Topic: Darwin Storm events 2007/2008

[Mike]

These are the satpics of the storm.  By looking at these and the data would it be a supercell?

Michael, are you able to dig up the radar loop of this storm that we got in Katherine?

Mike

[Michael Bath]

I've uploaded a Katherine radar loop for the event Mike and Nick chased on Tuesday:

Katherine radar loop

From that radar loop and the satpics I do not think it was a supercell.  Need some pics of the lower structure.

For anyone who wants to show a radar loop for the storms they are reporting on, just link to the loop from the Strikeone archives, and I'll turn it into a permanent loop when time permits. It helps if I do not have to work out what times and radar location you wish to use as an illustration from the written description - as often it is not clear - especially for areas I do not know well

So link to the loop of images from you select from here:

http://radar.strikeone.net.au/?fuseaction=loops.select&displayitem=1

regards, Michael

[Adrian]

07 December 2007

Small but concentrated Cell entered Darwin area at about 0250 this morning and moved north west around the back of the city before moving out of range at about 0330.  Caught these few CG's.

Cheers,
.adrian

[Mike]

Holy #$@*!!, Adrian.  Gobsmacked by the power in those cow killers.

What location were you at if you don't mind passing that on....?

Mike

[Adrian]

Hi Mike,

Don't mind all.

But mate must confess ..... after driving around town during the first two storms (earlier this week), and getting very little reward for my effort I decided to stay at home and shoot these from my veranda!!! 

I am on the bay side of bayview blvd over looking tippery waters, not sure if any public areas provide the same view, as the mangroves get in the way.  The bayview lock has a small observation deck but I wouldn't feel comfitable taking photos from this; as it exposed and isolated and should things get a little ugly, you would have no where to go without doing a dash through open space with lots of light poles, and I have seen CG strikes fall very close to this area before - probably not helped by the fact that it is right next to the two tallest unit complexes in bayview.


p.s. Just did the final cut of the photos and had one other shot worth adding, so just updated my post.

Cheers,
.adrian

[Mike]

I know the spot - a tad exposed, but like most things in Darwin there's always stuff blocking the views!  I must have been asleep that morning as i've seen other shots of that storm pumping out big CG's.

7 December 2007

 Chased a couple of large cells out into the rural area last night - Nick Moir was on his way out there and I was to meet him at Annaburro as he was coming back from intercepting another large cell we had both observed earlier.  Nick must have seen that they were dying quickly with the use of his laptop and whilst afterburning out to the location Nick was nowhere to be found!  Lack of coverage is a terrible thing - even to forewarn me by mobile phone.

I set up anyway and the storm produced some flashes and one large bolt but i suspect used all its energy trying to maintain lift.  After about half an hour I packed up and lit both afterburners and headed home.  Did not see one flash at all from the two cells in the area from then on.

It's Nick's last day here today as he heads back to Sydney Sunday lunchtime.  It's been a wild and wooly chase week with him and no early nights.  I know Nick has had a ball and he's got just about everything he wanted to get - except maybe for a shelf cloud which he desperately wanted.  Microbursts, hail, , fires, 90kmh winds, big CG's, anvil crawlers, running into power lines - guess that would satisfy even a mediocre week's chasing.  A great experience and education.  My camera abilities have improved tenfold!

Mike

[Richary]

I see there is a server storm warning for Darwin issued recently, though the main band will pass south.

Interesting radar loop though, with the northern end of the band breaking away and heading faster than the rest with a cell appearing in front of the main band. It's moving pretty well too.

[Mike]

The line had disintegrated about 40km from Darwin.  I really had been doing other things and not weather orientated so perhaps my misfortune not to have gone after it in the rural areas further out - it had a nice layering of cloud under along it's leading edge as the leftovers came into the city, went for a quick drive about 4km to the NW and it only produced three CGs which really ended all the fun.  Suspicious atmospheric conditions as it moved quickly NE which stifled whatever was left of it.

Here's the link to view it all coming together.  Disgustingly diminishes when it reaches the outer Darwin area - just vanishes!  Once it loads up just click on the sweep button.

Darwin (Berrimah) radar loop

Mike

[Richary]

Yes, that just died off and fell apart completely. One day I will get to Darwin for some storms, I was there a few years ago in October so a bit early in the season. But I could happily live with the ones you get there!

[Mike]

As Nick Moir found out - Darwin storms are tempermental buggers.  So much CAPE yet so little action in town.  As the previous chase reports atest!  When they form close to town and do get some structure and lift they really do push out some nasty lightning.  They're typical buildup period storms.  Jan, Feb and March are good months for regular storms if a monsoon trough lingers above us and there's no worries about sea breezes doing the wrong thing!
 
Mike

[Macca]

Hi all,

A few more photos from my recent trip to Darwin.

http://macca.bsch.au.com/gallery2/v/Chase-Season-07-08/301107/

http://macca.bsch.au.com/gallery2/v/Chase-Season-07-08/011207/

Macca

[Mike]

10 December 2007

Not a lot around last night but some cells moving SE in the rural area.  Headed out to get some pics and found a nice spot albeit not in the crunch zone.  Limited time prevented me from going too far out but managed these shots.  You will notice a fire in the red portion of the photos; another storm chaser from Adelaide was at the same spot and he was also commenting on how many CGs actually struck in that area alone.  I don't know if it was the heat and smoke plume contributing to the electrical activity but I can confidently say that we saw over 12 CGs in that very spot localised within 15 -30 minutes alone.  It was unusual to see so many strikes directly around that area where the fire was...I would like to know if anyone else has seen this enhanced activity around fires when storms are about?

A couple of the shots are of an 8 minute exposure highlighting how many strikes were in that zone.  Pretty awesome strikes, most of which pulsed several times.

Mike

[Mike]

12 dec 2007

Chased with the GEO reporter to find her a storm tonight to cap of the interview from yesterday.  Found a wonderful storm to the SE of Darwin near Bynoe Harbour and trashing through mud, water and muck to get there was an added treat for the passenger!  We chased for about 45 minutes and found a great spot for her to view beautfiul long anvil crawlers, mammatus, CG's and CC stuff.  She absolutely loved it, here's a couple of snaps of tongiht's chase.  Has been a educational and sensational experience over the last two weeks.  Ya can't photograph what's not in Darwin!!!!

Mike

[Mike]

A couple more shots of structure.  She especially liked the way the storm just grabbed you as we drove up to it on a straight road, she was loving the chase and with all the things a storm should give you - less hail - I could not have been more pleased with the results.  Thanks to Nick Moir for giving me a heads up on the likely area to chase as I was totally tied up with an induction for new job today and not having access to any weather obs for the day. 

[Mike]

December 14 2007

Storm story:

A few shots pre flang beast that hit Darwin around 8pm last night.

Regrettebly we had dinner at work half an hour earlier than expected and it had a detrimental affect on my lightning shots!  I was held hostage inside the warehouse 20 metres from the actual NT News building whereby i was subjected to 3 direct hits on the warehouse roof by CGs which absolutely scared the be-jeezoos about of me.  Rating: EF5.

 I love close lightning but not when you're held captive unable to escape.  The actual press building got struck also as i viewed everything from the main ramp doorway.  Outstanding lightning display with me stuck in the warehouse and no camera naturally.  The experience was something to be felt - ionized air odours, buzzing through the air milliseconds before the flash and ear busting cracks of thunder.  Just great!

A line of storms had form off-shore and headed straight for the city.  The photos were taken from the SE and NW of Darwin.  When I did head out at tea time to locate a good storm, the one offshore showed massive potential.  Dark ominous towers rapidly pushing upward, several large CGs exiting the cap to the ocean on three occasions.  Convergence of at least three large towers that I saw that swirled into one large mass of angry conductive beasties.  Sure did not disappoint.  Likelihood of similar conditions today given what I have been seeing with the clouds this afternoon.  I'm guaranteed tea time at the normal period - at sunset - and politely told the printer last night that he had just cost me about a thousand bucks in photo sales given the action....

Mike