Severe storms in Australia refers to the storms, including cyclones, which have caused severe damage in Australia.
Australian Capital Territory
1971 On 26 January 1971 a severe storm caused flash-flooding on the Woden Valley freeway when culverts became blocked with debris at either end. Several cars were swept from the road into the rushing water. Seven people were killed, 15 were injured, and 500 people were affected by the 1971 Canberra flood. Insurance damage was estimated at $9 million (1971 dollars). Significant rectification work was undertaken at the Yarra Glen arterial roadway.
1990s Five people were injured in the suburb of Chisholm in 1990 by a tornado which destroyed a wooden church and damaged 37 houses. 27,000 people were affected across the territory by a severe storm in November 1996.
2005 and 2006 There were heavy storms (and a possible tornado) which hit Canberra, and the surrounding New South Wales region, on 2 December 2005. The storms were the worst emergency to hit Canberra since the 2003 Canberra bushfires. The storms caused much damage to houses and property, and one man was killed by a falling tree in the suburb of Curtin. The storm hit Canberra at about 4.30 pm, and moved south-eastwards across the city. There were 51 Canberra suburbs which reported damage during the storm, the most extensive being in Fyshwick estimated to be A$3–4 million in damage. The ACT Emergency Services received about 200 calls for help during the storm, with the NSW SES getting more than 500 calls. Calvary Hospital, and thousands of houses lost power, with ACTEW saying that about 5% of the network had been affected. Calvary utilised a generator until power was restored. The storm was rated as one of the biggest ever to hit the ACT, with an estimated A$15 million in damages across the city. On 31 December 2006 a huge thunderstorm, the third in three days, caused havoc in the southern part of Canberra – inner suburbs and Tuggeranong.
2007 On 27 February 2007 a supercell storm hit Canberra City, with hail covering the ground to a depth of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) and creating 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) high hail drifts in Civic. The ice was so heavy, a newly built roof of the newly constructed shopping centre collapsed. Birds were killed by hail produced from the supercell (Northbourne Avenue), and people were stranded. The following day (28 February) many homes in Canberra were subjected to flash flooding, caused either by the inability of storm water infrastructure to cope, or through mud slides from cleared land. As reported by the Bureau of Meteorology, February 2007 had a record number of thunderstorms. November to February is traditionally the thunderstorm season in the ACT.
2020 On the afternoon of 20 January 2020 a short but severe storm struck Canberra and nearby Queanbeyan in NSW. Hailstones as large as golf-balls and winds over 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) were noted. Many thousands of motor vehicles were badly damaged by hail and many were written off. Over 50,000 insurance claims were lodged, largely for vehicles, and the event was declared a catastrophe by the National Insurance Council. The cost of the storm was over A$500,000,000. Power to about 1,000 homes was cut. Sixty-five Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) experimental greenhouses were severely damaged by hail, and as consequence years of crop, and other types of research, were lost. The Australian Academy of Science's Shine Dome was seriously damaged, with smashed skylights and denting of the copper roof surface. Large numbers of fauna were killed and trees were also damaged.
2022 On the evening of Monday 3 January 2022, a power supercell thunderstorm impacted Canberra. It began to move through Tuggeranong, which prompted the Bureau of Meteorology to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Damaging Winds, Heavy Rainfall and Large Hailstones. The storm underwent further intensification as it moved over Canberra and hit Belconnen at peak strength. As the storm moved over West Belconnen, the Bureau of Meteorology updated their Severe Thunderstorm Warning to include Giant Hailstones. The storm reportedly produced hailstones the size of golf balls. Many trees and powerlines were also brought down, causing 17,000 people to be without power. Flash flooding was also reported in various suburbs. The ACT SES received over 800 calls for help, with teams from NSW SES brought in to assist with clean up efforts. It took up to seven days before power was fully restored to some parts of Canberra, such as Scullin. The storm event and emergency services response to it was the subject of a formal Inquiry by the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing.
New South Wales
1947
The 1947 Sydney hailstorm was a natural disaster which struck Sydney on 1 January 1947. The storm cell developed on the morning of New Year's Day, a public holiday in Australia, over the Blue Mountains, hitting the city and dissipating east of Bondi Beach in the mid-afternoon. At the time, it was the most severe storm to strike the city since recorded observations began in 1792.
1991
On 21 January 1991, supercell thunderstorms moved across the Northern Suburbs of Sydney during the afternoon. Strong winds and large hail stones caused extensive damage. Hail stones up to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) in diameter and flash flooding was reported in several locations. Some areas received more than 35 millimetres (1.4 in) of rain in 6 minutes and more than 60 millimetres (2.4 in) in half an hour. Areas of most severe damage stretched from the Warrawee–Turramurra area to Duffys Forest, with significant damage occurring to property in the Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby and former Warringah council areas. More than 7,000 houses were damaged. The total estimated insurance payout for the storm was estimated at A$215 million.
1999
Australia's most costly natural disaster in dollar terms, as of 1999, was a severe hail storm over Sydney on 14 April 1999. Hail up to almost the size of cricket balls – 8 to 9 centimetres (3.1 to 3.5 in) circumference – fell in a damage path that extended from Bundeena in the south to Darling Point in the north, and from Sydenham in the Inner West to Bondi Junction in the east. In total, over 20,000 properties and 40,000 vehicles were damaged during the storm with more than 25 aircraft damaged at Sydney Airport.
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