The potential for more small hail is on the horizon for South-East Queensland on Thursday, prompting one council to issue an alert to residents.

The City of Moreton Bay issued the ‘Stay Informed’ alert to its residents via SMS on Wednesday, advising of an increased risk of severe weather, including the likelihood of hail.

However, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the risk of hail was minimal.

“[We’re] forecasting just small hailstones, nothing big or damaging, and fairly spread apart as well,” senior meteorologist Angus Hines said.

He said the areas potentially at risk of hail stretched from the eastern downs around Dalby, Toowoomba and Warwick, to the Gold Coast and southern Capricornia, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. 

Small hail stones in someone's hand

Small hail fell in Yarrabilba in Logan on Wednesday. (file photo) (Supplied: Scott van Barneveld)

“It’s not a high-end risk and I think most people won’t see any hail at all,” Mr Hines said.

On Wednesday afternoon, BOM meteorologist Daniel Hayes noted there had been “fingernail-sized” hail confirmed at Yarrabilba in Logan.

He said there were also storms passing over Gympie and the Sunshine Coast’s Glasshouse Mountains that had the potential to deliver very small hail.

A City of Moreton Bay spokesperson said the council received daily weather forecasts from a professional meteorological service, which is what its severe weather notifications were based on.

“The forecast for the city indicated that storm activity on Thursday is likely to produce hail, which may be small in size but has the potential to result in large accumulations,” they said.

“Noting the experience of residents and businesses in and around Morayfield when significant impacts were experienced from large accumulations of small hail in early October 2024, City of Moreton Bay decided to provide residents with advanced warning of the potential.”

While hail and thunderstorms were normally associated with summer and warmer weather, Mr Hines said it could happen any time of the year. 

Showers are forecast around the south east, including Brisbane, on Thursday, along with the “outside chance” of a thunderstorm.

In the north and west of Queensland, Mr Hines said Thursday would be “pretty fine”.

“Lots of sunshine, reasonable temperatures, pretty much bang on average [temperatures] for this time of year,” he said.

The weekend outlook

Mr Hines said clear and dry conditions were expected to dominate much of the state over the weekend.

Two people walking along a sunny beach with a boardwalk in the foreground

Clear and dry conditions are forecast for the weekend. (ABC Wide Bay: Grace Whiteside)

“Heading into Friday and the weekend, those last showers across the south east pull away from the country out onto the water, and we head into a fine weather pattern statewide,” he said.

“Everywhere should see some sunshine during Friday and Saturday.”

Mr Hines said the fine weather would continue into next week.

“Early next week, no big rain or anything like that, but we are seeing a change in wind direction, which is going to bring some cooler temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, in particular, so a return of those cold nights and cold mornings across the state.”