Prosper in a dynamic world
Search

Severe storms to hit QLD, NSW, VIC, ACT on Good Friday

An outbreak of severe thunderstorms will affect parts of Qld, NSW, the ACT and Vic on Good Friday, with a chance of very dangerous supercells as people hit the roads for the long weekend.

This Friday marks the start of the four-day Easter long weekend across Australia and the beginning of the school holidays for most of the country. It’s one of the busiest days of the year for travelling in Australia and the last thing anyone wants to see is dangerous weather.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what’s on the cards for a large swathe of eastern and southeastern Australia this Good Friday.

An upper-level trough passing over southeastern Australia on Friday will cause the atmosphere to become unstable and primed for severe thunderstorms. This volatile weather pattern will result in widespread showers and thunderstorms over central and southeast Qld, eastern and southern NSW, the ACT and Vic.

While any widespread outbreak of thunderstorms is dangerous, this Friday’s dynamic weather pattern will feature an unusually cold pool of upper-level air and a high amount of vertical wind shear (large change in wind speed and direction with height). These factors increase the likelihood of large-to-giant hail and damaging-to-destructive winds.

Some of Friday’s thunderstorms are likely to occur in the morning, although the most widespread and intense storms will hit during the afternoon and early evening. The most likely areas to see supercells will be from central NSW up to southeast Qld, covering the highly populated areas between Sydney and Brisbane.

Image: Model-based thunderstorm potential for the early afternoon on Good Friday.

Anyone that’s planning to go outside in eastern and southeastern Australia this Good Friday should pay close attention to the latest weather and thunderstorm warnings and check the radar before heading out. Some flights may also be affected by Friday’s stormy weather.

Impact on Aviation Travel

Airport delays could come in two waves on Friday. The first will occur in the morning around 7-11am in Sydney and 8-12pm for Brisbane, when showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected, reducing runway capacities. The second is the more unstable line with the upper trough from 4-10pm for both Sydney and Brisbane. Note that if the first line of instability is strong, with plenty of severe thunderstorms, it will likely reduce the impact of the second unstable line. However, if the first line is weak (e.g. just showers) then the second line is a higher chance to be severe, and potentially even produce supercell thunderstorms.

To find out more about Weatherzone’s Aviation, lightning detection or forecasting services, please visit our website or email us at apac.sales@dtn.com.

Latest news

Satisfy your weather obsession with these news headlines from around the nation, and the world.

Perth sets rainfall streak not seen in 18 years as water storage levels fall

For four months in a row, Perth has exceeded its average monthly rainfall – the first time this has happened in the traditionally wet winter and spring period since 2007. Perth reached its September average of 79.3mm during light showers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Another 13.2mm of rain then fell in the 24 hours to […]

DTN remote sensing captures rain and thunderstorms lashing Solomon Islands

Aviation, mining and shipping industries in the Solomon Islands and other South Pacific nations are often unable to use traditional radar to warn of incoming storms that disrupt operations and put workers in harm’s way. DTN APAC offers a suite of remote sensing weather solutions that give businesses and industries in remote areas around the […]

Negative Indian Ocean Dipole officially underway – here’s what it means for Australian businesses and industries

A negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event is now underway, increasing the likelihood of above average rain over large parts of Australia in the coming months. What is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)? The IOD is an index used to monitor sea surface temperatures across the tropical Indian Ocean. It’s an important index for the […]

La Niña more likely this year after BoM switches to new index – what does this mean for Australian businesses?

The likelihood of La Niña occurring in 2025 has increased due to a change in the way the Bureau of Meteorology calculates sea surface temperature anomalies in the tropical Pacific Ocean. What is La Niña? La Niña refers to a distinct pattern of sea surface temperatures across the tropical Pacific Ocean. When La Niña is […]