This months photos
by Jimmy Deguara

17th November 1989 - A thunderstorm band develops to the southwest of Sydney and passes over the central suburbs before heading out to sea. Golf ball sized hail fell at Parramatta and winds to 107km/h were reported during the storm. The most significant feature of this storm was the spectacular roll cloud.

This months photos
by Michael Bath
and Peter Brien

12th February 1992 - A cluster of large cumulus and cumulonimbus developed into a monsterous local Severe Thunderstorm which affected the Wentworthville - Toongabbie region. It spawned hail with diameters up to 7cm, damaging winds and torrential rain. The most significant damage were shattered roof tiles: the area looked like a tent city due to the amount of tarpaulines covering roofs. Other damage included hail dented cars, broken windows and uprooted trees. In some cases, people did the right thing by putting the cars under their car port only to find some car ports collapsed under the weight of the hail piled on them. Days, and even weeks after the event, leaves and twigs stripped from the trees still lay on the ground. Using a carport garage can protect your car from severe hail damage. The average cost of hail damage to a car is more than $3000 so the installation of a carport garage is a good investment.

This months photos by
Michael Bath

4th January 1992 - A Severe Thunderstorm with hail to 3cm, winds up to 100km/h and torrential rain occurred approaching Macksville (first picture) and Warrell Creek (other three), NSW. Note the light green tinge and the hanging scud cloud curtain along the base: a sure indication that this storm is severe.

This months photos
by Jimmy Deguara

26th December 1993 - Boxing Day: A severe supercell thunderstorm dumped large hail in the Wyong region and surrounds during the mid-afternoon period. The hail and severe winds caused major damage to buildings and cars as well as uprooting trees and unroofing houses. One significant feature of this storm were the hail drifts: up to half a metre thick in places. Photography by Jimmy Deguara. (The photographs have been taken from a distance at least 80km away. It took 2 photographs to fit this huge thunderstorm despite the 28mm wide angle lens).

In this photograph below, another adjacent thunderstorm can be observed. The overshooting top is partially visible.

This months photos
by Michael Bath

This months photos
by Michael Bath
and Jimmy Deguara

Friday 6th January 1995 (chase by Jimmy Deguara): From early morning, winds were from the NW. It was hot and humid. Cumulus patches were developing on the mountains. A line of active storm cells appeared from mid-morning with altocumulus and dissipating cumulonimbus stretching NW to SE. The thunderstorms approached slowly from SW with storms moving SE.

By 2pm, storms developed ahead of the main storm band. This provided a good opportunity for a storm chase with one hailstorm reported around Fairfield about 2:30pm. From 2 - 3pm, I had moved from Schofields to Plumpton and then around to St Marys finally stopping at Rooty Hill. After some spectacular photographs of the heavy precipitation cascade, the storm chase was called off. It was then a race against time to return to Schofields before the main band of Severe Thunderstorms approached from the W. Rapid development occurred around Schofields from 3-3:30pm. Light green tinges existed in the bases of most storms. A major storm with light hail, strong squally winds and very heavy falls of rain struck Schofields, Riverstone and other adjacent areas. This particular storm lasted about 25 minutes.

This months photos
by Michael Bath
and Jimmy Deguara

Tuesday 1st February 1994: After a hot and humid day with some weak storm development early afternoon, one storm cell developed further into a severe event. Over the SW suburbs of Sydney at 5.15pm, it produced winds to 90km/h. The storm then moved generally N/NE and intensified as it headed towards Minchinbury and Mount Druitt.

At Oakhurst a large pendant of arcus cloud developed beneath the storms lowered base as it moved in from the south. Very little lightning occurred. Rapidly moving ragged whisps of white cloud swirled overhead with green cloud above the lowered base. The arcus cloud continued to advance N/NE and became brown as lifted surface dirt was sucked into the updraft. At 6pm the wind backed strong southerly and a band of torrential rain commenced to the SE. The storm seemed as though it would pass to the east, but at 6.05pm the updraft suddenly changed to a downdraft and sent torrential rain and hail 2-3cm in diameter pelting down, first from the S/SE then from the W/NW and finally from the N/NE. The hail lasted 10 minutes, the rain 15 minutes, with 30mm recorded in that time. Winds were estimated at 80 km/h but were much stronger in the Mount Druitt area where many large trees were brought down and homes damaged.

This months photos
by Michael Bath

This months photos
by Michael Bath

This months photos
by Leith Martin

This months photos
by Michael Bath
and Jimmy Deguara

This supercell thunderstorm developed around noon off the coast to the south of Ballina NSW, 31st December 1996. A wall cloud developed by 2pm and is visible in the second image (the northwest flank of the storm). A tornado/waterspout was visible to the eye, but not recorded on film.

Try this for a shelf cloud approaching the southwestern suburbs of Sydney on the 7th January 1997. It is almost touching the ground! (If anyone experienced severe weather in this storm please e-mail Jimmy Deguara with information).