BOM issues warnings as wild storms with large hail whip through southern Queensland, thousands of homes without power

Storm clouds loom over the Gold Coast, seen from Tamborine Mountain. (Supplied: Neil Barton)

Severe thunderstorms have swept through southern Queensland, with 6 centimetre hail reported on the western Darling Downs earlier this afternoon, the the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says.

On Thursday afternoon the BOM issued severe thunderstorm warnings for damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rain for people in Logan and parts of Ipswich, Somerset, Scenic Rim, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane City and Moreton Bay council areas.

Energex said there had been 45,000 lightning strikes with more than 11,000 homes without power in south-east Queensland at 8:00pm.

Energex said the worst affected areas were in the western parts of Brisbane, including Chapel Hill and Inala, as well as Logan and Calamvale.

Lightning strikes over Robina, Gold Coast.  (ABC News: Dominic Cansdale)

BOM reported 2cm-sized hail at about 4:30pm at Chapel Hill.

At 7:40pm, BOM said severe thunderstorms in the area had temporarily eased, but the redevelopment of storms remained "likely".

Tiny hail during a storm in Brisbane this afternoon (ABC News)

BOM forecaster Kimba Wong said people needed to take the necessary precautions.

"With any severe thunderstorms there is the risk of damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding," she said.