Topic: NSW Severe Storms 6 Jan 2006

[Jeff Brislane]

We'll my theory in the forcast thread for today is being sorely tested as a severe looking storm on radar approaches goulburn as I type. It looks like it's more than likely got hail in it's core and it could be anything up to 4cm's but not much over that as the conditions aren't favourable imo for larger hail. The storm is moving almost due north and it's anvil is streaming off to the east so it's not interfering with it's inflow at this stage. Batten down the hatches!

Jeff.

[Jeff Brislane]

Thanks for the warning!!! Check out the timestamp on this BoM severe thunderstorm warning.

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
New South Wales

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
NSW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
for LARGE HAILSTONES, DAMAGING WIND and VERY HEAVY RAINFALL
For people in parts of the
Illawarra,
Central Tablelands and
Southern Tablelands Forecast Districts.

Issued at 3:44 PM Friday, 6 January 2006.


Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones, damaging winds and
very heavy rainfall in the warning area over the next several hours.

Major locations within the warning area include Bowral, Katoomba and Goulburn.

3:44 pm happens to be 5 minutes before a giant storm with probable hail in it's core slammed into Gouldburn. Who are they kidding with pathetic warnings like that? Is 5 minutes really an adequate warning?

I'm not a bom basher but how much of an idea do they really have with such little warning time? Or was the only person on the severe weather desk busy making coffee?

Jeff.

[Jeff Brislane]

Actually, according to the Sydney radar, Gouldburn was actually being smashed when the warning was issued so it makes you wonder if someone rang them with a hail or severe wind report and they reacted to that??? One can only speculate.

Jeff.

[David C]

Hi Jeff,

definitely it was a classic storm down east of Taralga and now twin intense cells near Muswellbrook (6:30pm). Paul Graham reported a south-east change pushing through at the time and was hearing anvil thunder near Bundanoon. Very intense cell for a few frames. Jimmy and Geoff observed the strcuture near Goulburn.

[Matthew Piper]

I headed out with my brother at around 2pm to see what might eventuate around the Oberon/Lithgow region. We didnt see anything noteworthy until a couple of hours later when I noticed some strong looking storms way to the south of Oberon. I decided to head south towards Shooters Hill and we arrived there at around 5pm. A couple of storm cells formed to our west developing some pretty solid rainshafts and the occasional rumble of thunder. Meanwhile the storms to the south were moving closer and thunder from these became audible at around 5:15pm. Low cloud unfortunately was a big nuisance today and I was unable to get any real good photos of the storms. I decided to head back home at 5:30pm and stopped a couple of times on the way back to check out the storms that were heading towards me from the south. The storms finally caught up with me at the bottom of Mt Victoria, however there was only some brief heavy rain and strong winds. I could see a particularly strong looking rainshaft towards Hampton when I stopped at the lookout at the top of Mt Victoria. There was also a few lightning flashes and deep rumbles when I was there, but nothing outstanding. On the way back home through Katoomba and Wentworth Falls the mist was very thick in the wake of the storms which made for some challenging driving.

[Jimmy Deguara]

Hi guys,

It may have been a 2 hour wait but it was worth it - very nice structured severe storm this afternoon near Goulbourn! And a nice dumping of hail as well in the Goulbourn and nearby vicinity - hail to 3cm based on the thumps (not measured though).  Great afternoon's chasing. Matt, we could have met up as we headed to Oberon via Goulbourn only to find ourselves heading toward Bathurst. I got your message when in range but concentrated on the chasing. I did not know where and if you were chasing. Try specifying next time as you would have had fun with the Bathurst stuff. It produced strong winds and hail to about 2cm though mostly 1 to 1.5cm. It did not last as long as the other storm further south.

Goulbourn






Bathurst




Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[Brad Hannon]

Hmmm, blue skies in Melbourne   Looks like some great chasing up there.  Nice photos as usual Jimmy.  Very impressive structures.  You can certainly see the power in the updraft of the Bathurst storm.  Jimmy was there any hint of rotation on that lowering with the Goulburn storm?  Im assuming it wasnt a supercell from the lack of description as such or do I assume wrong?

[Jimmy Deguara]

Hi Brad,

I will check what timelapse I have to see if there was base organised rotation. Nevertheless, the storm was clean and did produce some damage! Trres down in the region NW of Goulbourn and the region on the way to Taralaga.

By the way, we headed to near Goulbourn to Taralga through to Oberon through to Bathurst, Sofala, east to Ilford, then Lithgow to Sydney. Saw 3 cop cars within 10 km on the way south of Marulan!

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[Matthew Piper]

Hi Jimmy,

Those photos look great  8) I unfortunately couldnt have gone after the Bathurst storm as my brother was with me and he didnt have his medication with him which he needs to take every evening. We had a good time chasing though 

[Matthew Piper]

Here are a couple of photos which I took from Shooters Hill yesterday to give an idea of what I saw.

[Jeff Brislane]

That Goulburn storm had nice structure. Was it you that rang the BoM and triggered a severe thunderstorm warning Jimmy?

[Jimmy Deguara]

Nope. I seldom call the BoM except when it is something serious:) I feel on a chase you have to concentrate on your own safety and any phone calls etc can be a distraction. You don't have time to stop and contact the BoM using the mobile. Besides everything adds up to the cost.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[Michael Bath]

Jimmy - its Goulburn

Had a supercell up here on Friday. I was chasing with Rodney Wallbridge. Despite being in a perfect position it was difficult to observe, way too much low cloud - though what do you expect with the DP around 25 I guess !

These 2 pics at Mallanganee at 6pm, looking S and SE:





Rotation was evident in the clouds in the first pic - corresponds with this radar 0700z:



NE of previous location at 6.14pm looking ESE. Hail confirmed to cricket ball size was falling just beyond those hills.



And radar at 0710z with hook:



Later, we were treated to another storm at Casino. Winds hit 100km/h at the Casino AP AWS and the CGs were continuous !  Parts of the town were blacked out.

Got a bit of lightning later on too:





MB

[Jimmy Deguara]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the spelling - goodness I have always spelt it wrong - in my opinion it defies logic:) Melbourne vs Goulburn

Anyway enough of that, yes another 1 hour drive for you guys and cricket ball sized hail around the corner. Nice green tinge! And yes low bases. I would have liked to see the storm structure from a distance or was it low clouds the whole time?

Which part of the cloud base in the photo did you note rotation in? Was there inflow evident?

I'll post a pic from February last year to extend the discussion in regards to this storm.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[Michael Bath]

We caught glimpses of the storm structure, but annoyingly mostly low cloud in the way. I estimate tops around 15ks or more - very high and strong verticle looking. 

Clouds in left (closer) part of photo moving right, right (further back) part moving left around the back.

MB