Goulburn storms - Southern Tablelands 26/11/2009
Knowing that there was an opportunity for thunderstorms on the Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands, I considered the best target for the day and not too far from Sydney would be Goulburn. While I was aware of higher CAPE environments further south, I was concerned with some of the weather conditions and setups so I considered Goulburn to be practical which afforded the opportunity to watch what would happen in the area. The area further south did not produce much weather and I finished up making the right decision to stay around Goulburn.
The first photo shows the first thunderstorm looking north east of Goulburn. I am on Memorial Park Lookout. After I took this photo, a solid cloud to ground lightning strike struck very close to me and the thunderclap reverberated across the area. Following this small storm, I noted the light NNW winds turned more towards the east.
The second photo shows the second thunderstorm but to the east of Goulburn. I am on the Memorial Park Lookout. This storm did not hit Goulburn but skirted the town. This storm started to form overhead and across the eastern side of Goulburn but it was moving away from town. However this storm did produce significant easterly winds or outflow winds which appears to have been the catalyst for the next thunderstorm.
The third photo shows the storm approaching me. I am on Memorial Park Lookout looking north west. At first the storm was weak. However as it approached Goulburn, it intensified rapidly and produced the base as shown. It only hit the northern and eastern side of town but its intensification was remarkable. At the time there was an easterly wind blowing from outflow from the previous thunderstorm in the area. That appears to have been the source of this storm.
This storm was particularly intense. The storm struck with a barrage of intense rain, very high winds, cloud to ground lightning and cold hard hail in the 1 cm to 2 cm range.
The Goulburn thunderstorm hit the north east and northern side of town and it toppled trees and caused significant loss of leaves on trees and brought down tree branches. The fourth photo shows a tree brought down. I passed that area earlier in the day and that tree was still standing. I saw other trees or large branches brought down in the area. I am on Lagoon Street close to Union Street. The full force of the thunderstorm only hit Eastgrove, the lookout which is where I was, Bradfordville, Crestwood and Kenmore. The road into town crossing the Mulwaree River had significant water ponding following the event.
Traffic lights on Lagoon Street (Sydney Road) were still working after the storm but when I stopped to take a photo of that fallen tree, I did note several residents were out looking at what had happened. There may have been some power failure in the area.
Pheasants Nest Storm
Following the Goulburn thunderstorms, I drove back towards Sydney and I was aware of another thunderstorm developing to the North West. I drove to a place called Pheasants Nest where I stopped to get a snack and watch what would happen. I took numerous photos of the approaching thunderstorm, cloud structure and colourations. The base of the storm and the colourations was eerie but interesting. I decided to stay and let it overtake me. However I experienced a deluge of rain, strong to gale force winds including some spectacular cloud to ground lightning strikes. The rain was exceptionally heavy and there was water ponding as well. There was no hail this time.
Following the storm at Pheasants Nest, I drove back into the storm heading north east towards Campbelltown and I was forced to drive as slow as 50 km/h as the rain was heavy. A bolt of lightning hit an RTA work light tower right in front of me shattering it. The fifth photograph shows the incoming storm at Pheasants Nest.
Harley Pearman
