Strong Winds Lash South-East Queensland, Easing Expected by Afternoon

South-east Queensland has been buffeted by powerful winds, with gusts reaching up to 70 kilometers per hour at Brisbane Airport on Thursday morning.

The blustery conditions began late Wednesday night and persisted into the day, with widespread gusts of 40 to 60 kph reported across the region. Toowoomba Airport recorded winds close to 60 kph just after midnight.

According to Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Shane Kennedy, the winds were generated by a low-pressure system off the New South Wales coast, affecting areas from the eastern Darling Downs through Brisbane and into parts of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. While such conditions are more common in winter, Kennedy noted they are not unusual for September, citing similar gusts of up to 80 kph recorded last year.

The strongest winds over land are expected to ease by Thursday afternoon as the system moves away, though choppy conditions on Moreton Bay and offshore from the Gold Coast are likely to persist into the evening.

Forecasters predict coastal showers and lighter winds for Friday and the weekend, with skies clearing across the south-east by Sunday.