Tens of thousands without power as Brisbane swelters

Tens of thousands remain without power in Brisbane as the city prepares for a day of sweltering heat.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the mercury in the city had hit 32 degrees before 9.30am (AEST), on its way to a top of 37.

Storms lashed Brisbane and other parts of south-east Queensland yesterday evening with destructive winds of up to 100km/h and hailstones up to 4cm in diameter.

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As of 9.30am, about 28,000 homes and businesses were still without power, mostly within the Brisbane City Council region after crews restored power to about 50,000 customers overnight.

Energex said crews would work through the heat to continue to restore power today and encouraged affected customers to seek out air-conditioning at friends' homes, or in public places like shopping centres, libraries and pools.

The temperature in Brisbane is forecast to drop to 21 degrees tomorrow and then rise to maximums in the high 20-degree range for the rest of the week.

The region is braced for the possibility of additional storms in the coming days, but also high fire danger.

While severe storms are possible across parts of the central and south-east coast today, residents in Brisbane and the Gold Coast should avoid the worst of it.

Clean-up continues

The force of the storm toppled a home in inner-city West End and a family in Toowong was lucky to escape unharmed after an uprooted tree smashed into their home while they were inside.

Police closed off streets in Woolloongabba on Sunday after extensive damage caused the road surface to lift.

Videos shared online showed a tree on fire in Moorooka and a barbecue sent wheeling off the edge of a verandah.

Falling trees have also caused extensive damage in Kenmore with fallen powerlines lining Kersley Road.

The Pacific Championships at Suncorp Stadium were suspended over lightning fears, causing the longest delay in rugby league history.

Fire ban for millions

A total fire ban is in force today for large parts of south-east Queensland ahead of a double forecast of "dangerous" storms and sweltering heat.

The ban, which will be in effect for 24 hours, will apply from Noosa stretching down to the Gold Coast and includes the Scenic Rim and Somerset regions.

The Queensland Fire Department confirmed the fire ban will remain in place until 11.59pm due to heightened fire conditions.

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Unusually hot weather is sweeping across the state, made worse by potential thunderstorms which could whip up some dangerous fire conditions.

A heatwave warning has been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for central, north and north-west Queensland.

Maximum temperatures could nudge the mid-40s in some regions, including the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Central West, North West and Gulf Country districts.

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"With hot, dry and gusty westerly winds ramping up, large parts of Queensland will see heightened fire danger today," the Queensland Fire Department warned in a message to residents.

"QFD crews are prepared to respond, but we need Queenslanders to be mindful of the very real risk this weather poses.

"Avoid any activities that could create a spark, as any fires that start in these conditions could become dangerous very quickly."

The severe heatwave conditions will begin to ease early next week as a cooler burst arrives.

Temperatures are forecast to drop in the south from Monday, and across central Queensland from Tuesday as the cold front moves away from the coast.

Northern parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia will see little relief from the heat this week, the BoM warned.

Victoria slammed by rain

Melbourne was also lashed by wild weather that caused flash flooding across the city and suburbs.

About 28,000 homes were left without power at one stage, while the city also endured its wettest day of the year as 32mm of rain fell.

The SES responded to 250 incidents.

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A tram was stuck in Richmond and some cars were stranded by sudden flash flooding in both South Melbourne and West Melbourne.

The high risk of thunderstorms prompted the state's chief health officer to issue an epidemic thunderstorm asthma forecast warning of "high" for the northern country district.

"Epidemic thunderstorm asthma is where a large number of people suddenly develop asthma symptoms over a short period of time and is thought to be triggered by a unique combination of high pollen levels and a certain type of thunderstorm," the Chief Health Officer's office said.

"The Bureau of Meteorology works closely with the department to forecast the risk of an epidemic thunderstorm asthma event."

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