Australia Weather News

An upper trough has brought unseasonal hail to a large area of south-east Queensland on Thursday afternoon.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Bayden Gilbert said heavy pockets of hail, which looked like a blanket of snow in some areas, had been reported across the state from Stanthorpe, Toogoolawah and Dayboro to Gympie and even K'gari. 

"Broadly it has been all small hail, around that 1 centimetre diameter mark, but in that area around Gympie up towards Biggenden we have potential to have some hailstones getting above that 2cm mark," he said.

An updated hail warning had been issued for the Gympie region.

Mr Gilbert said an upper trough coming through south-eastern Queensland had led to the unseasonable hail.

"Some of these storms have been slow moving so they haven't been getting a lot of places, but where they have are getting a lot," he said.

"We're expecting that to continue into the evening but as we go into the overnight period, we expect those storms to peter out or move offshore.

"By tomorrow there's just going to be an isolated risk of showers about the very coastal fringe of places like K'gari or the Sunshine Coast before we're looking at a lovely weekend."

The weekend outlook

Senior meteorologist Angus Hines said clear and dry conditions were expected to dominate much of the state over the weekend.

"Heading into Friday and the weekend, those last showers across the south east pull away from the country out onto the water, and we head into a fine weather pattern statewide," he said.

"Everywhere should see some sunshine during Friday and Saturday."

Mr Hines said the fine weather would continue into next week.

"Early next week, no big rain or anything like that, but we are seeing a change in wind direction, which is going to bring some cooler temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, in particular, so a return of those cold nights and cold mornings across the state."