Topic: NSW / SE QLD Rain and Storms: 26-28 March, 2008

[Steven]

Oh no! what a lumpy rainy mess we're getting at the moment, got distracted by some rolling thunder a bit earlier, of course the -4 LIs are responsible for the more isolated and intense cells down south (where here it's only -1), I am very eager to hear any reports that come in from these areas. The updrafts and structure would of been amazing!

[Richary]

Thanks for the radar loop. Quite a widespread system. Thought with those rainfall figures it would have been more intense and localised.

Had a severe storm warning here earlier for a cell near Bargo, but looking at the radar it broke up fairly quickly with the highest fall being 10mm at Mittagong or Moss Vale. Nothing visible from this part of Sydney though. Reports on the radio of hail at Pheasants Nest.

[Dhanishta]

Just wanted to report that there has been some moderate rain around the Mt Warning area in the last half hour and that an active storm is moving in now. Dont know if it will be severe or not but will let you know if it is.

[Michael Bath]

Just been taking some lightning pics over your area though it has stopped now and was a bit distant from my location.


There have been reports of very heavy rainfall and a lot of hail from the Nambucca Heads storm this afternoon - the radar signature is quite impressive:

---> Grafton radar 28/3


And yesterday's storms (27th March) in the same region made the Prime and NBN news this evening. It was pleasing to hear the event just north of Woolgoolga described as a microburst. Hail was also reported but no size given. The damage shown did agree with that assessment. Note the intense storm on this loop around 0600UTC (5pm local time)


---> Grafton radar 27/3

Michael

[enak_12]

Damn 2 big storms in a row near Coffs but I couldn't chase either, I have my P's now but not my own car. I took some photo's of a storm that came directly over Coffs on the 27'th it looked ok on approach but rapidly turned to just a thundery shower by the time it got to me. I couldn't get any structure shots of the Woolgoolga and Nambucca storms was way to much junk cloud in the way.

Storm on the 27'th:

[Richary]

Hadn't heard about the Coffs area storms but just got an email from a friend at Woolgoolga that included this....


I thought I imagined seeing a twister looking thing out west in the sky and the sky went green, deep green before it hit. Pulled all the plugs this time. Mullaway and Corindi got belted. Mullaway looks like a war zone. There is a complete roof in the trees on the western side of the highway that must have blown 200+ metres and stopped short of landin on cars doing 100 ks!  Lucky for me a lady told me to drive on the pavement because there was live a wire hanging on my side of the road, otherwise I wouldn't have known. Some places are stil without power tonight. Woopi was fine though, just heavy rain etc.

[Michael Bath]

A newspaper article about events on Thurs 27th March


The Coffs Coast Advocate

Storm fury!
March 29, 2008

By KUE DAVIS

MULLAWAY and Arrawarra looked like a scene out of the natural disaster film 'Twister' yesterday morning, after a freak storm hit the area on Thursday evening.

The fury - which has been described by some as a mini tornado - lasted all of about 15 minutes, but in that time ripped roofs from houses, smashed trees into cars, tore gardens from their beds, threw debris across roads and caused widespread power outages.

Dal Phoonie, who resides in Woolgoolga but owns a property on the western side of the highway at Mullaway, lost the roof of his Mullaway property.

"The whole roof was blown off - it landed only 15 or 20 metres from the highway. Luckily the trees were there and stopped it - there would have been a roof in the middle of the highway."

Luckily, the house was unoccupied.

"I got a phone call from the lady next door. We rent the property out - there was no-one there," Mr Phoonie said.
Unfortunately, his story was not unique.

Several residents sustained damage to houses and garages, mainly from trees.

Mr Phoonie was astonished at the strength and speed of the storm.

"Dad left at about 5.15pm, and I was back here at 5.25pm and it had all happened."

The SES were kept bust, with 36 calls before midnight on Thursday, which grew to 50 as daylight showed the extent of the damage.

"Most of the calls were for tress on houses and cars, roofs off houses," Coffs Harbour City SES local controller, Bob White, said.

"On Thursday night we had three crews working; one from Corindi and two from Coffs. Today (yesterday) we'll have four; one from Corindi and Coffs and two from Grafton."

[Rodney Wallbridge]

Gyday all, just a lovely sunset piccy i took on friday.While watching and hoping for a storm to show up.Some random flashes to the north and some out offshore later on.Still waiting for that final Hoorah of the non existant summer storm seasion.
 

[Richary]

I sent that Coffs Coast Advocate link to my friend at Woolgoogla. Got this back....

"The pic you sent in the paper was a very tame one. The damage was much worse in behind that area. roads were covered with trees, completely uprooted, power lines down and some demolished buildings. Strange that the paper only showed that one on line. Across the road from that petrol station is where the roof is hanging in a tree above the highway, hope they've moved it by now."

I will ask her if it was in a narrow band as would be indicated by a possible tornado.

[enak_12]

I have the paper articles with me still. I will scan all the photos tomorrow if you want to look at them all?

[Richary]

I have the paper articles with me still. I will scan all the photos tomorrow if you want to look at them all?

If they show more info that the online link, definitely would be interested.

This sounds like it might have been a quite severe event over a small area. Certainly suggests a microbust or small tornado from what I have heard (rather than seen). The descriptions she posted were even more severe than the newspaper article.

The event got no coverage on the Sydney media that I saw. My friend at Woopi while not a weather buff has an interest in storms (purely from watching and she is in a great spot there to do so). If she says she witnessed something that looked like a twister I would be quite inclined to believe her pending a phone call to try and specify exactly how much rotation etc she saw.

It's the same person I mentioned a while ago who got the gound effect shock from a close lightning strike at home. She is very switched on and wouldn't make things up. Very down to earth grounded person though you wouldn't always believe it when you first meet her.

[Peter J]

Still waiting for that final Hoorah of the non existant summer storm season.

Rodney, don't be surprised if it does come on Wed night or Thursday when the vigorous cold front pushes thru Vic and S NSW. There is some instability attached to it, and high winds as well.

Big Pete

[Michael Bath]

Yes - please post the pics Kane.
Richary - where/what is Woopi ?

MB

[enak_12]

Ok heres all the photos from the paper including the front page. (Michael Woopi is just a nickname for Woolgoolga area)







Nambucca Storm:

[enak_12]

Oops forgot this one. Now just filling in the minimum ten word requirement lol.