Published 9:26a.m. 9th October 2007

Updated 9:53p.m. 9th October 2007

Lightning storm over Caloundra Headland looking south towards Moreton Bay. Photo: Brett Wortman/169553a and a massive bolt dwarfs a ship off of Kings Beach, Caloundra. Photo: Michael Hill

If you've got a great picture from last night's storm, send it to us at news@thedaily.com.au

The Sunshine Coast had another “cracking good” electrical storm tonight – and it will not be the last this week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

An Emergency Management Queensland spokesman said Deception Bay and Bribie Island were the areas worst hit by this evening's storms, with homes affected by fallen power lines, hail, toppling trees and flooding.

He said SES crews were also out in Caboolture, and at Tamborine and Beaudesert, south of Brisbane, to repair homes damaged by hail and falling trees.

An Energex spokesman said almost 7000 homes and businesses were without power – almost 4000 in Caboolture and Redcliffe.

He said more than 35,000 homes and businesses in south-east Queensland lost power due to storms on Monday night, with winds sweeping in up to 90kmh.

More than 10,000 lightning strikes were recorded in the south-east on Monday night.

In northern NSW yesterday afternoon, hail storms left a trail of broken windows and smashed roofs – and emergency services struggling to meet the calls for help.

Hailstones the size of tennis balls smashed homes and cars during two violent storms that swept over the state’s north coast and out to sea.

See the Weather Bureau's latest rainfall radar images

Latest storm warning

Dust storms predicted

Researchers are warning of severe dust storms across Australia's east coast over the summer months.

Professor Grant McTainsh, from Queensland's Griffith University, said the combination of prolonged drought and the summer storm season could bring dust storms to Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

On Sunday night, an estimated 16,000 tonnes of dust - about 4,000 semi-trailer loads - blew across Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

"It appears red dust from western Queensland that has been in the air since last Thursday was flushed out of the air last night during thunderstorms," Prof McTainsh said.

Professor McTainsh said the drought across eastern Australia had left large areas open to wind erosion which in turn resulted in dust storms.

"This erosion produces dust that engulfs rural towns and reaches as far as Brisbane and the south east," he said.

"Later in the season we can expect dust activity to move further south towards NSW and Victoria."

The university has established a network of volunteer observers across rural Australia, under the banner of Dustwatch, to record the timing, wind speed and characteristics of dust events.

Their observations are combined with satellite images and meteorological records to create a picture to help researchers better understand and forecast dust events.

Regular dust bulletins are also issued on the project's website.

Coast escapes major storm damage

The Sunshine Coast has escaped any major storm damage overnight while still being treated to a spectacular light show in the skies.

While Energex reports more than 35,000 homes and businesses lost electricity as storms swept across the south-east between 5pm and 8pm last night, most of those were from outside of the Sunshine Coast.

Winds gusting between 80kph and 90kph added to power interruptions but there was little rain with the Coast recording only 2mm overnight, the Gold Coast about 30mm and Brisbane just over 10mm.

The SES received a total of 10 calls last night, including three or four on the Gold Coast, a couple on the Sunshine Coast and a couple around Toowoomba.

Energex said more than 10, 000 lightning strikes were recorded by the GPATS system as the storms passed over the region, with winds well in excess of 85kph combining to bring down dozens of powerlines.

Among the worst hit areas were Brisbane's northern and western suburbs, Lockyer Valley and the Gold Coast Hinterland. Lightning strikes hit a number of ENERGEX sites, while winds gusting to 85kmh in the area affected the repair effort.

With more storms predicted for tonight and the remainder of the week, ENERGEX asks south east Queenslanders to remain patient if they suffer a power interruption while crews work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

Power was restored by dozens of ENERGEX crews working in difficult conditions during the night. At 6:30am, only about 24 homes in the Kooralbyn area were without power.

Anyone without power is urged to contact ENERGEX’s loss of supply line on 13 62 62, while if residents see any powerlines down they are urged to contact our emergency priority line on 13 19 62 and stay well clear while crews respond as quickly as possible.

Information regarding storm safety is available at the ENERGEX website or can be obtained by contacting the general enquiries line at 13 12 53.

The new emergency contact number for the State Emergency Service is 132 500.

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