Hail storms unleash snow-like conditions in Queensland

Isolated pockets of hail storms have unleashed snow-like conditions over a string of towns in Queensland’s south-east.

According to meteorologist Baden Gilbert from the Bureau of Meteorology, Toogoolawah, located 120 kilometers northwest of Brisbane, experienced an unexpected arctic chill yesterday afternoon.

“If you happened to be caught in one of those hailstorms, you likely felt a significant local temperature drop as the storm swept through,” Gilbert explained.

Queensland Hit by Intense Hail Storms Mimicking Snowfall
Isolated pockets of hail storms have unleashed snow-like conditions over Queensland towns. (Nine)
Queensland Hit by Intense Hail Storms Mimicking Snowfall
Temperatures where the hail fell dropped “quite a bit” during the storms. (Nine)

The suburb of Lacey’s Creek near Dayboro was also peppered with hailstones that blanketed Emma Henderson’s backyard.

“It went for about 40 minutes and it was just like the storm was sitting above us,” Henderson said.

Gilbert said the event was driven by an upper trough which covered a broad area of south-eastern Queensland.

“But the storms and showers that are driving that hail are quite isolated in nature so it can be quite hit and miss,” he said.

Queensland Hit by Intense Hail Storms Mimicking Snowfall
Some of the storms were short, lasting less than an hour. (Nine)
Queensland Hit by Intense Hail Storms Mimicking Snowfall
(Nine)

About 150 kilometres west in Crows Nest, residents were building snowmen.