Australian Severe Storms, Weather Events and Storm Chasing

[Colin Maitland]

I was just reading through 9NSM and read this article.

We were complaining of the humidity and hot nights in Brisbane but I spare a thought for those in VIC and SA
The worlds weather has gone crazy.

The following story is a cut a paste from NSM


The forecast of four consecutive days of 40 degrees or more from tomorrow has Melbourne poised to break hot weather records.

Melbourne has not had three days in a row above 40 since 1959.

The temperature is expected to reach 38 degrees today before climbing to 41 tomorrow.

It if forecast the remain in the high 30s, low 40s, till Sunday when it's forecast to drop to relatively mild 31.

Senior Forecaster Terry Ryan says it also looks like it'll be one of the driest Januaries on record.

"It's very dry we've only had point 8 of a millimetre, the driest ever was 1932 at point 3 of a millimetre, so at this stage it's the second driest january in 150 years," he said.

South Australia is also expecting heatwaves. The South Australian Farmers Federation says it could have devastating effects on fruit crops.

A high of 41 degrees Celsius is expected today, with at least two more days of above 40 degree temperatures to follow.

The Federation's president, Peter White, says the heat will put extra pressure on water resources and may damage winegrapes and fruit.

"Certainly we've seen in the past where things like apples for example can actually get burnt on one side and downgrade the fruit considerably, so any fruit that is getting on towards ripe or whatever can be impacted quite severely by such hot weather over a period of time," he said.

"We don't mind some hot weather but this is starting to get a bit past the joke when you get a number of days in a row in excess of 40 degrees."

The weather bureau says most areas of the state will bear the brunt of the hot northerly winds, and only areas right down on the coast will drop below 40.

[Kristy Norman]

We also have four days coming up of over 40, forecasted to peak 43 on Friday. Possible storms and showers on the weekend with Sunday still being crazy hot at 38. Our electricity (air con) bill is going to be a big one this quarter that's for sure!

[Harley Pearman]

It is rare to see such a weather forecast for 4 consecutive days of 40C (104F) temperatures for southern New South Wales and Victoria. I have never seen such a forecast made before. Although more specific, the forecast for such high temperatures is limited to:-

Victoria:

Mallee encompassing places like Mildura and Swan Hill.
Wimmera encompassing places like Horsham.
North Central encompassing places like Shepparton.
North east encompassing places like Albury / Wodonga and Wangaratta.
Melbourne.

While it will still be warm to hot in the south west and south east and Gippsland, temperatures are not forecast to be as high as those north of the Great Dividing Range. It will be cooler in the north east highlands.

A forecast of 44C is made for Swan Hill and 43C for Mildura 28/1/2009.

New South Wales

South west Slopes and Riverina, encompassing places like Wagga Wagga, Griffith and Deniliquin.
Far west including Broken Hill region.

This should be watched to see if it eventuates.

Harley Pearman

[Richary]

Sa a report that the last time Melbourne had 40+ for 3 days in a row was 1908.

Watching and waiting, from a relatively cool Sydney!

[Carlos E]

*In Adelaide*

I had an absolutely horrendous sleep because of this charming weather. I cannot believe that it is STILL 33c at 5:30am! I can stand the hot days, hot nights are another story though. Adelaide's max today is 44c, I haven't seen them set a max that high for the city itself in a long time.

Melbourne has a max of 43 for tomorrow; both Adelaide and Melbourne had predicted maximums of 43 for New Years Eve in 2007. Adelaide's Kent Town observation site has its record highest temperature set at 44.2 for the month of January, and 44.3 for all months. There is a chance that this could be broken today. Interesting!

[Michael Bath]

The temp has exceeded 40 C in Adelaide already - at around 945am (local)

Attached is the sounding for Woomera this morning - 850hPA temp look to be about 28 so going to be plenty of 45+ degree maxes around.

[Carlos E]

Oh how wonderful.

The BoM has just updated Adelaide's forecast, it now reads Min: 32.

Hahaha, that's just awful. They also slapped on another 2 40's for Saturday and Sunday. Fun!

Edit: It is official now. Adelaide's Kent Town observation site has broken its previous record of 44.3, the new record stands at 45.5!

[Colin Maitland]

The bureau has forecast the furnace-like conditions to continue until at least Sunday, which will likely give the city six days in a row above 40 celsius for the first time since 1908, after Tuesday's top of 43.2c.

Wednesday's high was also closing in on the city's all-time record of 46.1c set on January 12, 1939.

Last March Adelaide had a record long heatwave with 15 consecutive days above 35c.

As the city itself sweltered, conditions further north were even worse with reports that  some outback centres had temperatures above 50c, Reports have stated that the heat was so intense it has buckled railway lines.

Murray Bridge had the states high on Wednesday, reaching an unbearable 48 degrees, 19 above the mid summers average and their hottest day on record.

Adelaide is supposed to have an overnight temp of 32c, that ferocious.

[Harley Pearman]

Victorian and South Australian temperatures for 28/1/2009

I have done some comparison of weather stations from the Bureau of Meteorology network in both South Australia and Victoria showing 3 pm temperatures. Some places have recorded some very high temperatures. All temperatures are 3pm figures 28/1/2009.

South Australia:

Northern Pastoral Districts

Maree and Tarcoola - 44C.
Gluepot and Nonning - 43C.
Roxby Downs - 43C.

Most other centres scored between 37 and 42C.

Northern Agricultural

Port Augusta - 45C (That's 114F)
Roseworthy, Snowtown North and Turretfield - 44C

Most other centres recorded 41 to 43C

Murray District

A place called Pallamana (Pallamana Airport) recorded 47.6C at 3pm. Here it was 16.4C at 6 am. It hit 40C at 11 am and was still 46C at 4 pm.

Murray Bridge - 46C.
Temperatures of 44C were common in this area.

Western Agricultural District

Ceduna, Cleve, topped 45C
Kyancutta - 46C.
Nullabor - 45C.
Wudinna Airport - 46C.

Maximum temperatures ranged from 34C to 46C (Depending on location from the coast). A place called Neptune Island had 28C due to easterly winds.

Adelaide

The city varied from 33C at Hindmarsh Island with a southerly to 45C at Edinburgh and Strathalbyn. Adelaide City had 44C.

South East

Top temperatures were 45C at Keith and Meningie while it was just 32C at Robe. Wind direction played a big part on temperatures here.

Victoria:

Hottest towns and cities for this state include:-

Ouyen 44C - (Mallee)                      
Nhill 44C - (Mallee)
Hopetoun Airport 43C - (Mallee)
Horsham 43C - (Wimmera)
Longerenong 43C - (Wimmera)
Casterton 43C - (Western District)
Melbourne City - 43C
Echuca 43C - (Northern Country)
Kerang 43C - (Northern Country)
Geelong 42C - (Central)

The western, northern and north western regions recorded the highest temperatures for the state.

This is interesting, some places had 40 degree temperatures but with dew points in the negatives such as Stawell 41C but with a dew point of Minus 3 and Kanagulk 42C but with a dewpoint of Minus 8. I have never seen this recorded at so many weather stations. I did not know dewpoints in the negatives were possible.

New South Wales:

The hottest places were in the south west around Ivanhoe 43C, Deniliquin 42C, Balranald 41C. Most places were within the 38 to 41C range in this area which is not as extreme as Victoria and South Australia.

(Bureau of Meteorology, Daily Weather Bulletins and statistics for South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, 3 pm 28/1/2009).

Harley Pearman

[Kristy Norman]

Right now here it's 8:24pm and still 38.7 degrees.  At 7:30pm it was still 40.3 degrees. It's HOT!

[Michael Bath]

Harley - negative DPs are quite common with dry airmasses though more common in winter and spring.

Thunderstorms have been occurring through many districts of SA north of Adelaide, with warnings out since about 4pm. Hail has been reported at Jamestown east of Port Pirie.

[Colin Maitland]

 Sorry, could not help it, but I think the cat has the right idea.

[Ursula]

It is so hot and dry, the tree's chase the dogs. The Budawang fire is going as they say, done around 1800 ha so far in 8 days, started with lightening Tuesday week ago, had a lot of smoke earlier on but was blown away now, so one can breathe and the temps are dropping as well, thank god for that. The Snowy's would be the place to be right now.
As for records, it would have been that hot in the late 1800's and early 1900, I had an old map with floods for the Hawkesbury river, there where none for about 35 years and only a few for another 10 years or so, it is dry country,  we might have been spoiled by 'a run of 'wet weather'.

[Richary]

This news item from Adelaide shows the effect of heat on the train tracks only too well. Glad I have moved to Sydney at the moment!

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24975204-2682,00.html

[Carlos E]

There are some messy storms firing up closer and closer to Adelaide. This day sure has been something to remember...