Field office manager Les Lever said the storm came from the north west in a south easterly direction.

The storm did not break over the station north of the city, and meant suburbs such as Soldiers Hill had little  to no rainfall as well.

Mount Isa Mines’ official gauge recorded 7.4 millimetres, but he heard unofficial reports measured 20 mm in the city, Mr Lever said.

Century Mine in the gulf received 41.8 mm of rain late Wednesday night from a seperate storm. 

Julia Creek received 0.6 mm of rain but Cloncurry missed out.

“It probably went close to Cloncurry but probably slipped a little south judging from the radar,” Mr Lever said. 

Mr Lever said his weather report was not entirely bad news – there was promise of more rain until at least next Wednesday.

There would be “isolated storm activity” but hot temperatures will continue. 

Maximum temperatures reached past 40 degrees on about eight days in Mount Isa so far in November. 

On Wednesday the bureau released a severe weather report an hour before the storm as a precaution because of wind speeds faster than 90 kilometres an hour measured at Cannington Mine, in McKinlay.

The highest speed at the mine was later recorded at 106 km/h. 

Mount Isa’s wind was recorded at about 70 km/h at 3.56pm.

“It is strong but certainly not in the severe criteria, it needs 90 km/h.

“It certainly does not mean it did not have stronger wind speeds in the city areas, judging from the damage,” Mr Lever said. 

It poured from 3.40pm for approximately 20 minutes. 

Graham Peden was at the Mount Isa lookout when the rain broke at about 3.40pm, and he had a good overview of the city. 

“There was carnage,” he said, as the rain began to die down. 

“There was a lot of roof sheets blowing everywhere.”