Trees have been taken down, traffic lights are out and thousands have been left without power after a thunderstorm lashed the Sunshine Coast in the early hours of this morning.
A wild storm swept through around 1.30am, with loud bursts of thunder and a brilliant light show.
The south east recorded around 250,000 lightning strikes overnight, 140,000 of those on the Sunshine Coast.
Danny Donald from Energex says the lightning has caused the majority of the power outages, that left 23,000 customers between Caloundra and Maroochydore, and as far west Conondale, without power at its peak.
As of 6.30am, crews had managed to get the lights back on to around 10,000 of those properties.
“We’ve still got nearly 14,000 without supply but crews are out there now and as the morning rolls on we’re bringing crews from other parts of the Sunshine Coast as well to start working on those worst affected suburbs,” Mr Donald says.
“We’ve got about a dozen wires down, reported at the moment, that’s going to take a little bit of work.”
“If people wake up this morning and see a powerline down, give us a call on Triple-Zero, and report that…and keep well away.”
Jenny Sturrock from the Bureau of Meteorology says strong winds also reeked havoc, with gusts of up to 82kph taking down trees as well as some powerlines in the hinterland.
She says we’re in for more wild weather today.
“We are actually expecting more storms to redevelop this afternoon, and possibly severe as well, continuing with the risk of damaging winds and also large hail as well, with a little bit more dynamics at play during this afternoon and early evening.
Ms Sturrock says the brewing storms combined with high temps will make it a muggy one as well.
“We’ve got that hot air mass from inland parts bubbled it’s way over to the coast, so looking at temperatures up around that 37 degree mark so hot and stormy conditions today.”
