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Brisbane got a fright on 27 November 2014. A violent supercell came through the city with extreme damaging winds, very heavy rain and hail the size of grapefruit. The storm grew as a south east change pushed through the Gold Coast hinterland, with warm moist air and cooler air overriding it. A few thunderstorms fired, but one exploded with a powerful updraft and took a straight line for the Brisbane CBD. The first of the violent wind hit Archerfield, with gusts of at least 140 km/h, before the well developed supercell powered on into the city. Thousands of cars were damaged by large to giant hailstones, homes were unroofed and trees came down onto them. Locals described it as the worst storm in a decade. Hail that size is a reminder of how quickly an ordinary afternoon can turn, and why people follow warnings rather than wait to hear the first stone hit the roof.
