Storm warning issued

A SEVERE thunderstorm warning has been issued for Central Queensland by the Bureau of Meteorology.

The warning, issued just before 3pm today, stated severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones over the next several hours.

There are two separate storm warning areas, with the first in the Darling Downs and Granite Belt and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego and Southeast Coast districts.

Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Toowoomba, Dalby, Kingaroy, Blackwater and Stanthorpe.

The second warning area includes the Central Coast and Whitsundays.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall and flash flooding over the next several hours.

Locations which may be affected include Mareeba, Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen, Collinsville and Hamilton Island.

A 79 km/hr wind gust was recorded at Mareeba at 1:50pm.
 

A 77 km/hr wind gust was recorded at Oakey at 2:10pm.