Topic: NSW / QLD Severe Storms and Lightning: 2 - 8 Dec 2008

[Michael Bath]

Today and the next few days ahead look unstable in many parts. Today was lacking moisture but things are kicking off along parts of the Mid North Coast. BoM has issued a warning for damaging winds and large hailstones. Main event so far is Port Mac to Kempsey area.

Spotted a small funnel from congesting cumulus to my north a little while ago - it persisted a few mins.

[Jason(pato)]

This cell near Grafton was the only photogenic looking piece of cloud around here today. Everything else that tried to get going suffered badly due to the lack of moisture. Bring on the next few days!

[James]

I have a feeling I may have seen the same funnel Michael. Was a mediocre looking cu that died off fairly quickly leaving the funnel behind. Did it look a little like this?



On my way back from Lismore there was a more substantial looking Tcu over the ranges to the north. You could really see the windshear pushing it over quickly.



Today looks to be more of the same. Still not complaining, beats Sydney's storm efforts of late!

[Michael Bath]

Yes - that's it James. The congesting cumulus sequence was captured on the webcam - and even the funnel - which corresponds to the higher updraft at 3.01pm. This sequence is from 2.55 to 3.07pm in 2 min intervals.
















Also - my photos for 2nd December 2008


Regards, Michael

[Shaun Galman]

Hi guys,

That's an interesting little funnel attached to those Cu's!
 
Certainly looking forward to seeing a few storms out this way over the next few days, particularly with such high temps! We were forecast a top temp of 37ºc but it's already reached 39.2ºc! Winds are light but very dry and hot (partly helping those temps to rise).

I would expect any storms to be very lightning severe given the current heat. This should also help drive the convection nicely. The shear has been good lately, lets hope it stays that way with this system :D

Take care if chasing!
Shauno

[Michael Thomas]

Personally I think things are looking pretty good today. Storms have already fired in NE NSW and on the ranges in Qld. Currently, further west where the storms are firing in Qld the surface winds are NW. On the eastern side of the ranges the surface winds are more N/NE. Also the moisture is much better east of the ranges, for example, Beaudesert latest obs show 31/21. Moisture depth aside, this gives some pretty extreme surface-based instabity. I also think that moisture depth is pretty good with the Brisbane sounding showing excellent moisture in the lowest 100mbar. I would consider this the minimum moisture depth for severe storms. Storms may really intensify on the eastern side of the ranges in SE Qld and NE NSW with a real chance for supercells with large hail. Further south around Port Macquarie it wiould seem moisture depth and capping are really big problems. Recent obs show 28/22 with E'ly surface winds which sounds amazing but if moisture depth is shallow and too capping is strong then nothing may happen there at all.

Michael

[Michael Thomas]

Looks like the cap is really choking the storms. Fingers crossed things improve.

[leo76]

The second of two cells has just gone over here at Lismore, with the second having larger hail around the size of a 10 cent piece.

Jason, I also saw that the same cloud and hoped that something would evenutate from it. Oh well if only it was earlier in the day when it was warming, then something may have come from it.

[Jason(pato)]

Gday All,

Well after our third storm of the arvo I've finally got the chance to get some pics up.
Because I was looking after my kids today I couldn't venture very far from home, so I managed to duck out to a vantage spot a couple of kms west of my place to get some pics of the second storm that came through. The cell was fairly high based, but still quite photogenic so I snapped away. I even managed to score some handheld (no tripod) daytime CGs which I was pretty pleased about. Also there a couple of pics of the small hail that fell.











The next sequence of shots are of the third storm of the day which was highly lightning active. My back steps aren't the best vantage spot for taking pics but it had to do for today. Spewing about the CG behind the gum tree. This cell had a nice rain free base as well and the CGs were punching out ahead of it, which was pretty special to witness.







And this one of the wall of water coming down the street.



Hope you enjoy,

Cheers Jason

[leo76]

Well I thought it was all over here today but I was wrong. An hour after I posted it started up again and boy did it thump!

Everyone bundled into the car and we ended up getting some really good shots out the Lismore on Wyrallah Road.

[Richary]

Noticed on the radar the nasty looking cell that tracked south of Coraki. Looked intense at times.

Michael - maybe your cameras should be looking that way? From what I remember when I lived in Coraki the storms mainly tracked in from the SW or W.

Apart from getting up there for the BBQ Sat week I now have to go to Narrabri for an install on the Thursday. So Wednesday next week will be driving up and maybe camping in the Warrumbungles or nearby if the weather is OK, otherwise hit a motel somewhere. Being a work trip they would pay for it (but I would rather camp!). Thursday do the job and get to Coffs Harbour if time permits that afternoon, or stay somewhere along the way and get there Friday. Lismore and back to Coffs on Saturday, then drive back to Sydney Tuesday or Wednesday depending on what we have to finish before Christmas. So hopefully won't arrive during a dead patch and get a chance to photo a few north coast storms as nothing here has been that photogenic. Great hail, but any lightning for good shots just happened from near home (or been buried behind downpours).

[Michael Bath]

Awesome set of photos Jase! That last storm of the day sure put on an insane CG show - the HD video will be amazing. Literally dozens of staccatos hit out the front of my place in and around the valley - you could see houses being hit.  Rodney was over and my two kids were taking pics too.  No hail here but some very heavy rain and some wild winds.

A couple of the photos:

[Rodney Wallbridge]

Gyday all, here's some more pictures of the cells that went over Lismore this arvo. Sitting on the veranda eating watermelon and enjoying the first cell come through which gave 1cm hail and some awesome thunder and lightning!
 
 
Grabbed my gear and took off over to Michaels place to drop off the SES duty phone and grab a few pics of the second line of storms.Just driving over there i could see in my rear veiw mirror how full on active the Lightning was!! Pretty happy with these daytime bolts:) Thanks for hosting these MB:)
 
 
Great pics there Leo76 and Jason and MB! Bring on the next few days! great to see a trough lingering instead of being kicked for six offshore.

[Steven]

Hi everyone,

Just had a cracker of a light show earlier on from an unexpected line of cells. Lots of anvil crawlers branching out and quite a few CGs punching from above. It was definitely high based judging by the echoing high up and very electrical. Sort of reminded me of the 29 November 2006 set up.

Fantastic shots MB, Jason and Rodney. Two strikes near the same area eh? What are the chances of that!

[enak_12]

Dam gotta love those lightning pics above fellas!..this was my view of the storm near Grafton from the 2n'd of December sure seemed to be high topped..





later on we had a light show from a different cell..