TORNADO STRIKE

Rare weather event hits region, more on the way

DESTRUCTIVE hail, powerful winds and a tornado has battered the Toowoomba region, with forecasters predicting the wild weather to continue for several days.

Parts of Toowoomba enjoyed an inch of rain in about an hour, while areas like Highfields and Cambooya were smashed with hailstones that turned neighbourhoods into winter wonderlands.

DESTRUCTIVE hail, powerful winds and a tornado battered the Toowoomba region, with forecasters predicting the wild weather to continue for several days.

Residents captured the incredible scenes from the severe thunderstorm on Monday, which covered much of the Darling Downs.

Parts of Toowoomba enjoyed an inch of rain in about an hour, while areas like Highfields and Cambooya were smashed with hailstones that turned neighbourhoods into winter wonderlands within a matter of moments.

Footage was even captured of a tornado forming in a rural area north of Pittsworth around noon.

The Bureau of Meteorology tipped the severe weather system to lessen in intensity but remain in the region for the rest of the week.

“We certainly have seen a good environment for those high-end, very dangerous thunderstorms,” meteorologist Shane Kennedy said.

“It’s likely to be thunderstorms and rainfall every day for the next week at this stage, but they’ll be becoming a lot lighter.

“Early signs are it could be an above average wet season.”

Mr Kennedy said tornadoes were surprisingly common with severe thunderstorms, chalking the recent uptick in sightings up to luck.

“Because they’re isolated and only last a minute, they normally occur away from populated areas — it is rare for them to be observed,” he said.

Photo by Alyce Nelligan. A massive hailstorm hits Cambooya, southwest of Toowoomba.

ALL WHITE: Highfields resident Gen Allpass captured the torrential downpour of hail that blanketed the front yard of her mother's home.

STORMS HIT: Jessica Sawtell captured the lightning and storms from Mount Lofty on Monday.