Flash flooding turns deadly

A severe weather warning has been released for the southeast where flooding is already wreaking havoc, with two people confirmed dead in Toowoomba's flash flood. This is only 50km from Brisbane with the water heading down the Brisbane rriver threatening to flood parts of the city.

People in the small town of Withcott, at the foot of the Toowoomba Range, are "a bit bamboozled" after unprecedented rain caused massive flash flooding today.

"People just can't believe what happened," Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Steve Jones said.

"Withcott's 800, 900 feet (245m to 275m) above sea level, and to be affected by floods is just something you'd never expect."

Petrol bowsers have been ripped out of the ground and swept 500m away, cars have floated through shop fronts, and houses have been swept off their stumps at Postmans Ridge and Grantham.

Seeing the film on the local news is shocking..the extent of the damage is incredible..more rain tonight..another 100mm or so..

Now Brisbane gets flash flooding

Its been raining for 2 days solid now here in Brisbane. Lots of localised flooding. Luckily for us we live on a hill so it all runs off but its got to go somewhere..
Ive bailed out the pool twice now to stop it over flowing.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts heavy rain across the city today, with localised flooding possible in low-lying areas where the ground is already saturated from weeks of steady falls.
Brisbane City Council this morning advised residents in flood-prone areas that sandbags were available at depots around the city.

The bureau's top rainfalls for the past 24 hours were recorded in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, with West Bellthorpe recording 343 mm, and Maleny 337 mm. Brisbane Airport had 85.6mm and Everton Hills, in Brisbane's north-west, had 188 mm.

BRISBANE'S average sunshine for December was 4.5 hours per day

The picture is Rockhampton in North Queensland, here in Brisbane we are not being hit by floods only heavy rain.

BRISBANE'S average sunshine for December was 4.5 hours per day, the lowest since records began at the new airport site in 2000.

And after days of heavy rain, forecasters have predicted another five straight days of wet weather for Brisbane.

The Bureau of Meteorology today issued a severe weather warning for southeast Queensland, with heavy rainfall expected to lead to localised flash flooding.

Roads are still closed across Brisbane, Ipswich and Moreton Bay due to flash flooding and heavy rainfall.

Flood disaster 'of biblical proportions'

Skies in Queensland may have cleared but much of the state is still underwater.

More than 200,000 people have been affected by the worst flooding in the state's recorded history, which has hit an area bigger than France and Germany combined.

Thousands of residents saw in the New Year from evacuation centres although the weather was optimal for the revellers who flocked to vantage points overlooking the Brisbane River in the CBD.

South Australians celebrated after a day of scorching conditions, with temperatures climbing over 40 degrees and with much of the state on catastrophic fire warnings.

NYE in OZ - Sydney is Partytime

Around one billion people across the globe will watch Sydney's New Year's eve fireworks on television.

And 1.5 million people will line the harbour foreshore for a first hand experience of the pyrotechnic extravaganza.

This year's fireworks cost $5 million, but are predicted to reap $156 million for the state economy.

Vantage points identified by police as likely to attract the biggest crowds have been designated as alcohol free to cater for 'families, revellers and partygoers', NSW Premier Kristina Keneally told reporters at the same media conference.

Australians face Christmas washout

DREAMS of the great Aussie Christmas barbecue are all but washed out with the weather predicted to be wet and wild over the holiday period.

In what could be the worst present ever, rain or storms are predicted to hit Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane and Canberra on Christmas Day, according to weatherzone.com.au.

The best places to spend the day will be Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne. While the conditions won’t be perfect due to predicted cloud, at least it won’t rain.

Boxing Day is set to be even more miserable with rain or storms predicted in Darwin, Alice Springs, Cairns, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra.

So we will be having a BBQ on the verandah out of the rain. Well at least the rain isnt fozen like in Europe!

Storm Front lashes Brisbane our garden gets hit by lightning!

Today I went out to Boonah for a gliding flight but when I got there I realised wild weather was on the way so turned round and went home. It was 35C and it just felt that a big storm wasnt far away, looking at the weather radar on the internet it showed a storm behind the mountains.

I arrived back home at 1pm just in time to see the storm front and the roll cloud arrive (see photos above!) with winds converging from two directions our house was soon battered by hailstones and driving rain coupled with lightning strikes getting closer all the time.

The sky just turned black so dark that our pool lights turned on. Our palm tree got hit by lightning (its just next to the house) and this blew out our phone and internet connection. Luckily we have mobile broadband so I can still work until the replacement modem comes next week. We went out later and bought a new phone. The storm dissappeared as quickly as it came but more is forecast for tonight.

Queensland certainly has some wild and spectacular weather, more storms are forecast tonight. Dont worry about us we'll be alright..