Wild storms are smashing into some parts of southeast Queensland this afternoon with reports of damaging winds and heavy rainfall.

Mormonsk Vilanski captured stunning storm clouds over Karalee, which he labelled the "doughnut of doom".

At Booval, residents are reporting "horizontal rain. Strong winds. Fierce bolts and thunder".

The storms are fast moving, delivering almost 40mm in some parts in less than 20 minutes. Toowoomba has been hard hit, with 20mm falling in parts of the city.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 2.51pm for damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall for people in parts of Central West, Channel Country, Maranoa and Warrego and Darling Downs and Granite Belt forecast districts.

The warning said the storms "may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in parts of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt district".

"Locations which may be affected include Stanthorpe, Goondiwindi and Tara," the warning said.

"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds over the next several hours in parts of the Central West, Channel Country and Maranoa and Warrego districts. Locations which may be affected include Cunnamulla, Quilpie and Wyandra."

Earlier, BOM meteorologist Kimba Wong said the Lockyer Valley/Gatton region was where the most eastern storm was about 2.15pm.

"And then there are storms roughly up from Gatton all of the way up to Carnarvon National Park."

Locations southeast of Toowoomba had received 17mm of rain by about 2pm.

"We may see some remnant shower activity coming through metro areas across Brisbane and the Gold Coast this afternoon, but in terms of what mode it's in by the time it gets here it'll probably be on a weakening trend," Ms Wong said.

11.30AM

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning that severe storms with large hail, damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall could impact parts of southern Queensland today.

BOM issued the thunderstorm forecast at 11.30am, warning that severe thunderstorms were possible over the southern and central interior, and likely near the NSW border.

Meteorologist Kimba Wong said showers and potential thunderstorms are forecast to impact parts of southern inland and northern Queensland for the next few days.

"There is the potential there for some useful landfall totals coming through," she said.

"Broadly speaking, mostly 10-20mm across most of the southern inland parts of the state … up to 60-80mm if you get a decent storm roll through.

"That activity is expected to remain inland from the populated centres of the southeast for at least the next few days."

There is a risk of severe thunderstorm activity about the Maranoa and Warrego and western Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts this afternoon and evening.

Along the southeast coast and Brisbane region, mostly sunny conditions are expected until Wednesday.

"There might one or two showers or thunderstorms around the place (today), more likely inland, like the Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and west from there," Ms Wong said.

"Maybe towards Wednesday seeing some thunderstorm activity making its way to the coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast as well.

"That storm potential around Brisbane will be highly dependant on a southerly wind change that will be pushing through, so the timing is quite critical for the development around Brisbane itself."

Brisbane is set to hit 30C today and 32C on Wednesday.

"Particularly in the southeast we've had reasonably low humidity for the past few days, it's looking like that will increase midweek, so on Wednesday, before cooling down a bit," Ms Wong said.

Originally published as 'Doughnut of doom': Fierce storms smash into southeast