Unseasonal hail storms and forecasts of a wet spring is prompting Moreton Bay City Council to call on ratepayers to prepare for the storm season.
Moreton Bay City Council says that parts of its catchment, in areas like Caboolture and Narangba, were hit with hail storms in August.
Long-range weather forecasts also show that spring will likely bring above-average rainfall for most of eastern Australia.
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery says now is the time to start preparing for storms, including flooding and strong winds.
“September may seem early for severe weather preparations but we’ve already had some severe thunderstorm activity, and we are expecting a wetter than normal spring,” he says.
“With this in mind, we are asking residents to start clearing gutters and overhanging tree branches, and to ensure they pack an emergency kit, check their insurances, download a flood check property report to understand their flood risk, and get a household emergency plan ready.
“We’re also asking them to make sure they’re getting the latest information and severe weather warnings by signing up to receive Moreton Alert.”
Local Disaster Management Group chairman and councillor Matt Constance says ratepayers should monitor the Bureau of Meteorology’s website and app for official warnings alongside Council’s Disaster Dashboard for local updates on weather, road closures, power outages and evacuation centres.
“In partnership with WeatherWatch, which provides tailored forecasts for Moreton Bay, council recently introduced a real-time thunderstorm risk information into its Disaster Dashboard,” he says.
“This weather analysis tool highlights severe thunderstorm activity and updates every five minutes using radar imagery from the Bureau of Meteorology’s Mt Stapylton station in Brisbane.
“Residents can click on individual storm cells to see their severity and potential impacts, helping them stay informed and prepare,” Constance says.
“However, when it comes to the storm season, it’s important residents don’t wait for a warning – we want them to start preparing now.”
PREPARING FOR STORMS
- Plan: Understand your risks and make a plan for your household to follow during a disaster.
- Prepare: Prepare an emergency kit for the family to use for up to three days with no electricity
or water. Clear debris from your yard and gutters and keep grass cut short. - Survive: Follow your emergency plan, grab your emergency kit and be ready to move.
- Sign up to Moreton Alert, monitor the Bureau of Meteorology’s website and app for official
warnings, and check Council’s Disaster Dashboard for up-to-date information.
Source: Moreton Bay City Council
LINKS TO VISIT
To understand your risks and plan, visit: https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Disaster-Management
To download your flood check property report, click here: Flood check property report
To sign-up for the Moreton Alert free SMS, email and voice alert system click here: MoretonAlert – City of Moreton Bay
To access the City of Moreton Bay Disaster Dashboard, click here: https://disaster.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/
For Bureau of Meteorology weather warnings, click here: https://www.bom.gov.au/
