This is the Australian Satellite now. The Queensland storms are directly connected to a peripheral reaching Antarctica vortex. The Antarctica Vortex actually envelopes the entire continent as it reaches the Equator in a 'heat transfer system' that has removed the frigid air from above the 3 mile high blue ice.
In the image above the peripheral dynamics coalesced at the southern tip of Australia, but, reaches to the Equator as noted in the satellite image at the bottom of this entry.
The Australian continent landmass, hot and dry, interrupted the peripheral dynamics and divided the 'air mass' into east and west wind tunnels. The reason Queensland is getting the worst of it, is because, its air circulation is more 'torturous' as it moves across a longer shoreline. It is that shoreline that is receiving a battering.
Posted 1 hour 46 minutes ago (Time is now 6:52 AM EDT on November 20, 2008)
The clean-up bill following the floods and storms is tipped to go into the hundreds of millions of dollars. (ABC Online: Ben Atherton)
Video: More storms forecast as clean-up bill mounts (ABC News)
Audio: Storms still wreaking havoc in Brisbane (PM)
Audio: Wild storms flattening NSW, Qld crops (PM)
Map: Brisbane 4000
Related Story: Rain sparks calls for Qld to quit recycling plans
Related Story: Parents praise ambulance after baby delivered during flood
Related Story: More severe SE Qld weather likely this summer: expert
Related Link: SE Qld flooding photo gallery
Authorities are worried that emergency workers will be exhausted if more severe storms hit Queensland's south-east.
The Bureau of Meteorology says a band of violent storms has swept through north-eastern New South Wales and is heading for south-east Queensland.
Wind gusts of up to 82 kilometres per hour were recorded at Cape Byron, while Coolangatta has been battered by winds of up to 86 kilometres per hour.
The weather bureau warned at 6:55pm (AEST), severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Coolangatta, Cleveland, Manly and Wynnum.
"These thunderstorms are moving towards the east. They are forecast to affect Dunwich, Peel Island, southern waters of Moreton Bay and Amity Point by 7:25pm and Point Lookout and waters off North Stradbroke Island by 7:55pm," it said in a statement.
Damaging winds, large hailstones, very heavy rainfall and flash flooding are likely, it said.
A wind gust of 95 km/h was recorded in Toowoomba, while hailstones measuring 2 to 3cm has been reported in the Brisbane area.
Fifty-two millimetres of rain fell in 25 minutes at Wonglepong.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh today inspected floods after the second extreme weather event in a week, and she says hundreds of exhausted personnel are working or standing by for the next challenge.
"The issue now for emergency service workers and the Australian Defence Force is managing their resources, including fatigue," she said.
"For those of us who've waited a long time to see rain it's coming far too hard and far too often."
Ms Bligh thought Brisbane was just starting to recover from Sunday night's storm.
"We thought we'd broken the back of it last night," she said.
"Overnight we say new challenges, we've got more rain on the way tonight and we know we have severe storms coming on Saturday."
Ms Bligh says 100 homes and businesses have been affected by last night's flooding around Ipswich, and Lockyer Valley fields are sodden.
State Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg says the scale of the disaster is enormous and he has praised the clean-up effort.
Mr Springborg says it is too soon to say whether anything more could have been done to help affected residents.
"The real hope that I have is if there are recommendations made, that certainly we do learn from them and improvements are made in the future," he said.
"I think generally it's gone quite well and what we need to consider is whilst there may be some criticism or concern, there are a lot of people who've had very good response right from the start."
Brisbane's inner-city bypass is still flooded, so tolls have been waived this evening on the Gateway Bridge.
Another northside Brisbane storm centre has been set up at Keperra. There will be one at Ipswich and another is planned for Deception Bay.
Lindsay Ruggieri is one of those trapped in the township of Rosewood, west of Ipswich.
"I've got a set-up under the house with a couch and stereo unit and my laundry's under there," he said.
"It was above my knees under water and just it's still sitting in water - it hasn't gone away."
Storm warnings
Boat owners are also being urged to ensure their vessels are securely moored.
Police say several broke free last night and could cause problems with more storms predicted for this evening.
Boat owners are asked to take extra care with high levels of debris in the Brisbane River as well as water levels continually rising and falling.
The chaotic weather has prompted the Brisbane City Council to cancel all high-speed ferry services tonight.
The move has been prompted by concerns about fast flows in the river, as well as floating debris.
The last service will be at 6:00pm AEST and the situation will be reassessed in the morning.
Meanwhile the Royal Life Saving Society of Queensland is urging motorists not to drive on flooded roads.
Director Michael Darben says when roads are covered in water it can be difficult to tell what condition they are in.
"Particularly when it's dark, it's cloudy, there's not much light, and when the roads may have been washed away, there's the potential that that car could get bogged or stuck in the area as the water rises," he said.
The Water Commission says south-east residents can use water to clean up after storm damage without breaching the region's restrictions.
Gerald Tooth says the guidelines allow for "reasonable" water use to prevent any health and safety hazards.
Power out
Forty thousand homes across the region have been blacked out.
Energex says there have been 3,000 lightning strikes on the power network in the past two hours.
Supplies have been cut across a wide area including parts of Caboolture, the Gold Coast, Logan, Beenleigh, Ashgrove, Bardon, Paddington and Red Hill.
Energex says suburbs which lost power on Sunday have also suffered again tonight.
More than 7,000 customers are without power in the Borders Region and on the Darling Downs after an electrical storm swept through about 4:00pm AEST.
Ergon Energy says customers in Warwick, Stanthorpe and in the north-west suburbs of Toowoomba are affected.
Crews are working to restore power.
The clean-up bill following the floods and storms is tipped to go into the hundreds of millions of dollars. (ABC Online: Ben Atherton)
Video: More storms forecast as clean-up bill mounts (ABC News)
Audio: Storms still wreaking havoc in Brisbane (PM)
Audio: Wild storms flattening NSW, Qld crops (PM)
Map: Brisbane 4000
Related Story: Rain sparks calls for Qld to quit recycling plans
Related Story: Parents praise ambulance after baby delivered during flood
Related Story: More severe SE Qld weather likely this summer: expert
Related Link: SE Qld flooding photo gallery
Authorities are worried that emergency workers will be exhausted if more severe storms hit Queensland's south-east.
The Bureau of Meteorology says a band of violent storms has swept through north-eastern New South Wales and is heading for south-east Queensland.
Wind gusts of up to 82 kilometres per hour were recorded at Cape Byron, while Coolangatta has been battered by winds of up to 86 kilometres per hour.
The weather bureau warned at 6:55pm (AEST), severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Coolangatta, Cleveland, Manly and Wynnum.
"These thunderstorms are moving towards the east. They are forecast to affect Dunwich, Peel Island, southern waters of Moreton Bay and Amity Point by 7:25pm and Point Lookout and waters off North Stradbroke Island by 7:55pm," it said in a statement.
Damaging winds, large hailstones, very heavy rainfall and flash flooding are likely, it said.
A wind gust of 95 km/h was recorded in Toowoomba, while hailstones measuring 2 to 3cm has been reported in the Brisbane area.
Fifty-two millimetres of rain fell in 25 minutes at Wonglepong.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh today inspected floods after the second extreme weather event in a week, and she says hundreds of exhausted personnel are working or standing by for the next challenge.
"The issue now for emergency service workers and the Australian Defence Force is managing their resources, including fatigue," she said.
"For those of us who've waited a long time to see rain it's coming far too hard and far too often."
Ms Bligh thought Brisbane was just starting to recover from Sunday night's storm.
"We thought we'd broken the back of it last night," she said.
"Overnight we say new challenges, we've got more rain on the way tonight and we know we have severe storms coming on Saturday."
Ms Bligh says 100 homes and businesses have been affected by last night's flooding around Ipswich, and Lockyer Valley fields are sodden.
State Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg says the scale of the disaster is enormous and he has praised the clean-up effort.
Mr Springborg says it is too soon to say whether anything more could have been done to help affected residents.
"The real hope that I have is if there are recommendations made, that certainly we do learn from them and improvements are made in the future," he said.
"I think generally it's gone quite well and what we need to consider is whilst there may be some criticism or concern, there are a lot of people who've had very good response right from the start."
Brisbane's inner-city bypass is still flooded, so tolls have been waived this evening on the Gateway Bridge.
Another northside Brisbane storm centre has been set up at Keperra. There will be one at Ipswich and another is planned for Deception Bay.
Lindsay Ruggieri is one of those trapped in the township of Rosewood, west of Ipswich.
"I've got a set-up under the house with a couch and stereo unit and my laundry's under there," he said.
"It was above my knees under water and just it's still sitting in water - it hasn't gone away."
Storm warnings
Boat owners are also being urged to ensure their vessels are securely moored.
Police say several broke free last night and could cause problems with more storms predicted for this evening.
Boat owners are asked to take extra care with high levels of debris in the Brisbane River as well as water levels continually rising and falling.
The chaotic weather has prompted the Brisbane City Council to cancel all high-speed ferry services tonight.
The move has been prompted by concerns about fast flows in the river, as well as floating debris.
The last service will be at 6:00pm AEST and the situation will be reassessed in the morning.
Meanwhile the Royal Life Saving Society of Queensland is urging motorists not to drive on flooded roads.
Director Michael Darben says when roads are covered in water it can be difficult to tell what condition they are in.
"Particularly when it's dark, it's cloudy, there's not much light, and when the roads may have been washed away, there's the potential that that car could get bogged or stuck in the area as the water rises," he said.
The Water Commission says south-east residents can use water to clean up after storm damage without breaching the region's restrictions.
Gerald Tooth says the guidelines allow for "reasonable" water use to prevent any health and safety hazards.
Power out
Forty thousand homes across the region have been blacked out.
Energex says there have been 3,000 lightning strikes on the power network in the past two hours.
Supplies have been cut across a wide area including parts of Caboolture, the Gold Coast, Logan, Beenleigh, Ashgrove, Bardon, Paddington and Red Hill.
Energex says suburbs which lost power on Sunday have also suffered again tonight.
More than 7,000 customers are without power in the Borders Region and on the Darling Downs after an electrical storm swept through about 4:00pm AEST.
Ergon Energy says customers in Warwick, Stanthorpe and in the north-west suburbs of Toowoomba are affected.
Crews are working to restore power.
