney during the afternoon. Strong winds and large hail stones caused extensive damage. Hail stones up to in diameter and flash flooding was reported in several locations. Some areas received more than of rain in 6 minutes and more than in half an hour. Areas of most severe damage stretched from the
Warrawee–
Turramurra
Turramurra is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. It shares the postc ...
area to
Duffys Forest, with significant damage occurring to property in the
Ku-ring-gai,
Hornsby and former
Warringah Warringah is a name taken from the local Aboriginal word for Middle Harbour, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It may refer to:
*Division of Warringah, an electoral division of the Australian House of Representatives created in 1922
*Electoral ...
council areas. More than 7,000 houses were damaged. The total estimated insurance payout for the storm was estimated at 215 million.
1999
Australia's most costly natural disaster in dollar terms, , was a
severe hail storm over Sydney on 14 April 1999. Hail up to almost the size of
cricket balls – circumference – fell in a damage path that extended from
Bundeena in the south to
Darling Point
Darling Point is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Woollahra Council.
Darling Point is bounded by Sydney Harbour to ...
in the north, and from
Sydenham Sydenham may refer to:
Places Australia
* Sydenham, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney
** Sydenham railway station, Sydney
* Sydenham, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne
** Sydenham railway line, the name of the Sunbury railway line, Melbourne ...
in the
Inner West
The Inner West of Sydney is an area directly west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia. The suburbs that make up the Inner West are predominantly located along the southern shore of Port Jackson (Parramatta River ...
to
Bondi Junction in the east. In total, over 20,000 properties and 40,000 vehicles were damaged during the storm with more than 25 aircraft damaged at Sydney Airport.
2001–2005
A severe storm in the
Hunter Region,
Sydney and central western regions killed three and injured 50, over a 4-day period in November 2001. A widespread storm across the Southern Eastern States on 1–2 February 2005, killed three and injured 12, with the damage bill estimated at $216.7 million.
A
Piper Chieftain
The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engined aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, most using Lycoming engines. It was also license-built in a number of Latin American countries. Ta ...
light aircraft crashed west of
Condobolin
Condobolin is a town in the west of the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on the Lachlan River. At the , Condobolin had a population of 3,486.
History
Prior to European settlement, the area was inhabited by the Wiradjuri pe ...
in December 2005 during storms killing
Peter Menegazzo, one of Australia's biggest landowners, and his wife.
2007
![Pasha Bulker 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Pasha_Bulker_01.jpg)
A
major storm in early June 2007 known as an
east coast low
Australian east coast lows (known locally as east coast lows, maritime lows and sometimes as east coast cyclones) are extratropical cyclones or low-pressure systems on the coast of southeastern Australia that
may be caused by both mid-latitude an ...
caused major disruption in the
Hunter Region,
Central Coast and
Sydney killing 9 people. During the days following it also caused extensive damage and major flooding in the lower-
Hunter River Hunter River may refer to:
*Hunter River (New South Wales), Australia
*Hunter River (Western Australia)
*Hunter River, New Zealand
*Hunter River (Prince Edward Island), Canada
**Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, community on Hunter River, Canada
...
region, including
Maitland
Maitland is an English and Scottish surname. It arrived in Britain after the Norman conquest of 1066. There are two theories about its source. It is either a nickname reference to "bad temper/disposition" (Old French, ''Maltalent''; Anglo Norm ...
, and flash flooding in other parts of the region. Electricity supplies were extensively damaged. The resultant swell from the storm on 8 June caused the bulk carrier, ''
Pasha Bulker'', to run aground off Newcastle's
Nobbys Beach
Newcastle East is an inner city List of suburbs in Greater Newcastle, New South Wales, suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located immediately east of Newcastle's central business district at the mouth of ...
.
A few months later in October, a
tornadic super-cell
thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are some ...
hit the region surrounding
Lismore twice in one month. The first storm with giant hailstones the size of tennis balls hit Lismore on 8 October causing chaos in the CBD. Extensive damage was caused in central Lismore from large hail and strong winds. More than 17 people were injured by hail or flying glass from smashed windows. Over 1,000 claims were received by the
NRMA
NRMA (formerly National Roads and Motorists' Association) is an Australian organisation offering roadside assistance, advocacy for motorists and road-users, motoring advice, car servicing, International Driving Permits, travel and other servic ...
, mostly for damaged motor vehicles, broken windows, skylights and roof tiles. Nearly 300 calls for assistance were received by the
State Emergency Service
The State Emergency Service (SES) is the name used by a number of organisations in Australia that provide assistance during and after major incidents. Specifically, the service deals with floods, storms and tsunamis, but can also assist in oth ...
. Many buildings were damaged including City Hall, the police station, ambulance station, hospital and other council buildings and small businesses. City Hall had massive damage on western side and had partly collapsed. The roof of the Gymnastics Centre had partly collapsed due to weight of hail and water. Damage bill estimated at $60 million with Lismore declared a natural disaster area.
South Lismore was hit by another severe storm the following day on 9 October causing even more damage than the day before. Hail 6 cm size and strong winds estimated at 100 km/h caused widespread damage. About 20mm rain fell in 10 minutes. Windows were smashed with hail inside houses. People were injured, cars damaged and trees uprooted with flash flooding and power outages.
Three weeks later, another storm caused chaos in the small town of
Dunoon
Dunoon (; gd, Dùn Omhain) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in the south of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As wel ...
. More than 20 houses lost their roofs with some partly demolished, including the local church, as tornadic winds swept through the centre of town. Trees were snapped off or uprooted, power lines brought down and gardens flattened. Large hail was reported. The local sub-station exploded after being hit by flying debris, causing power outages. The Lismore district was declared a natural disaster area for the second time this month with the damage bill at Dunoon estimated at $5 million. On the same day, large hail and strong winds caused damage exceeding $1 million in
Grafton,
Byron Bay
Byron Bay (Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah)'' is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia on Bundjalung Country. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headla ...
and
Mullumbimby
Mullumbimby is an Australian town in the Byron Shire in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. It promotes itself as "The Biggest Little Town in Australia". The town lies at the foot of Mount Chincogan in the Brunswick Valley about 9 ...
.
2010
Beginning on the evening of 12 February 2010, some regions of Sydney were inundated by strong rain and localised flash flooding caused by a
Black nor'easter
A Black nor'easter is a persistent and potentially violent north-easterly storm that occurs on the east coast of Australia usually between late spring and early autumn, about two days a year (or more, depending on the intensity), although not a con ...
. The storms produced some of the highest rainfalls seen in the area over a decade, with recorded in
Hornsby and in
Mona Vale over just one hour. The storms continued through to 14 February, with a maximum daily rainfall for the year of recorded at
Tuross Head. Some areas of the northwest and southeast were declared natural disaster zones. The
State Emergency Service
The State Emergency Service (SES) is the name used by a number of organisations in Australia that provide assistance during and after major incidents. Specifically, the service deals with floods, storms and tsunamis, but can also assist in oth ...
received over 1,500 distress calls, with damages exceeding 6 million in western regions.
2011–2012
Throughout summer 2011–2012 Sydney experienced above average rainfall, with many cases of
flash flooding, and rivers breaking their banks due to sustained rain periods. On 8 March one of the more widespread flash flooding events occurred disrupting the daily commute, by flooding
train stations
A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing suc ...
, and
arterial road
An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector r ...
s.
2015
From 20 to 22 April 2015, the Hunter, Central Coast and Sydney regions experienced severe rain fall and 'cyclonic winds' gusting from from an
east coast low
Australian east coast lows (known locally as east coast lows, maritime lows and sometimes as east coast cyclones) are extratropical cyclones or low-pressure systems on the coast of southeastern Australia that
may be caused by both mid-latitude an ...
resulting in many cases of
flash flooding, and rivers breaking their banks due to sustained rain periods. Over the course of the three days the
Main Northern and
Illawarra
The Illawarra is a coastal region in the Australian state of New South Wales, nestled between the mountains and the sea. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongo ...
railway lines were closed at some point. Over 80
Department of Education and Communities (DEC) schools were closed across NSW on both 21 and 22 April due to safety concerns. The Newcastle and Hunter regions were hit worst by the storm and four people were killed in flash flooding, including three people in the Hunter township of
Dungog
Dungog is a country town on the Williams River in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. Located in the middle of dairy and timber country, it is the centre of the Dungog Shire local government area and at the 2016 census it had a po ...
. Between 100,000 and 200,000 homes and businesses were without power at some point during the three days.
On 16 December a tornadic supercell thunderstorm struck the east coast, with high rainfall, hailstones and unusually strong winds.
Kurnell
Kurnell is a suburb in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire along the east coast. Cronulla and Woolooware are the onl ...
in southern Sydney was particularly hard hit with homes and businesses un-roofed, sewerage and electricity cut, two trucks tipped on their sides, and workers evacuated from
Kurnell Refinery and the
desalination plant
Desalination is a process that takes away mineral components from saline water. More generally, desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from a target substance, as in soil desalination, which is an issue for agriculture. Saltw ...
, which was damaged. A "Wind gust of recorded in Kurnell at 10:33am," was "the fastest wind speed recorded in NSW history".
[ Injuries to people were only minor. Roof damage also occurred at Westfield Bondi Junction and in ]South Nowra
South Nowra is a suburb of Nowra in the City of Shoalhaven in New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Count ...
, Thousands of homes lost power in Bulli, Thirroul
Thirroul () is a northern seaside suburb of the city of Wollongong, Australia. Situated between Austinmer and Bulli, it is approximately 13 kilometres north of Wollongong, and 73 km south of Sydney. It lies between the Pacific Ocean ...
and Woonona
Woonona () is a northern suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, south of Sydney. It is served by Woonona Station on the South Coast (Illawarra) Line, and by the Princes Highway.
The suburb has a strip of commerce along the highway ...
north of Wollongong
Wollongong ( ), colloquially referred to as The Gong, is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near wa ...
.
2016
The Hunter, Central Coast, Sydney, Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Tablelands
The Southern Tablelands is a geographic area of New South Wales, Australia, located south-west of Sydney and west of the Great Dividing Range.
The area is characterised by high, flat country which has generally been extensively cleared and ...
and Snowy Mountains regions were impacted by severe rainfall between 4 and 6 January 2016. Peak rainfall over 24 hours included near Bulahdelah, including in one hour, at Newcastle, at Barrington Tops
Barrington Tops is part of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, Australia, between Gloucester and Scone.
In 1934, the area was difficult to access and was described as being "not traceable to any man-made feature".
Part of the area has ...
, at , and more than near Moruya
Moruya is a town located on the far south coast of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Moruya River. The Princes Highway runs through the town that is about south of Sydney and from Canberra. At the , Moruya had a population of 4 ...
. Due to flooding of the Hunter River Hunter River may refer to:
*Hunter River (New South Wales), Australia
*Hunter River (Western Australia)
*Hunter River, New Zealand
*Hunter River (Prince Edward Island), Canada
**Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, community on Hunter River, Canada
...
, the State Emergency Service issued an evacuation order for parts of Raymond Terrace
Raymond Terrace is a town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road north of Newcastle on the Pacific Highway. Established in 1837 it is situated at the confluence of the Hunter and Williams rivers. The town was nam ...
.
The East Coast of Australia, including Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, South East Queensland
South East Queensland (SEQ) is a bio-geographical, metropolitan, political and administrative region of the state of Queensland in Australia, with a population of approximately 3.8 million people out of the state's population of 5.1 million. Th ...
, far North NSW, the Northern Rivers
Northern Rivers is the most north-easterly region of the Australian state of New South Wales, located between north of the state capital, Sydney, and encompasses the catchments and fertile valleys of the Clarence, Richmond, and Tweed rivers. ...
and Sydney were battered by severe weather between 3 and 5 June 2016. Up to of rain fell across the entire coast, with falling in Wooli River Caravan Park near Grafton over 24 hours, and gusts of up to 125 km/h hitting Newcastle and Sydney. Flash flooding along the coast was recorded as a result of the storms. For the first time in over 30 years, a severe weather warning and flood watch was posted for the entire 2,000 km NSW Coast. More than 3,000 were received across NSW by 5 June, with 9,000 homes across Sydney and the Central Coast without power throughout Sunday. The deaths of dour people across the coast were attributed to the severe storms. The system, stretching for nearly 3,000 km at its peak, was the result of two systems merging on Friday 3 June, developing into an East Coast Low
Australian east coast lows (known locally as east coast lows, maritime lows and sometimes as east coast cyclones) are extratropical cyclones or low-pressure systems on the coast of southeastern Australia that
may be caused by both mid-latitude an ...
.
2020
On 20 January 2020 a short but severe storm struck New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. I ...
(ACT). Sydney, the Hunter Region, the Riverina
The Riverina
is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation ...
and South Coast were all affected by the weather event. Roofs were blown off, trains were halted and people trapped in vehicles by fallen trees, and two persons were hit by lightning. Large hailstones and winds over 110 km/h were noted. Many thousands of motor vehicles were badly damaged by hail and many were written off
A write-off is a reduction of the recognized value of something. In accounting, this is a recognition of the reduced or zero value of an asset. In income tax statements, this is a reduction of taxable income, as a recognition of certain expenses ...
. The event was declared a catastrophe by the National Insurance Council. The cost of the storm, in the ACT alone, was over .
From 7-10 February, many areas on the east coast of New South Wales received heavy and continuous rain, the heaviest falls for thirty years. of rain fell over the four days in Sydney, more than three times the February average. Flooding was extensive, including areas, such as Lake Conjola, that had been devastated by bushfires about 6 weeks earlier. The rain did help extinguish many still burning bushfires, and greatly improved the levels of dams after years of drought. Power supply, trains, ferries and road transport were disrupted by flooding, fallen trees and washouts. Areas of the Northern Beaches
The Northern Beaches is a region within Northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, near the Pacific coast. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), west to Middle Harbour and north to the en ...
, such as Collaroy, were damaged by waves more than high.
2021
On 14 October 2021, multiple severe thunderstorm formed over the blue mountains and quickly moved east towards Sydney. One particular storm boasted an impressive hook echo on radar, and doppler winds indicates the presence of a broad mesocyclone. As a result, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a relatively rare tornado warning. Luckily, no tornado eventuated. The maximum recorded hail size was 6cm, and the roof of a shopping mall collapsed in the suburb of Mount Druitt due to extremely heavy rainfall. 24mm of rainfall was recorded in the Penrith area in just 30 minutes. The supercell reached its peak intensity just west of Blacktown
Blacktown is a suburb in the City of Blacktown, in Greater Western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Blacktown is located west of the Sydney central business district. It is one of the most multicultural places within Great ...
before weakening as it moved into a more stable atmosphere. It eventually moved out to sea at 6:19pm causing only minor damage near the coast.
Northern Territory
Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from 24 to 26 December 1974. The small, developing easterly storm had been observed passing clear of the city i ...
was a tropical cyclone that devastated , from 24 to 25 December 1974. It killed 65 people and destroyed over 90 percent of Darwin's buildings, leaving over 20,000 people homeless. Most of Darwin's population was evacuated to Adelaide, Whyalla, Alice Springs and Sydney, and many never returned to Darwin.
Queensland
1890s to 1950s
Tropical Cyclone Sigma caused destruction from Townsville to Brisbane between 24 and 27 January 1896. 18 people were killed, most of whom lost their lives when a storm surge caused a breach of the Ross River on 26 January, travelling upstream, and flooding parts of Townsville to a depth of .
Cyclone Mahina, in March 1899, resulted in the greatest death toll of any natural disaster in Australian history. Over 400 people lost their lives. The storm decimated a pearling fleet at Bathurst Bay in Queensland and deaths included the crews of around 100 vessels and an estimated 100 local aboriginals, who were swept out to sea while trying to save shipwrecked crew.
Two of the country's strongest cyclones occurred on the North Queensland coast in 1918. The Mackay Cyclone struck Mackay and surrounding regions in late January 1918, in addition to a devastating storm surge and extensive flooding. A Category 4 cyclone with barometric pressure at the eye as low as , Mackay and Rockhampton experienced the death of some 30 people, hundreds of injuries, and 60 million damage. Of the approximately 1400 homes in the Mackay township, 1300 were destroyed or severely damaged.
10 March 1918 saw an even stronger cyclone and storm surge cross the coast at Innisfail, with further desolation at Cairns, Babinda, and on the Atherton Tableland. Barometric pressure measured from outside the cyclone eye was recorded at . Estimates based on height of the storm surge suggest the 1918 Innisfail Cyclone was a "super typhoon" with pressures below 900 hpa at the eye, however recording equipment at the storm centre was badly damaged so an accurate minimum could not be obtained. 37 people perished in the township of Innisfail, with a further 40-60 Aboriginals estimated to have died in outlying areas. With a population of 3500, Innisfail saw only 12 houses remain unscathed.
A cyclone in Northern Queensland killed 99 people over two days in mid March 1934.
A cyclone struck the Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
on 20 February 1954. Four people were killed during the cyclone, while a further 22 died in the resulting floods around Lismore in Northern New South Wales.
2008
On 16 November 2008, Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
was hit by a thunderstorm with wind gusts up to reaching speeds of Category 2 tropical cyclones, and flooding throughout the region. Areas were declared disaster zones, with one of the worst hit areas being The Gap, a north-western suburb, where roofs were lifted off houses, trees were uprooted, and cars were destroyed by falling debris, destruction typical of tropical cyclones. Recovery efforts were hampered as further storms continued throughout the week.
2010/11
A series of severe weather events hit Queensland, Australia, beginning in December 2010 and continuing into January 2011.
2014
On 27 November 2014, Brisbane was hit by a Mesoscale convective system
A mesoscale convective system (MCS) is a complex of thunderstorms that becomes organized on a scale larger than the individual thunderstorms but smaller than extratropical cyclones, and normally persists for several hours or more. A mesoscale con ...
which brought wind gusts up to , reaching speeds of Category 2 tropical cyclones, and hail stones up to in diameter. It was the worst storm to hit Brisbane since 18 January 1985 and caused over 1 billion in damage. 39 people were injured, although none seriously (though 12 required hospital treatment). There was widespread flooding and hail damage in the city and the suburbs of Inala, Archerfield, Moorooka
Moorooka is a southern Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Moorooka had a population of 10,368 people.
Geography
Moorooka is by road south of Brisbane's central business district. ...
, Annerley, West End, Toowong
Toowong is a riverside suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Toowong had a population of 10,830 people.
Geography
Toowong is situated between Mount Coot-tha and the Brisbane River and is made up of rolling hills ...
, Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley (often called "The Valley" by local residents) is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. In the , Fortitude Valley had a population of 9,708 people. The suburb features two pedestr ...
and Bowen Hills
Bowen Hills is an inner north-eastern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the Bowen Hills had a population of 3,226 people.
Geography
Bowen Hills is by road from the Brisbane CBD.
Mayne is a neighbourhood within the s ...
. Light aircraft were flipped over at Archerfield Airport Archerfield can refer to:
*Archerfield, Queensland
Archerfield is a mixed-use southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Archerfield had a population of 544 people.
Geography
Archerfield is bounded by Oxley Cree ...
. Due to the vast number of buildings and cars that were hail-damaged, insurance assessments and repairs took many months.
2018
On 18 October and 22 December 2018 the Gold Coast got hit with supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, persistently rotating updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four classifications of thunderstorms ( ...
storms producing hail the size of golf ball
A golf ball is a special ball designed to be used in the game of golf.
Under the rules of golf, a golf ball has a mass no more than , has a diameter not less than , and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits. Like g ...
s and damaging winds.
2019
On 14 November there was a hail storm with hail the size of cricket balls ?d Biggera Bay being the worst hit.
On 13 December (last day of school 2019) another severe storm hit the very South of QLD of rain and left Biggera Waters, and Labrador without mains power.
South Australia
2016
On 28 September a storm described as a one-in-50-years event led to the entire state of South Australia losing power. There has been widespread flooding throughout the state and more storms have caused further damage.
Victoria
2003
A severe weather event occurred over the city of Melbourne, and surrounding areas of Victoria were tornadoes, from 1 to 6 December 2003. The storm formed at around midnight on the night of 2 December. The two hours from midnight to 2 am saw extremely heavy rainfall, with some areas recording more than 100mm of rain in that time. The rapid rain fall caused flash flooding, which resulted in extensive damage to property. At the time the Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
called the storm a "once in 100 year event", but similarly severe storms struck Melbourne in 2005 and 2010.
2005
An unusually intense low-pressure system developed over Eastern Bass Strait on 2 February 2005. After a spell of warm days with a north to north easterly airflow over much of eastern Australia, the region suffered the effects of one of the most intense summer time weather systems on record. Southern NSW, South Australia and Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
also received substantial rainfall during this event, however the highest rainfalls were concentrated in Victoria. The event made February 2005, Victoria's wettest February since 1973 and the 7th wettest in the last 106 years. The cold air associated with this system also assisted in the month of February in Victoria being its coolest since 1954. Many rainfall and temperature records were broken in the course of the event as the system passed across eastern Australia.
The system brought abnormally low temperatures and severe storms with gale and storm force winds to most parts of the region. However, the continuous rainfall for about 30 hours was perhaps the most significant feature produced by the low-pressure system. The rainfall resulted in widespread flooding, particularly over Central Victoria and West and South Gippsland. Unseasonable snowfalls were observed on the Australian Alps. Although low-pressure systems in February are not uncommon, the slow and westward moving nature of this particular system was extraordinary. The centre of the low developed and deepened over Melbourne with very little movement. The combination of extreme rainfall and lashing winds caused destruction.
2010
6 March 2010 brought one of the worst hail storms to ever hit Melbourne. The storm occurred due to the collision of warm humid air moving southwards, and a cold front moving from the south-west. The resulting storms moved from north to south, wreaking havoc across Shepparton in the state's north, uprooting trees and damaging roofs. As the storms passed over central Melbourne they released large hailstones and very heavy rainfall, causing localised flash flooding and extensive property damage.
2011
In the days preceding 25 December 2011, a high blocking pattern developed over south–east Australia, with a quasi-stationary high residing over New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and a trough extending over Victoria from the interior of the continent. This stationary pattern allowed for a number of days of warm, moist northerly airflow across Victoria which lead to high moisture levels through a deep layer creating unstable conditions. Severe thunderstorms developed in the east and on Christmas Day an upper level trough approaching from the west lead to strong low-level shear allowing the unstable atmosphere to develop a number of supercells (very severe long lasting thunderstorm cells) around the Melbourne area, chiefly through the northern suburbs. The temperature rose to , with a forecast of mostly sunny with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
Around 3:00pm a small storm cell formed just north of Melton and within 30 minutes the storm grew into a supercell and was headed straight for Melbourne's western suburbs. It was reported by residents that before the storm hit a loud roar could be heard, this was the sound of hail the size of tennis balls. Numerous reports of large hail were received, ranging from in diameter and causing significant damage to property, transport and infrastructure. Flash flooding occurred as a result of very heavy rainfall and multiple storms moving over the same location. The worst affected areas were the northern and eastern suburbs of Melbourne including Taylors Lakes
Taylors Lakes is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Melbourne City Centre, Central Business District, located within the City of Brimbank Local government areas of Victoria, local governm ...
, Keilor
Keilor is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Brimbank and Hume local government areas. Keilor recorded a population of 5,906 at the 2021 census.
...
, Eltham
Eltham ( ) is a district of southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east-southeast of Charing Cross, and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. The three wards of E ...
, Greensborough/Doncaster
Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
and Keilor Downs. Tornadoes hit Fiskville, powerful enough to upend cars, and Melton. The Victorian SES handled more than 2000 calls in the first six hours; Powercor
Powercor Australia is an Australian electricity distribution company that operates throughout western Victoria, and the western suburbs of Melbourne.
The company owns and maintains power lines, substations and street lights and also manages the ...
reported more than 3300 people without power; Jemena
SGSP (Australia) Assets Pty Ltd (SGSPAA), trading as Jemena, is an Australian company that owns, manages or operates energy infrastructure assets in the eastern states of Australia including Queensland and New South Wales, and gas pipelines and ...
recorded more than 20,000 within its distribution area of inner Melbourne in result of the storm; Melbourne airport was closed; and the Insurance Council of Australia estimated a total damages bill of 100 million. The storm blacked out more than 20,000 homes with major outages in Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne is an inner-city List of Melbourne suburbs, suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the Cities of ...
, Ballarat, Armadale, Essendon Essendon may refer to:
Australia
*Electoral district of Essendon
*Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington
* Essendon, Victoria
**Essendon railway station
**Essendon Airport
* Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League
United Ki ...
, South Morang
South Morang is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km north-east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the City of Whittlesea local government area. South Morang recorded a population of 24,989 at the 2021 ...
, Toorak and South Melbourne
South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. South Melbourne recorded a population of 11,548 at ...
. The Bureau of Meteorology predicted a morning shower and a maximum of for the following day.
File:Hail in Australia in 2011.jpg, Rain & hail under the Dec 2011 supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, persistently rotating updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four classifications of thunderstorms ( ...
that hit Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
.
File:Dec 2011 supercell leading edge.jpg, Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, persistently rotating updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four classifications of thunderstorms ( ...
passing over St Albans.
File:Heading to Melbourne.jpg, Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, persistently rotating updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four classifications of thunderstorms ( ...
heading to Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
CBD.
File:Camp Street, Trentham.jpg, A street in Trentham, Victoria
Trentham is a small town in the Shire of Hepburn and Shire of Moorabool local government area, Victoria, Australia. At the , Trentham had a population of 1,180, with a median age of 55 years.
Located at an altitude of , the town is north-west ...
during the summer 2011 flooding.
2012
The worst severe storm to hit Ballarat brought heavy rain and hail, and strong winds on 30 November 2012. It damaged and flooded homes and sent roofs flying. It destroyed some homes in Mt. Clear, and almost destroyed a school in .
2016
On 21 November 2016, Melbourne experienced a thunderstorm asthma event which killed 9 people. The hot, windy conditions on the evening of the storm led to the spread of fine grass pollen particles, which sparked asthma symptoms in thousands of people across the city.
2020
On 27 August 2020 there were severe storms across Melbourne and southern Victoria. 3 people were killed including a 4 year old boy. 200,000 residents in 101 suburbs were put under a boil water notice which was lifted 4 days later.
Western Australia
The northern coast of Western Australia is frequently ravaged by severe storms.
On 25 December 1869, a cyclone levelled the towns of Roebourne and Cossack with many deaths.
In 1875, a cyclone destroyed the pearling fleet in the Exmouth Gulf
Exmouth Gulf is a gulf in the north-west of Western Australia. It lies between North West Cape and the main coastline of Western Australia. It is considered to be part of the Pilbara Coast and Northwest Shelf, and the Carnarvon Basin geolog ...
, resulting in 59 deaths.
In 1877, six barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts having the fore- and mainmasts rigged square and only the mizzen (the aftmost mast) rigged fore and aft. Sometimes, the mizzen is only partly fore-and-aft rigged, b ...
s, six men and cargoes of guano worth £20,000 were lost at the Lacepede Islands
The Lacepede Islands, sometimes referred to simply as the Lacepedes, are a group of four islands lying off the Kimberley (Western Australia), Kimberley coast of Western Australia, about north of Broome, Western Australia, Broome.
They are a ...
.
In 1880, a storm surge obliterated Onslow.
In 1881, Cossack was destroyed again with ships ending up miles onshore and 12,000 sheep drowned at Ashburton.
In 1887, a cyclone at Eighty Mile Beach
Eighty Mile Beach, also spelled Eighty-mile Beach or 80-mile Beach, lies along the north-west coast of Western Australia about half-way between the towns of Broome and Port Hedland. It is a beach some in length, forming the coastline where t ...
sank five barques and four schooners, killing hundreds of people.
In 1892, 15 lugger
A lugger is a sailing vessel defined by its rig, using the lug sail on all of its one or several masts. They were widely used as working craft, particularly off the coasts of France, England, Ireland and Scotland. Luggers varied extensively ...
s and 40 men were lost at Onslow.
In 1894, Roebourne (population 4,000) and Cossack (population 2,000) were hit with storms that destroyed almost all buildings.
In 1894, a cyclone near Roebourne and Geraldton
Geraldton ( Wajarri: ''Jambinu'', Wilunyu: ''Jambinbirri'') is a coastal city in the Mid West region of the Australian state of Western Australia, north of the state capital, Perth.
At June 2018, Geraldton had an urban population of 37,648. ...
killed 61-71 people.
In March 1907, a cyclone in the Exmouth Gulf destroyed 15 pearling luggers, 2 schooners, and five Japanese people drowned.
2010
On 22 March 2010, a hail storm struck Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
with golf ball sized hail, gale-force winds up to , and of rain. Frequent lightning strikes bought 120,000 homes without power with mudslides wrecking several homes. The storm was formed by a sudden wind change that combined with a surface trough, allowing the storm to move south and hit the entire southwest of Western Australia.
See also
* List of Australian region cyclone seasons
* List of disasters in Australia by death toll
This is a list of disasters in Australia by death toll.
100 or more deaths
50 to 99 deaths
20 to 49 deaths
Between 10 and 20
Gallery
Image:Port arthur outside.jpg, The Port Arthur massacre claimed 35 lives in 1996 when Martin Bryan ...
References
External links
Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Australian Government Emergency Management Australia Disasters Database with a record of many of the disasters that have affected Australia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Severe Storms In Australia
Climate of Australia
Natural disasters in Australia
Severe weather and convection