Storm Australian Severe Weather Forum

Severe Weather Discussion => Australian Severe Storms, Weather Events and Storm Chasing => Topic started by: Michael Bath on 28 May 2008, 02:26:11 AM

Title: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Michael Bath on 28 May 2008, 02:26:11 AM
The next couple of days should see showers and thunderstorms over wide areas of NSW and southern Queensland. Certainly nice to see some more interesting weather at this time of year.

Looks like there may have been a lightning show along and off the coast from Sydney and south this morning.

It follows some storms reaching severe criteria in SA and TAS yesterday afternoon.

-----

Seven homes damaged in Tas storm (http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/seven-homes-damaged-in-tas-storm/9175)

Monday May 26, 2008 - 20:04 EST


Residents and businesses in Burnie in Tasmania's north-west have started cleaning up after being hit by flash flooding in the past two hours.

A thunderstorm raged in Burnie for about an hour, causing flooding across the entire city.

The main street along the waterfront is under about 20 centimetres of water and sections have been closed off.

The ABC studios have been flooded and two hotels have been inundated and parts of the university campus on higher ground are also flooded.

At least seven homes in nearby in Somerset were damaged and State Emergency Services were called.

The Weather Bureau says 23 millimetres of rain fell in half-an-hour at Wynyard west of Burnie.

The north-west SES co-ordinator, Bevis Dutton, says resources are stretched, but anyone else needing help should call immediately.

"We have had a severe storm pass over Somerset with torrential rain," he said.

"A number of people have called in with roofs collapsed and a lot of water through their premises, and we understand there's a lot of water on the Bass Highway itself in the Somerset area."

Mr Dutton says he hopes there will be no more damage tonight.

- ABC


Heavy showers and storms drench South Australia (http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/heavy-showers-and-storms-drench-south-australia/9174)

Press Release, Monday May 26, 2008 - 17:14 EST


Coastal districts of South Australia have been drenched by heavy showers and storms today, and Adelaide is in the firing line this evening, according to weatherzone.com.au.

Parawa picked up 28mm in the six hours between 9am and 3pm, with most of that falling between midday and 3pm. This has made it their wettest day in five months and wettest May day since 2004.

Cummins, on Eyre Peninsula, received 18mm in the same time period, including 11mm in 10 minutes between 12:05pm and 12:15pm. This was also their heaviest rain in five months.

"A slow moving trough of low pressure is combining with high levels of moisture and an approaching wave of colder air in the upper atmosphere to trigger these heavy showers and storms," weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said.

"The upper level winds that are steering these storms are quite light, so they have been fairly slow moving. This is allowing some pretty high rainfall totals to build up."

The main area of rain and thunderstorms will move over Adelaide over the next few hours, leading to widespread falls of 10 to 20 millimetres across the metropolitan area. Locally higher falls of up to 50mm are possible.

A Road Weather Alert has been issued for Adelaide warning of the potential for flash flooding from these storms.

"The trough will move away to the east tomorrow, so we are likely to see showers and storms easing through the morning and mostly clearing by the afternoon," Pearce said.


- Weatherzone

Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: TroyVR on 28 May 2008, 02:34:45 AM
Have a look at the Sydney 256Km radar, you can still see it there. Looks like certain parts of the storm were quitepowerful according to the radar.
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: enak_12 on 28 May 2008, 06:39:28 PM
Just came home from an awesome show tonight 27th May 2008. Some amzing lightning and structure just off the coast and a water spout check the pics below. May has been nuts!

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7384copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7390copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7385copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7392copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7385waterspout.jpg) (big crop)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7426copy.jpg)

Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Jason(pato) on 28 May 2008, 10:54:03 PM
Wow Kane spectacular images you got there. The waterspout must have been an exciting bonus on top of the awesome lightning display. Looks like the storm was quite close to the coast. At the time of writing that cell is still flashing away down near Yamba. Would I be right in saying that this is the same storm complex that was off Sydney early yesterday morning?. Anyway well done and heres hoping for some sparks up here this arvo.
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Jimmy Deguara on 29 May 2008, 01:49:28 AM
Hi guys,

Nice catch with the waterspout and lightning - absolutely awesome! The atmosphere always spins off surprises.

The lightning display was on again near Sydney last night and it was reasonably active in sporadic bursts. Always interesting than dealing with a flat atmosphere in May.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Michael Bath on 29 May 2008, 01:55:51 AM
Wow Kane - you have been treated to some beautiful displays along the Coffs Coast over the past month. Thanks for posting those shots!

Jason - yes, the storms were a continuation of the activity which kicked off about 11pm Monday - so about 30 hours of constant offshore thunderstorms between the South Coast and Northern Rivers.

MB
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Michael Bath on 29 May 2008, 06:14:22 AM
Had a very loud crack of thunder here at 11.30am as a small thunderstorm cell developed locally. The rain has barely made it here since though it looks like Alstonville would have copped several mm.

-----

Eurobodalla mops up after hail storm (http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/eurobodalla-mops-up-after-hail-storm/9185)

Wednesday May 28, 2008 - 11:48 EST


A hail storm hit parts of the Eurobodalla last night, damaging houses and shops, cutting power supplies and causing localised flooding.

The storm hit about 8:30pm AEST, with the most severe impact around the Catalina and Deep Creek areas of Batemans Bay and near Mogo.

Roads were covered with hail but police say there were no reports of accidents.

The State Emergency Service (SES) says about 12 houses at Catalina were flooded after drains and downpipes became clogged with the heavy hail.

Some shops at Batehaven have also reported to have been damaged.

The storm also played havoc with communications, with phone lines cut and the SES having to re-route its emergency calls through the Wollongong headquarters.

However, it says it was able to attend to most call-outs.

Country Energy crews worked through the night on repairs to power equipment and had restored power to most areas by about midnight.

The SES's Eurobodalla controller, Peter Collins, says there was a lot of hail in gutters.

"All the ridges and valleys were filling up with hail and basically any water was just overflowing into houses," he said.

"We finally got through 10 houses that were damaged, but I suspect that other people will get up this morning and find some wet floors."

The SES is urging home owners in the Batemans Bay area to clear their roofs and gutters of hail today because it says the ice could remain there for some time and cause further water damage as it melts.

- ABC



Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Shaun Galman on 29 May 2008, 07:43:52 AM
Hi guys,

Nice to see some interesting weather about the place, and some decent lightning/structure photos to boot! Well done enak_12!

We were just off the pace yesterday with a nice band of storms (on radar) between Dubbo and Bourke that didn't quite make it to us here at the Ridge?
We received 3.5mm overnight from light but constant showers. It still looks somewhat threatening at the moment but I think it's bark is worse than it's bite? We have only just missed out once again with a band of storms stretching across the Moree region (to our east) currently.

Kindest regards,
Shauno
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Karina Roberts (slavegirl) on 29 May 2008, 10:06:39 AM
Was out walking my dog this afternoon and took these pictures of the storms just of the coastline near surfers paradise. Sorry if the pics seem poor quality but i had to use my mobile phone due to my camera being broken :(
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: TroyVR on 29 May 2008, 11:13:07 AM
My Vantage point on top of westfield Miranda got me a few good bolts, unfortunetly i cant afford a HD camera so you will have to live with 640X480 snapshots.

I'm open to donations for a HD camera also.
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Michael Bath on 29 May 2008, 11:15:23 AM
Similar sort of skies here today too Karina.  Although quite a nice shelf cloud structure formed along this line of showers a short while ago. No thunder heard but tracker showed a couple of bolts offshore.
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: nmoir on 29 May 2008, 11:33:30 AM
nice looking storm moved into western sydney about 4pm, this is taken from tempe (sydney airport)

and congrats kane on great pix of storm and waterspout at night , loved it

Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: enak_12 on 29 May 2008, 12:15:08 PM
sorry just reposting this pic cause I accidentally resized the other pic in photobucket so deleted it, thanks for the comments some nice storms around down Sydney way as well.
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7384copy-1.jpg)
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Dave Nelson on 29 May 2008, 03:23:31 PM
Sydney Storm  28 May '08

Hi gang,
              excellent storm came up through the Ryde to nthrn beaches area tonite.
  It started down around the Camden area. It moved NE across Campbelltown and across the
southwest suburbs, Hail was reported is several areas of the SW. The core of the cell passed
between Chatswood and my home in Ryde.  We got some very heavy showers of rain between
1730 and 1800 hrs.
  It was moderately active with lightning with a good mix of CG's and CC's.

 I photoed the cell from its early beginnings whilst out in the western suburbs. At times it showed
some really good structure and layering.  Pretty good for a mid-winter storm.

Several 1000 homes are still without power as of at least 2030hrs in the nthrn beaches area after lightning
hit a substation.

cheers
Dave N
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: James on 29 May 2008, 04:45:36 PM
Watched the complex over the southern suburbs of Sydney move slowly north towards the North Shore this afternoon. The clear sky around this way provided a nice view of the updrafts billowing into the sky.

   (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-01jh.preview.jpg) (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-01jh.jpg) 

For May, these would have to be the best looking storms I think I have ever seen (In Australia   ;)  )

 (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-02jh.preview.jpg) (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-02jh.jpg)


The below shots are of the cell that went on to affect the North Shore and gave all the rain/hail over Sydney. You can just see an inflow band on the bottom left of the updraft. (Same cell as in Nicks photo - just looking south towards it)

 (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-03jh.preview.JPG) (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-03jh.JPG)


 (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-04jh.preview.JPG) (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-04jh.JPG)


 (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-05jh.preview.jpg) (http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-05jh.jpg)
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Richary on 29 May 2008, 05:09:18 PM
I left work at Chatswood about 4:30 and had a good view of the storm on the drive, but nowhere I could really stop and photo. Some great cloud structure there as the previous photos show. It was pushing up fairly well above lower level cloud that was moving in a NW direction.

Once I got home after stopping at the supermarket we had a couple of close strikes but then not much except a bit of a display to the east. Later after 6:30 the storm was really firing to me NE (Gordon) with lots of strikes and some quite good ones though I didn't try capturing them. They weren't that frequent but when they went off they werent bad. Saw a few ground strikes, lots of ICs and a couple of crawlers.

No rain here, it skirted Rydalmere to the east and the next one coming faded before it arrived.
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: nmoir on 30 May 2008, 12:26:59 AM
a couple of cells developed off sydney early this morning , about 4:30 - 5 am , this bolt was off Malabar they had weakened about5:30 am then moved onshore and rained
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: tetrahedron on 30 May 2008, 07:48:04 AM
enak_12, I'm interested in your waterspout taken at night, presumably in the Coffs Harbour area.

Earlier in the same day (Wed 28/5) at 3pm I saw two waterspouts produced by a storm off Byron Bay. It looked as though it may have been about 15km away, and it seemed to be weakening as it came onshore.

One of the waterspouts was away from the main rain mass, while the other appeared to be inside it. With the first sighting you could see a wide area of water being churned up.
Title: RE: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Michael Bath on 30 May 2008, 08:48:29 AM
Interesting regarding the waterspouts near Byron Bay yesterday afternoon. The same thing happened on 6th April (forum thread including picture of a waterspout at South Ballina (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/forum/index.php?topic=800.0)). On both occasions a shelf cloud structure developed as the cells passed inland from the coast.

Comparison of the shelf cloud structures that followed the waterspout reports:

(http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0406mb11.jpg) 6th April 2008 (http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/mb20080406.html)

(http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0528mb09.jpg) 28th May 2008 (http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/mb20080528.html)

MB

Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Jimmy Deguara on 30 May 2008, 11:48:20 AM
Nick,

Now that awesome structure confirms the organised formation I suspected when you and I chatted! Wow! That is fantastic for May. It confirmed David Croan's excitement calling me and also Nick's phone call with regards to sporadic hail.

The perspective I had was the same as James in some ways but taken from my back yard and balcony!

All pictures from this day are linked on this page:

http://www.australiasevereweather.com.au/photography/photos/2008/jd20080528.html

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0528jd09.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/0528jd09.jpg)

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0528jd11.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/0528jd11.jpg)

Development of inflow features

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0528jd20.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/0528jd20.jpg)

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0528jd24.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/0528jd24.jpg)

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0528jd28.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/0528jd28.jpg)

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2008/0528jd34.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/0528jd34.jpg)

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: David C on 30 May 2008, 12:19:10 PM
My first view of the Sydney cell was around 4:20pm -- some impressive updrafts, for any time of the year, let alone late May! I had a 30-minute top-floor meeting starting 4:40pm during which it became just a bit hard to concentrate as a vivid CG seemed light up the room and was followed in quick succession be several more -- at that stage the storm's core was still a good 10km away.

At 5pm I raced down to the car, got in and as I turned the corner was surprised to see a very nice deep updraft base, which appeared circular from my perspective I should add and with solid inflow stinger aligned ENE (attachment 2). There was a good solid east-north east infeed as well. I took the usual route home through the back streets of Nth Ryde, and just as I was driving past Paul's place he happened to be pulling out of the driveway for a chase too. 

Shortly after turning west down Quarry Road, there was an almighty flash and sparks as a CG hit a power line (going by the shower of sparks) less than 20 metres from the car. Another minute later, the most incredible staccato CG hit somewhere directly in front of me as the thunder was an immediate crack. At this time still no rain. Two minutes later and then came the hail; and it came down in a torrent with mostly 2cm stones and some larger dings. The largest I could see on the median strip were around 3cm but jagged rather than spherical. The road was quickly covered, some motorists were mounting the kerb to get under trees, there was general suburban pandemonium, and then in under 10 minutes that was it.

Phone camera only as below:
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: enak_12 on 30 May 2008, 01:52:17 PM
Just adding some more pics taken from the night after the waterspout (28'th of May). Couldn't get down to the marina where I planned until a bit late, got some bolt-from-the-blue lightning from home though.

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/may%2028%202008/IMG_7545copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/may%2028%202008/IMG_7533copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/may%2028%202008/IMG_7564copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/may%2028%202008/IMG_7613copy.jpg)

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/may%2028%202008/IMG_7653copy.jpg)
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Michael Bath on 30 May 2008, 02:50:15 PM
Kurnell radar was on 5 minute scan - maybe that is normal now ?  Anyway - here's the radar loop of the Sydney storm which has quite a compact precipitation core.

---> Kurnell radar loop (http://australiasevereweather.com/storm_news/2008/radar/20080528/kurnell128.htm)


Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: David C on 30 May 2008, 03:20:41 PM
Interesting loop there Michael.

Note how much of the convection is clearly multicellular. However, the storm that moves through the CBD is quite discrete and appears to be a quite persistent precip core indicative of a persistent updraft.
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Richary on 30 May 2008, 03:39:47 PM
Had a service call this morning on one of our radio data links at Turramurra that copped a hit last night!
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: habs on 30 May 2008, 04:07:48 PM
some pics of the storm yesterday from rhodes including inflow bands and of all things a clear slot (rfd of some sort id guess) which started some rotation over homebush, in may! incredible

(http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-02ms.preview.JPG)

(http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-05ms.preview.JPG)

(http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-07ms.preview.JPG)

(http://sydneystormchasers.com/system/files/images/08-05-28-09ms.preview.JPG)




more here (http://www.sydneystormchasers.com/image/tid/67)

matt
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Jimmy Deguara on 30 May 2008, 04:47:08 PM
Hi guys,

Matt, nice inflow feature there - decent base.

David, 3cm hail sounds real - the last updraft developed rather rapidly. Note in the photographs a boundary exists and this is the boundary the storm traverses. Doppler radar would have been rather interesting.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: David C on 31 May 2008, 05:07:10 AM
Damn nice photos and perspective above Matt; definitely that is a NICE base, sure looks like a clear slot cutting in and not surprised that you can confirm some rotation. Seemed as though the CGs were dropping from the vault since, well at least where I was, these were followed by the mostly-hail barrage.
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: vrondes on 01 June 2008, 12:57:49 AM
Wonderful shots from Wednesday by everyone, The following are from parramatta looking south at the super updraft towers. After this that rotating bell shaped extended updraft base put on a nice display of cg's illuminating the precip curtain and the hail core over the Lidcombe -Homebush area. Fabulous structure and a wonderful late season storm.

(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w28/elenecon/Storms%20season%2007-08/Sydneystorm28-05-08.jpg)


(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w28/elenecon/Storms%20season%2007-08/Sydneystorm290508-2.jpg)

(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w28/elenecon/Storms%20season%2007-08/Sydneystorm28-05-08-5.jpg)

Cheers, Con.
Posted on: 31 May 2008, 06:39:05 AM
Continuing on from the previous post, these shots show some plate like features of the updraft base revealing some nice structure again illuminated by the cg's crashing through the vault region as noted by Jimmy, it was marvellous to watch it with my son as he stood on buckets to see the evolving action, Cheers again, Con.

(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w28/elenecon/Storms%20season%2007-08/Sydneystorm280508-9.jpg)

(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w28/elenecon/Storms%20season%2007-08/Sydstorm28050809.jpg)

(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w28/elenecon/Storms%20season%2007-08/Sydneystorm29-05-08-3.jpg)

(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w28/elenecon/Storms%20season%2007-08/Sydneystorm28-05-08-4.jpg)



Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: nmoir on 01 June 2008, 01:36:17 AM
is that a small funnell in the 4th pic from bottom , just above the trees on the right? nice pics con
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: enak_12 on 02 June 2008, 10:42:12 AM
Found another view of the waterspout on the 27'th that I never saw at the time looks like it was nearly roping out. Thought I may as well add it here..

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/IMG_7432copy3.jpg)

Also added photos to this album May 27'th
http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/May%2027%202008/

and May 28'th
http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/may%2028%202008/
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Robert1984 on 02 June 2008, 03:42:07 PM
Sadly the Lower South East missed out on all the storm action that Adelaide got because of the unpredictable upper level winds blowing it in the wrong direction  :'(
Title: Re: Southeast Australia Storms: 26-28 May 2008
Post by: Peter J on 04 June 2008, 05:40:08 AM
Yep, all of us in the lower SE - including most of Vic got nothing of the storms during last week - we just got Fog and more Fog - like today. No rain in 7 days either.

Big Pete

PS - that waterspout lights up well with the CG in the pic.