Once-in-a-decade storm sparks flash-flooding, tennis ball-sized hailstones and a mini TORNADO as Queensland is smashed by terrifying supercell storms - while the rest of the east coast prepares for more torrential rainfall
A month's worth of rain and tennis ball-sized hailstones have been dumped on southeast Queensland, leading to flash-flooding with cars fully submerged on Brisbane's streets.
Several main roads were flooded by Tuesday evening, leaving motorists stranded and banked up in 'nightmare' standstill traffic as hail hammered down on parts of the state.
Rescue crews were called to flooded roads where cars were submerged as the heavy deluge caused waters to rapidly and unexpectedly rise.
Members of the Swift Water Rescue team from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services were seen searching flooded cars on Longlands Street at Woolloongabba in Brisbane on Tuesday afternoon
Flooded cars are seen on Longlands Street at Woolloongabba in Brisbane on Tuesday following torrential rain
Beachmere recorded 80mm of rain in an hour on Tuesday, while 70mm bucketed down on The Upper Lockyer, west of Brisbane. Pictured: Flooded cars are seen on Longlands Street at Woolloongabba in Brisbane
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One stranded motorist was forced to seek refuge on the roof of his car while waiting for a Swift Water Rescue crew to free him.
In other parts of the city, drivers returned to their cars which were parked at garages and bus stops to learn they'd been flooded, while pictures show bins and random objects floating down main streets.
Several car accidents had been reported by 6.30pm, while trees were down and flash flooding blocked access to other main roads out of the state's capital.
RAQC urged Queenslanders to stay at home and said even as the rain eases, the repercussions of the storm will last well into the night.
Flooding was also reported in Gatton, east of Toowoomba, and Beachmere, near Caboolture.
'Eighty millimetres of rain in an hour is hard to get rid of,' meteorologist Rosa Hoff said. 'Very damp indeed.'
Beachmere recorded 80mm of rain in an hour on Tuesday, while 70mm bucketed down on The Upper Lockyer, west of Brisbane, the Bureau of Meteorology reported.
'That's a month's rain in the space of an hour,' meteorologist Felim Hanniffy told AAP.
One motorist was pictured seeking refuge on the roof of his car, which was almost entirely submerged
The series of severe thunderstorms pushed west towards Warwick, Toowoomba, the Lockyer Valley and Kilcoy earlier on Tuesday. Pictured: Rescue teams searching for trapped passengers
'In some areas of northern Brisbane 50mm fell in 30 minutes.'
Almost 50mm of rain fell in an hour at Kalbar in the Scenic Rim and more than 60mm of rain dumped on Helidon, near Toowoomba.
The series of severe thunderstorms pushed west towards Warwick, Toowoomba, the Lockyer Valley and Kilcoy earlier on Tuesday.
At least 5,500 homes lost power as a result of the horror weather.
But by evening the line of massive storms had moved east out to sea and the bureau cancelled a severe thunderstorm warning for the southeast coast and parts of the Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett and Darling Downs and Granite Belt.
There have also been reports of 'mini tornadoes' in Warwick, 130 kilometres south-west of Brisbane.
Photos of mini tornados reaching into the grey skies near Warwick have been shared across social media as residents brace for more wild weather
While they look like tornadoes, funnel clouds are in fact far smaller and don't reach the ground, but can still be extremely dangerous
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The funnel clouds spotted in Brisbane on Tuesday afternoon were caused by the high pressure rainfall and damaging winds.
While they look like tornadoes, funnel clouds are in fact far smaller and don't reach the ground, but can still be extremely dangerous.
'These mid-air funnels are very deceiving and the only way to discount their threat is to look at the surrounding clouds for clear signs of rotation,' the Storm Spotters' Handbook states.
More severe thunderstorms are forecast for Wednesday.
In NSW, crop growers are praying heavy rain forecast for the state doesn't wash away hopes of their first bumper harvest in years after suffering through drought, dust storms and bushfires.
Wet, windy weather and scattered hail has threatened farmers in parts of the state's interior since Friday, a big change from 12 months ago, grain farmer and NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin told AAP.
But the rain isn't entirely welcome, he says, with concerns the adverse weather could ruin crops and kick farmers while they're down.
Waterlogged grain crops may start to sprout, meaning they are only suitable for stock feed, and wind and hail could knock seeds to the ground, he says.
'Every event puts at risk the quality of the seeds,' Mr Martin said.
'It might only sound small when you say 10 or 20 per cent damage, but ... for some farmers that ten per cent that is lying on the ground is the bit they really needed in their silo to be able to sell and make a profit.'
Mr Martin's crops in the Liverpool Plains near Tamworth have thus far been spared hail, but farmers in Coonamble and other parts of the state haven't been so lucky.
Rescue workers from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services search flooded cars on Longlands Street in Brisbane
The series of severe thunderstorms pushed west towards Warwick, Toowoomba, the Lockyer Valley and Kilcoy earlier on Tuesday. Pictured: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services search flooded cars at Woolloongabba in Brisbane
More intense weather is forecast throughout the week, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning the central interior of the state is set for a soaking on Wednesday.
Gosford on the NSW Central Coast received 128mm of rain in 24 hours, while Wallis Lake on the mid-north coast was soaked by 248mm in three hours on Monday afternoon.
Dubbo is expected to get a week's worth of rain in a day.
Thunderstorms are also likely, especially in the north-east of the state.
With the La Nina system meaning Australia will have a soggy summer, Mr Martin says he's just hoping it doesn't flood.
'We've moved from the drought and fires, through the whole range of issues like frost, mice plagues and even grub infestations, and now we've got hail storms and weather damage,' he said.
'We have coped with the dust and the smoke, but if we can stay away from flooding, we'll be pretty pleased to get Christmas and get what crop we can in silos.'
Sydney, the Central Coast and Hunter region were battered by heavy rain and strong winds on Monday, but are likely to be spared the brunt of the weather forecast for Wednesday, BOM says.
The state's southern coastline and the northwest will also miss out.
THE WEATHER IN YOUR CITY
SYDNEY
Wednesday: Min 13. Max 21. Showers
Thursday: Min 15. Max 21. Shower
Friday: Min 14. Max 23. Shower. Possible late storm
Saturday: Min 17. Max 25. Shower or two. Possible storm.
MELBOURNE
Wednesday: Min 10. Max 19. Partly cloudy
Thursday: Min 11. Max 19. Shower or two
Friday: Min 12. Max 18. Shower or two
Saturday: Min 12 Max 18. Shower or two.
CANBERRA
Wednesday: Min 7. Max 19. Shower or two
Thursday: Min 8. Max 20. Shower or two
Friday: Min 9. Max 21. Shower or two. Possible storm
Saturday: Min 12 Max 19. Showers.
DARWIN
Wednesday: Min 25. Max 32. Showers
Thursday: Min 25. Max 33. Showers
Friday: Min 25. Max 33. Showers
Saturday: Min 26 Max 34 Mostly sunny.
BRISBANE
Wednesday: Min 18. Max 27. Showers. Storm likely
Thursday: Min 18. Max 31. Sunny
Friday: Min 16. Max 31. Sunny
Saturday: Min 19 Max 31. Shower or two. Possible storm.
ADELAIDE
Wednesday: Min 9. Max 21. Sunny
Thursday: Min 11. Max 21. Shower or two
Friday: Min 11. Max 20. Shower or two
Saturday: Min 12 Max 20. Partly cloudy.
PERTH
Wednesday: Min 14. Max 25. Partly cloudy
Thursday: Min 13. Max 32. Sunny
Friday: Min 18. Max 36. Sunny
Saturday: Min 19 Max 27 Partly cloudy.
HOBART
Wednesday: Min 9. Max 15. Shower or two
Thursday: Min 8. Max 17. Showers
Friday: Min 10. Max 16. Showers
Saturday: Min 8 Max 19 Partly cloudy.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology