Author Topic: NSW & SE QLD Rain, Flooding and Storms: 18-25 April 2008  (Read 32429 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Harley Pearman

  • Barrel tornado F4
  • *
  • Posts: 584
Re: NSW & SE QLD Rain and Storms: 18-24 April 2008
« Reply #30 on: 26 April 2008, 04:00:38 AM »
Over the past 24 hours from 9 am 24/4/2008 to 9 am 25/4/2008, some significant rainfall totals have occurred on the Lower / Mid north coast. These figures are taken from BOM rainfall gauges and some falls are very significant:-

Comboyne 156 mm, Wootton 144 mm, Taree Airport 138 mm, Rocks Crossing 123 mm, Kerewong 120 mm, Mt Seaview 119 mm, Elards 117 mm, Redoak 115 mm, Killabakh 109 mm, Cabbage Tree 106 mm, Bulahdelah 105 mm.

This represents all communities that have received more than 100 mm of rain over the past 24 hours. This narrow stretch of the NSW coast has been drenched with rain and showers all week.

Further south around Newcastle, Nobbys Head had 67 mm, Hexham 65 mm and Maitland 56 mm in the same period (Highest totals only).

On the Central Coast, rainfalls were lighter ranging from 11 to 56 mm with Cooranbong receiving the highest figure of 56 mm.

In Sydney which has been on the southern edges of this system, received further light to moderate showers with Belrose scoring 24 mm, Avalon scoring 22 mm (Highest totals across Sydney), City scoring 5.6 mm and for comparison where I live, an extra 5 mm. Other suburbs scored 10 to 20 mm reasonably spread across the city but with lighter falls occurring in the far western areas.

Amazingly, this SE airstream and associated east coast low to the north east of Sydney has delivered 10 days in a row where showers have fallen sometime during the day at Blacktown. Further, Sydney City has scored some 13 such days in a row where showers or rain periods have fallen.

Looks like the east coast low will start to move away from the coast Saturday and weaken. A cold front is approaching Victoria and drier westerly air looks set to move through the rain soaked region thus clearing this current episode of showers and rain.

Harley Pearman

Offline Richary

  • Barrel tornado F4
  • *
  • Posts: 680
  • Gender: Male
Re: NSW & SE QLD Rain, Flooding and Storms: 18-25 April 2008
« Reply #31 on: 26 April 2008, 04:52:41 PM »
On the drive north there were a lot of areas in flood with lots of water in paddocks etc, and a bit north of Taree there were floodwaters (only about 1 inch) over the Pacific Highway. The drive had a few times where the brief showers were heavy enough I had to back off to 60 due to zero visibility, all the way from Bulahdelah to Macksville.

The highway also has a lot of damage with large potholes caused by the rain and traffic for about a 200km stretch. Saw a 4WD with a caravan jackknife coming the other way, about 500m in front. Suddenly saw a caravan flying through the air. Somehow the whole mix stayed upright but was off to the left hand side of their lane facing the wrong way in the mud.

Offline TroyVR

  • Elephant Trunk F2
  • *
  • Posts: 113
  • Gender: Male
  • B.O.M Storm Spotter
Re: NSW & SE QLD Rain, Flooding and Storms: 18-25 April 2008
« Reply #32 on: 27 April 2008, 12:41:32 PM »
On the drive north there were a lot of areas in flood with lots of water in paddocks etc, and a bit north of Taree there were floodwaters (only about 1 inch) over the Pacific Highway. The drive had a few times where the brief showers were heavy enough I had to back off to 60 due to zero visibility, all the way from Bulahdelah to Macksville.

The highway also has a lot of damage with large potholes caused by the rain and traffic for about a 200km stretch. Saw a 4WD with a caravan jack-knife coming the other way, about 500m in front. Suddenly saw a caravan flying through the air. Somehow the whole mix stayed upright but was off to the left hand side of their lane facing the wrong way in the mud.

I was driving South from South west rocks - Near Port Macquarie back to Sydney and we went past that caravan and 4X4 just as emergency crews were arriving.

Also went through the inch of flood water over the highway.

Some pictures I got on the drive to Sydney:

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0456.jpg

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0458.jpg

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0460.jpg

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0461.jpg

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0462.jpg

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0465.jpg


Anyway, all the rain didn't stop us from Having a good Holiday, We made the most of it.

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0454.jpg

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/troyrulz007/?action=view&current=DSCF0452.jpg




MB Edit:  please use thumbnails for large photos
« Last Edit: 28 April 2008, 12:48:49 PM by Michael Bath »

Offline Shaun Galman

  • Stove pipe F3
  • *
  • Posts: 441
  • Gender: Male
    • ridgelightning.com
Re: NSW & SE QLD Rain, Flooding and Storms: 18-25 April 2008
« Reply #33 on: 02 May 2008, 11:12:50 AM »
Hi guys,
(I finally have a chance to get a couple shots from the 22nd of April up as I've been in Sydney since the 23rd.)
We had a small, partially active, almost multicell line approach us from the South around 5pm. The system only came within 70k's of us and seemed to be around Walgett somewhere at the time I took the shots below so I can't give you much in the way of any great detail on the rainfall. I did notice a very limited few CG present but as the temperatures fell the convection soon gave out and it all went pear-shaped after that? I was hoping to get a few lightning shots from town as it was heading towards us, but it wasn't to be this time. There were 4 or 5 great looking updrafts in the main structure and a smaller but convectively stronger cell anviling nicely to the left of the main structure taking on a "fungus" appearance in shape. Great to see anything out here this time of year, let alone nice sunset lit structure! :)

5:38pm and the view looking South towards Walgett. This is a small panorama of two shots. I cropped a small amount of sky. I don't recall ever seeing anything like the way these updraft towers were positioned on the front edge of a storm before, particularly given they were under one anvil? It's definitely a new one on me!


This was the smaller cell to the left of the main structures. No colour adjustment here, it's just as it was! There were a few CG from this cell but it soon dissipated not long after I took this shot.

Cheers guys,
Shauno
Chasing Region: Lightning Ridge. N.S.W.
Website: www.ridgelightning.com

lollie3

  • Guest
Re: NSW & SE QLD Rain, Flooding and Storms: 18-25 April 2008
« Reply #34 on: 03 May 2008, 07:37:22 AM »
Nice photos there shaun.  Nice colouring too pitty is soon dissipated not long after you took them as there would have been a nice light show there

Offline Shaun Galman

  • Stove pipe F3
  • *
  • Posts: 441
  • Gender: Male
    • ridgelightning.com
Re: NSW & SE QLD Rain, Flooding and Storms: 18-25 April 2008
« Reply #35 on: 03 May 2008, 08:35:00 AM »
Nice photos there shaun.  Nice colouring too pitty is soon dissipated not long after you took them as there would have been a nice light show there

Hi lollie3,
Thanks for the kind words! I was totally fine with the fact that the storms didn't reach town. I had to be off early to Sydney the next morning (a 10hr drive from here) so I may have not been able to get out to photograph any lightning once the storms had arrived close enough to the Ridge? Having our worst storm season in years here (ONLY 2 DECENT ONES!!!) I was just happy to see something, at least! :)

My poor camera batteries are paying the price for just sitting around and getting minimal use? I think my spare one has died completely so I will need to replace it before next season rolls around. I've never gone out without a spare, it's just too risky lol.

Take care,
Shauno
Chasing Region: Lightning Ridge. N.S.W.
Website: www.ridgelightning.com

Offline Richary

  • Barrel tornado F4
  • *
  • Posts: 680
  • Gender: Male
Re: NSW & SE QLD Rain, Flooding and Storms: 18-25 April 2008
« Reply #36 on: 03 May 2008, 02:27:33 PM »
My poor camera batteries are paying the price for just sitting around and getting minimal use? I think my spare one has died completely so I will need to replace it before next season rolls around. I've never gone out without a spare, it's just too risky lol.

That's why I make sure any gadgets I buy use either AA or AAA batteries. GPS, camera, torches. Doesn't matter. I have a whole lot of rechargeables, and a charger at home and a fast charger in the car. Better than something that requires some weird battery you can't charge on the road. Especially as I occasionally do week long camping trips and take a couple of hundred photos.