Major weather shift official for Australia set to bring more storm activity

Large parts of the country's north and east are expected to cop an absolute battering from extreme weather this weekend, as the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) shifts into a positive phase, bringing with it wet, stormy and windy conditions.

The SAM climate driver refers to the position of westerly winds in the mid-latitudes of the southern hemisphere. When it's in a positive phase it increases the north-south movement of strong westerly winds over the Southern Ocean and leads to the increase of moisture and rain to Australia's southeast.

The positive SAM is expected to linger into the back half of November, Weatherzone reported Thursday, meaning enhanced rain and thunderstorm activity is likely to remain a prominent feature for millions of Australians in the coming weeks.

Southeast Queensland will be under heightened alert for severe storms from Friday, with the Bureau of Meteorology currently warning of potential flash-flooding and even heatwave conditions. Wild storms in the state already brought down trees, halted trains, closed roads and flooded streets on Thursday, impacting regions from Gold Coast all the way to Emerald.

Social media on Thursday was filled with dozens of reports from locals showing huge hail stones the size of golf balls, incredible lightning strikes and photos showing damage to their homes and cars from the destructive conditions.

The SAM, and warmer-than-usual seas near Queensland are fuelling the intense storm activity, contributing to an unstable atmosphere that increases the likelihood of weather extremes. The BoM said the soggy conditions will continue to impact communities from Friday and flow into the weekend, adding to the flood risk in areas already facing waterlogged ground and swollen rivers from recent rain.

Hail, wind and storms to sweep east coast on Friday

Thunderstorms are likely to hit regions such as Wide Bay, Burnett, Maranoa, and Warrego today. Intense lightning activity is also anticipated in the area over the weekend, particularly on Sunday, which may lead to power disruptions and localised flooding in vulnerable areas.

Elsewhere, New South Wales and Victoria are likely to experience heavy rain on Friday, with scattered thunderstorms expected across both states throughout the day and over the weekend. Areas most likely to be impacted in NSW include inland regions such as Lismore and Ballina, and coastal areas around Coolangatta and Tweed Heads, as well as the Upper Hunter and the Southern Tablelands.

Hailstones measuring a whopping three to four centimetres were reported in Parkes in NSW' central west and Goonellabah in Lismore on the Northern Rivers region on Thursday.

"Supercell thunderstorms" could see destructive wind and giant hail return in the coming days, the BoM said, with the interaction between the SAM and moisture-laden air drawn in from the Tasman Sea creating prime conditions for more storms along the coast over the weekend.

A warning for severe marine wind is currently in place in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australian.

In northern Australia, warm sea temperatures near northwestern coasts will also encourage rain and storms over the weekend and extending into early next week. While some areas will see beneficial rain for agricultural regions, there will also be potential for localised flash-flooding.

In South Australia and WA, conditions will be milder, with clear skies and occasional showers along coastal areas.

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