Hi all
Long time away
Just to let some of you know we here are getting battered by a very dangerous storm here in the outer east:
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Victoria Regional Office
TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - MELBOURNE AREA
for DAMAGING WIND, FLASH FLOODING and LARGE HAILSTONES
For people in the Inner, South East, Eastern, Northern, Outer East and parts of the Western, Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip and Western Port Local Warning Areas.
Issued at 3:34 pm Saturday, 6 March 2010.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 3:35 pm, very dangerous thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Dandenong, Glen Waverley, Pakenham and Ringwood. These thunderstorms are moving towards the southeast. Very dangerous thunderstorms are forecast to affect South Pakenham, the area east of Mt Dandenong, the area east of Pakenham and the area northeast of Pakenham by 4:05 pm.
Other severe thunderstorms were located near Hurstbridge, the area north of Mt Macedon, the area northeast of Gisborne and the area west of Kilmore. They are forecast to affect Lilydale, Yarra Glen, the area east of Sunbury and the area west of Whittlesea by 4:05 pm and Craigieburn, Greensborough, Preston and Whittlesea by 4:35 pm.
Damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones are likely.
Reports of hail between 2cm and 5cm have reported from these thunderstorms in several suburbs including North Melbourne, Ascot Vale, Heathmont and Melton. Hail as big as 10cm has recently been reported in Ferntree Gully.
Wind gusts to around 100 km/hr have been recorded at Melbourne Airport.
Significant rainfall totals have been recorded in 15 to 30 minutes periods, including;
46mm at Maribyrnong
43mm at Rockbank,
40mm at Melton
33mm at Deer Park
32mm at Keilor
The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Keep clear of fallen power lines.
* secure any loose objects in the vicinity of your home.
* keep away from creeks and drains.
* do not drive vehicles through flooded areas.
* stay indoors if possible.
* Avoid using the phone during the storm.
* if you are outside, avoid sheltering under trees
* listen to the radio for storm updates
* switch off your computer and electrical appliances
The next warning is due to be issued by 4:35 pm.
A more general severe thunderstorm warning is also current for the Northern Country, North Central, Central and parts of the Mallee, Wimmera, West and South Gippsland and Western districts.
Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau's website at
www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 217. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.
I hope the reports are not true about Ferntree Gully (only 15 mins south of here), coz that would be baseball sized hail - and that size hail has not been recorded here in 27 years!!!
Its rumbling and teeming with rain at the moment - did see a short lived meso with the gust front come through about 3.20pm - will put some pics up later once I work out the link cable..
Peter J
(bunkered in my bedroom at the moment)
