Topic: NSW & QLD Storms and Rain 9-11 October 2008

[TroyVR]

Got these shots from the top of westfileds around 5:30 this afternoon looking west

[flipwx]

West/South West Sydney, 11th October 2008 - Storm photos

Hi all, chased west/SW Sydney today and got a few nice pulsey storms, nothing amazing but no complaints from me!

Photos as follows

Towards Greendale with outflow feature developing
      

Base towards Camden
      

Storm over Narellan
      

and this....    
   
Lonely bus driver

[Jimmy Deguara]

Michael,

Your comment about the outflow boundaries yesterday is an ineteresting point as that is exactly enhanced development and severity in the storms we intercepted yesterday. I had to travel a substantial distance before I was satisfied I was in the correct area for such an environment. This turned out to be near the Great Dividing Range.

And this was the same today. Although much weaker, I remained between Gilgandra and Dubbo for over an hour after having fulfilled the Warrumbungles component of our journey. I watched as westerly winds and warmer air puched updrafts higher than others had. I intercepted the storm in time to observe heavy rain and some splatters of no more than pea sized hail. The shear ensured that the storms were not long lived at all.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[David C]

and this....    
   
Lonely bus driver

rofl, best mammatus I have seen in a long time!

[Peter J]

Phillip BJ,

Great to know there is more than one of us out there - happy bus driving!!

Big Pete

[Shaun Galman]

Hi all,

I can now confirm the rain totals for the 10th Oct. storm that were received 40k's out to our west at Grawin and the surrounding opal fields were all around 38mm and some hail was reported. I heard from a reliable friend that was traveling back from Walgett at the time of the large storm (7pm-ish) had run into hail up to 2-3cm in diameter (or "golf ball size" as she told us) Seems the intense cold winds flowing towards the rain core, that we felt at the time, were producing good hail out between Walgett and here that I definitely wish I could have seen!

Take care,
Shauno

[Harley Pearman]

Saturday afternoon western Sydney storm

Hopefully a friend will be able to show me how to add my photos shortly.

Anyway the western Sydney thunderstorm spent itself out once it reached Blacktown but I was amazed given the environment that it held together for around 2 hours.

I went up to a lookout not far from where I live and photographed the storm during its strongest phase. I panicked a little after a bolt of lighting originated from the anvil and hit the ground ahead of the storm in clear sky not too far from where I was standing. There were two of these lightning strikes which originated from the anvil with the lightning hitting the ground ahead of the storm.

I did not expect that behaviour from this thunderstorm. As I was so exposed on a hillslope and near tall trees, I sat down and waited several minutes before moving to relative safety.

Lightning is dangerous and even a typical convective afternoon storm like the one we had can produce lightning strikes that reach the ground in clear sky ahead of the storm.

There were several other cloud to ground strikes and within cloud lightning and it was interesting to watch the rain shaft remain separate from the base and updraft tower which remained at the western side of the storm cell. It was only towards sunset when the storm became outflow dominant that the storm died.

It eventually produced a light shower where I live with rainfalls of around 1 to 2 mm but higher rainfalls further south where the storm had greater impact. There was no hail or gusty winds where I live.

Harley Pearman

[Brad Hannon]

These photos were sent to us this morning from Mel in Brisbane - taken on 9th Oct:

These pictures are from Brisbane and occurred about 3ks from the CBD. It was the first time I have witnessed something like this before. It was a real eye opener as me and my hubby and 3 children in the car watched this from the start to when it actually touched down. Once it had touched down it seemed to fizzle out and disappear immediately. The photos are not real good quality as they were taken on our mobile phone camera. I was a little shaken by the event as I dread to think what may have happened had it not fizzle out like it did. It was eerie. My hubby usually likes watching storms and even this shook him up a bit. We saw it being born and touch down on the ground and we can't believe it just vanished like that - we were really shaky from it.

Hi Michael,

Do you know anymore detail about the storm and structure that this funnel eminated from.  Its hard to tell from the pics but I'm assuming the funnel wasnt born from a meso-developed wallcloud but rather a outflow/gustfront feature - would this be right?  Ignoring the obvious flaws of a phone-camera image, I really like the 3rd photo.  Are there any more pics or discussion on this particular event that I have missed? Finally, and not to be disparaging to Mel from Bris but is anyone aware of any other confirmations of a touch down?

Brad

[Mel]

Just replying to Brad's comment.I was the person that took those photo's of the Tornado.I don't know a lot about the in and outs of storm cells etc.However when this formed there was no lightning and thunder etc.The clouds were moving quite quickly.As a witness to this,I can say it just formed out of nowhere.It started of really small(at first we thought it was just smoke)then it got bigger and bigger.I don't even know if it could be rated on the Fujita Scale as the moment it touched the ground it just seemed to have fizzle out and vanish(there was some debris flying around but mainly grass,as where it formed was a flat area)I am not from Brisbane so I don't know the area very well but I know it was approximately 3 kms from the CBD.It was my first ever experience of watching something like this.Although Tornadoes are quite common in this area of Australia,I have witnessed quite a few tear through this region,but as mentioned I have never seen one form.All i know is that is was quite an experience.I think this area(South East Queensland) is a mecca for tornadoes.I am not even a storm chaser but thought it worth capturing.

[Michael Bath]

Thanks for the extra info Mel. Certainly worth capturing - you were lucky to see it Lots of other people must of seen it too given the location.

Here's the radar at the time of the tornado. I've also included the Brisbane sounding which reveals a good lapse rate in the lower 2km, decent low level moisture and dry air in the mid levels. Not surprising there was congesting cumulus and low topped storms/showers. I've often seen that sort of profile produce waterspouts. Interesting this one managed to form over land and touch down.

---> Brisbane radar loop

[Mel]

Yes I do think others must have seen it as i stopped dead in the middle of the road,I was trying to figure out what direction it was going to take and what way should i drive as it was really close to us and i didn't like the idea of being sucked into it.(I was in total awe of the whole event) and no one beeped their horns at me.....There was a lot of workmen on that road at the time also so surely some of them must have seen something.I would be very surprised if no one else witnessed it.

Thanks for the information also, it has been a good learning experience...

[Brad Hannon]

Thanks for the reply Mel and the data Michael.  An interesting event and a case of being in the right place at the right time Mel - depending on which way your nerves go    Certainly worth posting about on the forum.

[Michael Bath]

Mel has sent in two more photos of the tornado taken on another mobile phone - thanks Mel !

Click for larger view.

[Shaun Galman]

Hi Michael,
These amazing shots of Mel's might be worth posting in the Non Supercellular Tornados thread at some point for further discussion :D

Kindest regards,
Shauno