Severe winds hit parts of Queensland as 'bomb cyclone' fallout causes flight cancellations

Severe winds have hit parts of south-east Queensland as part of the same system that has delivered a 'bomb cyclone' and flash flooding to parts of New South Wales. While the Sunshine State has been spared the worst of the deep coastal low, powerful winds whipped up along the Main Range, Granite Belt and Scenic Rim overnight and could persist until Thursday.

Daniel Hayes from the Bureau of Meteorology said while conditions were very different in Queensland compared to what was happening further south, it was all part of the same weather phenomenon. 'It's the same rapidly intensifying low-pressure system,' he said. 'We're looking to see winds averaging 55 to 65 kilometres per hour through parts of the south east, and we could see peak gusts getting up to around 90 kilometres per hour.'

Mr Hayes said the combination of the low over New South Wales and a high-pressure ridge over Queensland and central Australia was to blame. 'The pressure gradient is getting quite tight between that deepening low-pressure system and the high-pressure system that's strengthening over Queensland,' he said. 'So, it's the interaction between those two systems that's driving this quite strong west to south-westerly flow.'

Unlike in New South Wales, it is bringing cold but dry conditions to much of the state. 'The low-pressure system has pulled away a lot of the moisture that was through south-east Queensland until Monday evening. We are looking at a very dry spell for the rest of the week.'

The BOM said areas around Stanthorpe, Springbrook and Crows Nest were likely to see the worst of the winds. A damaging wind warning released this morning for parts of southern Queensland said conditions could persist until Thursday morning.

Residents of the mountainside community of Springbrook, inland of the Gold Coast, are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best, with wind gusts of up to 100kph forecast for the area today. Kara Ramsey from the Springbrook Mountain Community Association said the 'isolated' township, about 25 kilometres south-west of Surfers Paradise, experienced regular power outages during severe weather. 'Lots of us do have generators … gas for cooking and open fires for heat and lots of batteries for phones, for torches and for the all-important radio,' she said. 'We hope that they Bureau of Meteorology are overreacting and we're overprepared and it's not the other way around.'

Brisbane Airport said while conditions over the airport had remained fine for flying, seven flights between Sydney and Brisbane and five between Melbourne and Brisbane were cancelled on Tuesday due to the severe weather over New South Wales. So far 15 flights — eight arrivals from Sydney and seven flights from Brisbane to Sydney — have been cancelled today due to high winds in Sydney. Travellers are advised to stay alert for updates from their airlines this morning as the severe weather persists.

Mr Hayes said it would remain windy across large parts of south-east Queensland until the low-pressure system moved away from the New South Wales coast and out to sea, which could take until Thursday. He said damaging winds of between 55 and 65kph were possible until that time. 'People should be making sure they're tied down and tidied up around their properties and try not to park vehicles underneath trees. Unnecessary travel — it's probably a good thing to avoid if you can.'

According to the source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation.