Monday 3rd January 2011This date was certainly well covered by everyone! Following on from Jason's post...
The target for this chase day was the Coonabarabran Gunnedah region with a northward progression to the Narrabri area expected by evening. Model output indicated more favourable shear for the Mudgee region but it was not really feasible to get that far south in time.
With Rodney Wallbridge at the wheel of the Rav4, Jason Paterson shotgun and me in the back we departed Casino about 7am.
The sky was encouraging the whole way and it was especially nice not to be battling with cloudy skies or showers. The first storms fired from late morning in the Nandewar Ranges east of Narrabri.
A strong storm developed over Coonabarabran. We were just west of Mullaley when Jimmy phoned to report 2-3cm hail.
This storm appeared to be tracking NE so we headed NW to Goolhi. The northern end of the cell weakened but new updrafts formed on the outflow. Base features were fairly limited but the CG lightning was quite frequent.
Fresh updrafts formed overhead before we made a move NE towards Boggabri. It was a bit late as an intense microburst enveloped us. Wild winds, torrential rain and hail to about 3cm smashed all around. The Rav did cop quite a few dents!
The outflow pushing north was quite spectacular, lifting dust ahead of it, and sending tumbleweed things zooming down the road.
It was near Baan Baa before the outflow eased. New storms exploded along the Nandewar Ranges (Mount Kaputar). Locally a small updraft from the remnants of the storm we had been blasted by managed to produce a funnel which lasted at least 10 minutes.
We made our way to Narrabri while there was a lull in local activity and to organise accommodation. We then headed out to the Wee Waa area as storms to the SW and W spread in. Around 7pm what appeared to be a line of high based congestus formed right overhead. The number of close CGs this thing produced was astonishing. Of course rain from anvils just had to cause grief.
Rodney had noted some big sheds earlier as we were driving into this area so we went back to find some shelter. It was actually a large cotton gin facility though it seemed abandoned so we drove in and set up for the lightning there. It was actually a bit creepy with rusted machines and debris - like a scene from Wolf Creek - but anyway...
The rain got heavier, the sunset colours made their appearance and the lightning got closer and better!
By nightfall the rain was still persisting and the only lightning what was worthy was on the ranges east of Narrabri - and we couldn't quite find a location in the gin that faced the right way with shelter. So we called it quits.
