Topic: NSW/Qld Severe Hailstorms then Cold/Snow: 19 to 22 of October 2008

[Steven]

Very damaging cell over Byron Bay right now.

It does appear to have some sort of 'v-notch' on the latest scan??

[Carlos E]

Yeah I was thinking it looked a little like a Hook Echo, but I'm no expert.

Interesting.

[David C]

Nice mesocyclone couplet, right on the forward flank of the storm, appeared to go right right over Byron Bay. Probably a stout wind shift together with all the hail and rain would be all that one would notice on the ground.

[David C]

It it is a messy looking HP storm on radar from what I see guys; cant see any well developed v-notch and no hook. In saying that, given those base reflectivities it almost certainly is a dangerous storm producing very large giant hail and damaging winds.

[Michael Bath]

Been heaps of hail from SW of Lismore to Byron Bay - mostly up to 2cm diameter, but some bigger stuff around including at Lismore Heights where some isolated golf ball + managed to hit my wife's car and dent it. 2-3cm stones at my place at McLeans Ridges. The structure of the storm was pretty impressive - will put some pics up soon.

[jamesdumar]

i am in Inverell and a very energetic storm is on the way over the ridge right now

[nmoir]

this morning i made my way to Mt Lambie near Lithgow , melting snow was still about katoomba , blackheath and patchy 1cm depth around Mt Lambie , While i was there a CB dumped a heavy snow fall for about 20 mins at about 9am

my pic is at this link , also for your interest a few readers pix are also here from the hailstorms up north including some big ones at the orara valley

http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/2008/10/22/1224351311360.html

[Mike]

Nice thong in the gallery there, Nick.  Well done!    If it's not snowing, it's hailing in that part of the country...

[Michael Bath]

Some pics for this afternoon's chase. I was initially at Casino, then moved east of there as the hailstorm moved through. The most hail was at Clovass but there's a track of hail all the way to Byron Bay!

Storm really took off at this point - looking SSW from Casino:

12.30 EDT

Guster pics east of Casino - sure was close to the ground:





Then a stack of hail - only up to 2cm at this location:






All photos for 22nd October 2008

[Shaun Galman]

Hi guys,

MB: WOW! at those structure shots! My god what a beast! I guess a few of the storms out there today would have amazing structure. The storm that hit Byron Bay earlier on was well into the heavy end of the precip spectrum (on WZ radar) so I would believe large hail was abounds everywhere out there in those storms.
Was there much in the way of CG on the front edge or anvil? Seemed pretty darn active on the LT.

Sure has been an interesting day for the east coast NSW / south east QLD!

Cant wait to see everyone's reports and photos as they come in!
Take care,
Shauno

[Richary]

I have found NBN TV has video of it's news items online.

This is from yesterday's storm:

http://www.nbntv.com.au/index.php/2008/10/22/hail-damage-bananas-and-blueberries/

Unluckily nothing (yet) on the Northern Rivers section about today's storms.

[Harley Pearman]

A great set of photos of a storm in far west Brisbane 21/10/2008 can be found at:-

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/photogallery/2008/10/21/1224351246724.html

Apparently looking at the storey attached, it produced hail up to golf ball size around North Ipswich and west of Brisbane at Boonah with smaller hail at Enoggera and Newmarket to the north.

Additionally 15,000 homes were blacked at around this area and another 4,000 homes blacked out north of the city and Caboolture and Redcliffe. Also it is reported that 11,300 lightning strikes occurred.

Sydney 22/10/2008:

The 3 pm temperature reading was 14C in Sydney (City) 15C where I live with 17C at Penrith. In addition to some early snowfall at Katoomba, it was more akin to a cold winters day than what should be expected of mid spring. Considering it was 33C last Sunday, it is a noticeable drop.

At Auburn where I work, two afternoon shower cells (From cold weather cumulonimbus clouds) crossed the suburb, both bringing a burst of heavy rain accompanied by sudden cold squally southerly winds. There was no hail or thunder but the winds during both events were quite significant.

Harley Pearman

[Michael Bath]

It has been snowing already this afternoon at Guyra. The attached pic was emailed by Martha from the Guyra Argus newspaper. Looks like more would be falling there now.

The two other attachments are the photos taken 21st Oct in the Upper Orara Valley by Deborah Kay (added here in case they are removed from the SMH website over time)

That is some massive falling in the TV news item Richary - I saw it on NBN here this evening. Just a pity the giant hail footage is low quality mobile phone video.

Shauno - didn't see all that many CGs though there were a couple of close ones. There was a definite roar as the hail got close.


Radar for today's hailstorm:

---> Grafton radar loop

[Richary]

Harley - according to the TV news the coldest October day for 30 years. Had to drill some metalwork out for a job tomorrow so came home to do it in the garage as outside in the work carpark with the power drill didn't seem the best option this afternoon! Hope it calms down tomorrow, will be on top of one of the Harbour Bridge pylons doing an install. Roll on the forecast warmer weekend (with a chance of a storm on Sunday night).

Another one from last night where a house caught fire.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/lightning-sparks-house-fire/2008/10/22/1224351318578.html

[Steven]

Temperatures seem to be dropping dramatically with the SW change; 13.4 at Brisbane, 12.1 at Toowoomba, 9.9 at Warwick etc.

Combine this with the blustery gale, it will only make it feel colder. 

Brilliant shots Michael btw.