Storm Australian Severe Weather Forum

Severe Weather Discussion => Australian Severe Storms, Weather Events and Storm Chasing => Topic started by: MrPedagogy. on 05 March 2007, 01:57:32 PM

Title: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: MrPedagogy. on 05 March 2007, 01:57:32 PM
None of the threads seem to fit so I started my own.

Dubbo was on the edge of a large cell to our South West over Peak Hill extending to the South East over Wellington. The storm front is heading ESE towards Orange directly behind another that is hitting Orange currently.

Dubbo is experiencing westerly gusts up to 43 knots at the Airport (7.13) and heavy rainfall currently easing. The Lightning front of this event extends from Gilgandra down to Goulburn in the South.

(http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/9733/dscf3682nl2.jpg)
South West of from Dubbo East towards Peak Hill
(http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/6351/dscf3683ai4.jpg)
West of Dubbo towards Narromine.

The Lifted index and CAPE indicates a decrease in activity tomorrow but still good chance of storms further East.

Please advise if the start or scope of a thread should differ from what I have written.
Title: RE: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Jeff Brislane on 05 March 2007, 06:13:26 PM
We just had the mother of all electrical storms through Sydney in the last two and a bit hours. It was just unbelievable and I witnessed the most close lightning bolts from a single storm ever! I know a lot of people hype up things like that and say they saw dozens of close bolts but tonight I was amazed as we had at least 25 Cg bolts within 500 meters of our flat! At least 10 were instantanious thunder and the rest were 1 second delay or less. It was actually a little frightning a couple of times when two and three Cg's struck within 500 meters and 10 seconds. The lightning was very violent and some of the most violent i've ever seen. The thunder was amazing and very violent sounding as well. I recorded heaps of clips on my mobile phone.

I photographed quite a few bolts from before it hit to only 20 minutes ago. The sqaull line had great tiered structure along the leading edge and it would have been amazing to see in the daylight.

We also saw three transformer flashes from direct strikes and the last one was very close by and we actually heard the surge going up the powerlines in our street! We also saw a possible lightning fire. I'll have to look for damage tomorrow as there has to be a few fried trees around Penrith now!

Jeff.
Title: RE: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: scottme on 05 March 2007, 06:20:10 PM
Most crazy electrical storm I've seen for quite a while. Not a lot of rain though. It's still making a lot of noise now. We might get some more in a few hours too.
Title: RE: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: James on 05 March 2007, 06:32:37 PM
I completely agree with you Jeff. That storm put out some of the most frequent and close cg's I have seen in some time. Set up my camera at Dural looking west towards the mountains and managed to pick up this bolt hitting somewhere near Schofields/Windsor.

The second cg is near Fagan Park in Galston, hitting the valley around 500m away below.



Title: RE: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Dave Nelson on 06 March 2007, 01:03:16 AM

 Yes!!!  another outstanding storm.  Earlier in the evening my wife and chased to the city's west ... Warragamba/
Mulgoa areas where we photoed several good looking cells that were reasonably lightning active.
Had to then return home for a while before I went back out on my own to Hoxton Park. and intercepted the
new storm from coming in. It was Very CG intensive and like in your area Jeff, there were many close strikes.
After letting the main core pass overhead I chased it back home via Canterbury and King George Rd's.

Outstanding nite
will post some pix when I get home from work

Dave N
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: wol on 06 March 2007, 02:47:07 AM
Yeah, I'll second that Jeff, I'm not far from you and just a crazy amount of lightening here too, we got a fair amount of rain from it, I'll check the gauge later.

Here are a few snaps and a grab from the weather radar.

(http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/4885/1aqy5.jpg)

(http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7170/2agy4.jpg)

(http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5091/radar040307lh4.jpg)

Keen to see what some of you guys got out of this one...just awesome!
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Matt S on 06 March 2007, 04:56:17 AM
Hi all,
I'm new here I'm From Orange and thought you guys may be able to help me out. I spent last night at my girlfriends house in a small town not far from Orange called Blayney, anyway during this incredible storm there was an eary and frightening green glow across the sky, it appeared with a flash and stayed for 5 seconds enough time to think whats going on. It then dissapered suddenly and there was the usual crack of lightning heard.
This Green glow only lit up a secton of the sky, I was unable to see where it stretched to as it went around behind the house we were out the front. There was no bang nothing it just lit up then everything went pitch black again, resulted in a temporary power loss lasting only seconds.
Then some 10 minutes later coming from the direction of a substation a pulsing red Orange Green and Blue glow could be seen through some trees when suddenly the sky just lit up white and then again exploded into a green and white. This I believe was a Transformer blowing up possibly, as the majority of the town lost all power. However the first pure green flash is got me lost as there was no substation from the direction it came from and it was a distinct setion of sky not the whole thing.
I have a picture of the substation event but not the green glow, I'll post it up a bit later.
Anyone able to help me out with what it was?
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Michael Bath on 06 March 2007, 07:27:05 AM
Hi Matt, I have seen similar sorts of things when lightning has struck a power pole transformer, it can certainly last for a couple of seconds - there is an example in the video section:

http://australiasevereweather.com/video/australian_videos.htm

the find the link for "16 February 2002 Western Sydney NSW" - Another flash wires or transformer [2.50mb WMV]

Was it like that ?


Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Matt S on 06 March 2007, 07:43:01 AM
It was fairly similar to that but seemed to cover a much larger area of the sky and was present for a good 3 seconds or so.

Regards Matt
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Mike on 06 March 2007, 12:15:03 PM
Hey, look those CG photos are just fabulous everyone. Really, really great.  I'm continually going back to them to have a look.  Although standing next to the powerline towers is not my preferred observation point, but if you get away with it once for a great shot, good luck to you! 

Can anyone post some more CG shots, i just cant get enough of them.

Mike
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Matthew Piper on 06 March 2007, 01:38:21 PM
That certainly was an extraordinary storm last night. Here in Liverpool there was also plenty of close CG strikes and explosive thunder. We also had a blackout for over an hour which meant it became very uncomfortable without the fans operating to cool us down in the heat.

Today there was also another ripper of a storm around 5pm when I was exiting the shops at Bonnyrigg. The rain and wind were a sight to behold and it looked just like footage from a tropical cyclone with all the rain lashing through the shopping centre entrance. Definately the most torrential rain I have seen for a while. There was also a couple of near instaneous thunderclaps which added to the excitement.

What an amazing few weeks it has been for storms at long last  ;D
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: enak_12 on 06 March 2007, 03:40:25 PM
Taken today at Sawtell Headland:
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/IMG_1608-01.jpg)
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/IMG_1640-01.jpg)
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/enak12/IMG_1641-01.jpg)

encountered some flash flooding on the way home.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Jimmy Deguara on 06 March 2007, 06:06:59 PM
Sydney's storms were amazing - I was out chasing further north so missed the Sydney show.

Firstly thanks for Michael and his patience providing information over the past couple of days.

4th March 2005

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2007/0304jd12.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/0304jd12.jpg)(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2007/0304jd13.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/0304jd13.jpg)
I headed to intercept storms in the Hunter but could not catch the interesting severe warned storm near Bulahdelah before it collapsed. I then proceeded to the SW Hunter when storms rapidly fired near Putty. Although not major, quite interesting structure near Bulga although the main cell was further south and weakening.

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2007/0304jd27.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/0304jd27.jpg)

Then on to Merriwa

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/0304jd34.jpg)

(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2007/0304jd52.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/0304jd52.jpg)(http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/thumbs/2007/0304jd54.jpg) (http://www.australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/0304jd54.jpg)

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: James on 06 March 2007, 06:42:45 PM
Although standing next to the powerline towers is not my preferred observation point, but if you get away with it once for a great shot, good luck to you! 


Mike

Although it looks like I'm outside, I am actually sitting comfortably in my car around 50 metres away from that Powerline tower. No way I'd be heading out there either lol! Had the windscreen wipers going full speed trying to avoid a 'CG cut in half by wiper' shot.

Love that lightning shot JD!
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Mike on 07 March 2007, 04:29:34 AM
And Jimmy says when he took that lightning shot - whooooa!!!  Check out the branching!!!!  No wonder I get goosebumps looking at lightning!  Great shelf cloud photos guys also.  Good to see NSW firing on those days!

Mike
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: vrondes on 07 March 2007, 08:26:09 AM
Yes, that electrical barrage from the heavens certainly delivered some eardrum rattlers on sunday night. Haven't seen such an intense and sustained barrage of lightning  since february 98. Well done to all those who did capture some strikes albeit under quite scary conditons on the night.  And Jimmy that merriwa strike is dynamite!, Cheers, Con.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Mike on 07 March 2007, 09:23:34 AM
hey James, just re that single CG photo next to the powerline tower - I've been focussing on where the CG travelled - have you noticed in the photo how the strike's path actually curves in between the lines overhead and past the tower and one part of the strike actually touches one of the powerlines?!!  Incredible how the strike did not actually branch out to earth on any other lines as it passed through them.  Interesting.

 And what's that haze at the LH side where the stroke bends towards coming to earth?  Is that accidental camera movement or  a blur on the lens or is that something else caused by the discharge?  Anyone else noticed that??  The rest of the shot is in focus - so what's that haze?

Mike
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Harley Pearman on 07 March 2007, 11:38:51 AM
Hello

The Sunday night storm was brilliant. I took some 45 minutes of video film of it including one CG that hit something at the other end of Mantaka Street where I live or very close eg the railway line / tracks. There was an instantaneous explosion and piercing thunder clap that came with it. I am confident that I caught the lightning flash on film.

I saw the green glows of two transformers exploding close by to my NE. It was a very active storm and quite spectacular. I ran out of video film as the storm was dying but caught much of it.

In today's Telegraph Mirror there is a photograph of a house being struck by lightning at Malabar (A solid bolt) and there is a gallery on the Sydney Morning Herald website of some 25 photos taken from the Sunday storm by people around Sydney. There are two spectacular photos of Sydney Harbour Bridge being struck by lightning. The gallery is worth a visit at smh.com.au

Many say they did not get allot of rain. A very active cell passed overhead where I live and tracked NE. It produced a moderate to heavy shower for some 10 to 15 minutes. It produced up to 24 mm at Glenorie and 29 mm in some localities in that area. That cell was very very active at times.

Best storm of the year and even better than the one I filmed the previous weekend over Penrith.


Harley Pearman

 

 
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Mike on 07 March 2007, 11:49:28 AM
Well done, Harley.  Have you got any pics to post or perhaps a portion of your video you took to post?  Did you stay in the one area or move around in front of the storm?  NSW certainly has had some very good storms that have made the headlines - even up here we've heard about them albeit all our chaos of late.  I'll check out the SMH website for a nosey.

Mike
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Harley Pearman on 07 March 2007, 12:18:54 PM
Hello

I was filming from my balcony using by big camera. I am up high so I can see whats going on and easy to film. I need to do a lot of downloading something that I will have to start on probably when I get back from the USA.

Definitely an impressive storm, best I have seen since February 2 2005.


Harley Pearman
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: striker92 on 07 March 2007, 02:07:07 PM
Hey guys,
You were all right!
Down here at shellharbour we had one of the best electrical storms ive ever seen. The intensity of strikes and the shear number was unlike anything i have ever seen, it was amazing, it takes the cake as the most electrically active storm i have ever seen. And yes we received little rain aswell. Thought id share this aswell, riding home from school there were some very weak thunder rolls on the way home. I get home and go out to see my dad who had just arrived from work when a HUGE lightning strike struck only 500 meters away, the resulting thunderclap echoed for almost a minute! What did i See!!!!  :o
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: MrPedagogy. on 07 March 2007, 02:58:32 PM
There is some scattered storm activity currently in the West of the state. I'm pretty worn down from juggling work and tripping around the countryside in the wee hours with the new camera trying to snap some of our central western storms.

The Storm I tagged last night went to Warren to my North west and promptly died so that became a non-event although looked hopeful. Loved reading the briefing room thread in WZ checking out others photos and also the photos posted here from the last week. Awesome atmospheric events over the last week.

Look forward to continuing to follow the threads and this time I'll try to snap more activity happening out here before it gets to all you guys (and gals) on the coast.

Regards,

Steve
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: wol on 08 March 2007, 07:24:24 AM
Here's a sound file to go with my pics from my previous post.

Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Mike on 08 March 2007, 09:31:48 AM
Hey there Wol. nice thunder on the audio!  You know i'm going to comment on something and you all are going to think I'm losing it, but when lightning strikes around this neck of the woods it really does sound differently to what you've downloaded.  There seems to be a long, long echo (probably the wind carrying sound) of thunder on the audio - but up here the thunder is usually abrupt, sharp and with less 'rolling'.

 I kept playing it over and over to make sure i wasn't losing my marbles, but it's just something that I did notice, and being quite honest actually, the thunder here DOES sound different!  From sharp, snapping cracks to just simply booming window rattlers - and i've heard 4 months worth thus far!

 I just haven't heard thunder up here go on and on and on like it does on your link - it could be a lot of factors involved, but i'm not getting into that!

Mike
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: wol on 08 March 2007, 10:01:12 AM
Yeah, I noticed the same thing.

When I was going through the audio there was never a time when I couldn't hear the thunder.
The thunder from one lightening strike took over from the previous one every time,
there was hardly a time where you could only just hear the rain.

It's not always like that down here, there was just a heck of a lot going on with this storm!
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Dave Nelson on 09 March 2007, 01:44:51 PM
Wol,

    There are multiples thundedrclaps on your recording  :)

  its not all from the same lightning strike   
counted 3 separate events   1st loud close, 2nd and 3rd weaker more distant
and 4th another loud closer  one


cheers
Dave N
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Jeff Brislane on 09 March 2007, 02:35:24 PM
Here are three images of the lightning from the storm on the 4th. I caught at least 25 bolts from this storm however a lot are  from less than ideal locations such as behind trees etc.

(http://www.stormtestdummy.com/chase%20reports/2007/070304/images/20070304_069.jpg)

(http://www.stormtestdummy.com/chase%20reports/2007/070304/images/20070304_078.jpg)

(http://www.stormtestdummy.com/chase%20reports/2007/070304/images/20070304_132.jpg)

I could have also caught a very rare electrical phenomenon in one of my pics. I'm 75% sure so far that it is what I think it is and when i'm possitive i'll post a photo online. I caught it in a pic of a bolt that struck within 100 meters.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: vrondes on 09 March 2007, 03:31:55 PM
Superb bolts you've captured there Jeff. looking forward to seeing the mystery strike. There was only one close strike near home which I photographed. Will post when I get the slides back. Cheers, Con.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Mike on 09 March 2007, 03:39:16 PM
man-o-man - they are superb shots.  I'd kill for lightning like that up here!  Storms about but nuff all electrical stuff worthy of taking. Can't wait for that mystery shot - tell us more!

Mike
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Michael Bath on 17 March 2007, 02:48:42 AM
Been a bit slow to put these photos for the 5th March up !   The shelf cloud structure that Kane observed at Sawtell appears to have continued all the way up to the Queensland border. Rodney and I observed shelf cloud structure from near Grafton and all the way to Casino where this photo was taken.

(http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/0305mb19.jpg)

Radar suggests a continuous shelf cloud structure was fairly likely covering a distance of at least 200 km.

All my pics for this day are available at the following link. First lot are taken at Whiporie, then most of the remainder near Casino:

http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2007/mb20070305.html

regards, Michael
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: David C on 17 March 2007, 06:51:17 AM
Beautiful shots Jeff. Ball lightning?.......well cant imagine it would be sprites etc given your proximity to the storm.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Brad Hannon on 17 March 2007, 10:16:12 AM
I could have also caught a very rare electrical phenomenon in one of my pics.

We have a very rare electrical phenomenon down here too - it's just called lightning!  ;D  But seriously, I hope it is ball lightning you captured Jeff.  Im pretty sure Nick Moir will be interested having heard his recollection of an encounter with ball lightning when he was young.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Jeff Brislane on 17 March 2007, 04:33:04 PM
Brad,

You cracked me up with that comment about the rarity of lightning down there! I beleive i've captured not ball lightning but a plasma filiment emanating from the ground about 5 to 10 meters in front of my car. It occured with a cg that struck within 100 meters of my car on the left hand side and out of the frame, however i caught branches from the cg in the picture. The lightning was so close to my car that it's actually lit up the raindrops in the photo like a giant flash bulb!

I am however open to interpretation regarding it being a plasma filament or not. I was shooting through my front windscreen at the time. I know about the reflection effect with camcorders but I don't beleive it happens with normal cameras but you never know.

Jeff.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Jeff Brislane on 17 March 2007, 05:02:24 PM
Here is the image. First the full size image, then just the left hand side cropped and lastly the suspect area zoomed in. Now I know that pretty much nobody will be able to say for sure what it is but note that if it was a reflection, it seems to stop abruptly at it's brightest point before the edge of the frame and the structure of the lightning that is visable doesn't resmble the suspect area in the slightest.

(http://www.stormtestdummy.com/chase%20reports/2007/070304/images/20070304_082.jpg)

(http://www.stormtestdummy.com/chase%20reports/2007/070304/images/20070304_082 cropped.jpg)

(http://www.stormtestdummy.com/chase%20reports/2007/070304/images/20070304_082 zoomed.jpg)

Jeff.
Title: Re: Storms: Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007
Post by: Jimmy Deguara on 18 March 2007, 02:30:11 AM
Any discussion about the feature should take place here:

http://www.australiasevereweather.com/forum/index.php?topic=400.msg2954

Only other observations and reports of these "Central Eastern NSW 4th-6th March 2007" should continue here.

Thanks,

Jimmy Deguara