NE NSW AND BORDER RANGE HAILSTORMS, AUGUST 28

A cold pool was approaching SE QLD and there was a chance of storms, however the morning sky was cluttered with cloud, and we really needed surface heating if storms were going to form. After assessing the situation, Anthony Cornelius and myself (Ben Quinn) decided to try our luck and chase SW of Brisbane, around the Beaudesert/Border ranges region.  As we drove SW towards the chase area, the cloud started to thin out slowly, and before long weak storms were visible on the western edge of the cloudband.  Most would say that it was a bust chase, as we didn't observe any base features due to the storms staying on the ranges or in unchasable territory, but we ended up seeing some nice updrafts (for August), and towards the end of the day a photographic cell on the border ranges/NE NSW.  There was hail large enough to damage cars reported from a town in NE/NSW from a storm that was visible to us. 

Thunderstorms continued to develope in SE QLD and NE NSW into the evening.  Strangely enough a storm that developed north of Brisbane in the Sunshine Coast hinterland started moving south early in the evening.  The storm produced a marginal lightning show as it moved south with lightning every few minutes, although it became slightly more active lightning wise at the same time it peaked at max intensity briefly on radar WNW of Redcliffe on Brisbanes northside.

Sporadic Lightning was visible in a line from the NW to the SE throughout the evening, and a small storm even produced hail at Anthony Cornelius's house at approx 11pm that night.

During the evening, a house on the Gold Coast was struck by lightning.  The house sustained major damage, with every power point, light, and electrical appliance in the house litterally exploding.  The house also suffered major water damage.

Report by Ben Quinn