Eight Dead in Australian Christmas and Boxing Day Storms On Christmas night. On Christmas night, severe thunderstorms hit south-east Queensland, NSW and Victoria and caused flash flooding and fallen trees. The storms left more than 120,000 homes without power. Severe weather warnings were issued across the states, and more than 1200 calls for help to state emergency services were made. Sydney Airport recorded its wettest Christmas day on record. The severe weather across all three states continued through to Boxing Day, with hail measuring 4cm recorded in the Hunter Valley, that shattered windows and damaged roofs.