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Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

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Meso
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Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Meso »

Well, what can I say, was certainly a memorable day for me. So apologies in advance for the long post. Just skip to the pics, if you want...I will probably ramble on a bit.

So began the day by waiting for storms pop up on radar as I had no idea where to target with all the uncertainty surrounding today's events or if there was even going to be any.

Once I saw the line develop out towards Horsham, I decided Newbridge area would be my best bet for an intercept. Almost made it to Newbridge when I was confronted with a wall of grey cloud with the odd CG darting out. As I couldn't make out any structure whatsoever and with the reports of hail from earlier in the day echoing in the back of my mind, I decided against punching through to see what I could find.

So, did a U-turn and headed back towards the Calder Hwy with the plan of pulling in to one of my favorite side road viewing areas between Marong and Bridgewater. As I got within about 2 or 3km's of my destination, I could make out some distinct low hanging cloud, but the trees lining the Highway meant I was only catching the occasional glimpse of it, so I really didn't know what I was in for...updraft base, guster, wall cloud?

Anyway, turned out to be what looked like a pretty standard gust front, but as it slowly boar down on me, this thing looked mean as hell! After about ten minutes of firing off photos, I was struck with massive outflow winds that nearly knocked me over and left me in no doubt that this thing meant business, so it was time to get out of there!

Usually in this situation, I would do the stupid thing and try outrun the storm back to Bendigo, which never turns out as planned! So, I tried something different and darted around the NE side of it and headed towards Bridgewater, which in the end saved me from get annihilated with hail and gave me a beautiful view of the back side of it as it headed east.

After soaking that up for a while and giving it time to get far enough ahead of me, so I wouldn't catch up to the core, I headed for home. I reach somewhere around Derby about 10km's north Marong and I am greeted with sheets of hail and leaf litter strewn everywhere, so of course, jumped out for more photos! Hail was roughly $2 coin size, but by my estimates would have been sitting there for close to 30 minutes before I came across it, so who knows how big they were before they begun to melt.

After that I'm thinking can this day get anymore crazy? As I got closer to Marong, the hail was piled up like snow and completely covering the roads, no lines visible, nothing. Unfortunately I couldn't get out for any photos of the hail there cause it was just way too slippery and getting pretty hazardous...they even had a cop car out there with a little warning thing on top of it! Well done to them for being on top of it.

And here are the photos, in the order things happened basically...

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Been waiting ages to get a photo like this, massive storm isolated against blue sky. You can see the towers feeding it on the left.

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Overshooting top...?

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Last edited by Meso on Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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daviescr
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by daviescr »

WOW! Meso, what a stunning report, thank you for sharing. Some amazing pictures there (as always), particularly the 5th or 6th one with that mean looking wall cloud. Superb work. I love how several people completely wrote today off - and we get this ImageImageImage
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by AUSSKY »

Great report!!! Love your photos...thanks for posting

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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Hamlan »

Great stuff Greg. We were also on the cell in your last pics and also came across the amazing hail drifts north of Marong you described - simply incredible! BTW I think there is some structure more than just a guster in a few of your pics.
Tail end charlie certainly put on a show for us over near Elmore that's for sure.

I'll post a pic or two soon.
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Twister »

FANTASTIC stuff Mate love the pis what a storm looks unreal so poured I wasn't up there looks great Lots of hail and tree litter Beast of a storm.

Great job hopefully round 2 tomorrow
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Hamlan »

Here are my chase pics from Saturday.

First few taken near Ballarat earlier in the day.

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Hail drifts near Marong like i've never seen before in Australia! Up to 6inches deep on the road and covering fields as far as I could see at times.

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Stalking Tail-end Charlie near Elmore

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The cell simply refused to die, the remnants finally transformed into an LP and continued to persist with rotation overhead near Rochester.

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Meso
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Meso »

Great stuff, Mate!

Those hail pics are pretty much what I saw further up the road, but didn't get out for pics. Amazing sight to see.
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Pete »

Great photos guys! Love those shots of the shelf and those crisp cumulus. :D
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by rikjpool »

May as well chuck mine in here as well.... no report as it was a dash down the road to get the pics...



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And the back end of the line.
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I live in a world where I dont see to believe, but I believe to see...
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Meso »

Gotta be happy with the first one Rikki, considering it was just a dash down the road job!
Hamlan » Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:10 am wrote:
Hamlan wrote:BTW I think there is some structure more than just a guster in a few of your pics.
Care to elaborate?

And does anyone know where I can get a radar archive for Saturday. Theweatherchaser.com doesn't seem to be working right...has no rain for Saturday? :?
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by daviescr »

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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Meso »

Yeah, dates are messed up for me tho. Has the storms going through Friday night.
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by greensyboy »

Well, I'll do a quick report from my experiences yesterday - somewhat of a bust. Enjoyed the drive at least!

Started from Mitcham about 2pm, got through the city, all the while watching some mid-level convection over the bay and eastern suburbs. Was watching the radar the whole time and saw some very light radar returns from Geelong way and out past Ararat. I figured the more severe storms would be inland provided they got started, so headed up to Ballarat. Got on the Western and the entire way I could see convection to my left (south to what I'm guessing was the seabreeze convergence) 45 minutes out to Ballarat the entire way I could see them going up but not getting past the mid layers. Couldn't see too much on radar either. I snapped the one cell I thought had potential at about 15:40:

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Main Geelong Cell by mrskeggster, on Flickr

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Updraft by mrskeggster, on Flickr

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Anvil Developing by mrskeggster, on Flickr


To me the Anvil didn't look particularly strong, plus the updraft was about the same as I had been seeing the previous 45 minutes. I figured I try and head to Ararat, see if there was anything developing out there. Ended up getting to the other side of Ballarat on the plains and could see nothing as far as the eye could see. Little bit of upper instability but nothing to write home about. Checked in the rear view mirror and saw some major pileus over some of the updrafts of the Geelong cell. Checked the forum and saw everyone else seeing a whole bunch of nothing out this way so I thought I'd go after the Geelong Cell.

Radar from that time:
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From there it began to look pretty organised, nice strong anvil, strong rear updraft. Had a couple of photo ops but I only have a crappy digital camera and thought against it (in hindsight probably should've). Half an hour after making the decision to chase that one I was barely on the other side of Ballarat down the Midland Highway. 15 minutes later with the cell passing over the bay I thought going to Geelong would be just wasting petrol so I head home using back country roads through the Brisbane Ranges (which was quite lovely).


So it was an ok day, nice to get out for a drive. My main question was what happened with all the inland instability? GFS (stormcast) and BOM had major chance of severe thunderstorms out that way (quite large area). I understand the instability was there - no trigger though? Seems johnno takes the cake for his call:
Can't see any severe activity my way Today the Northelies are well established so any storm that may develop will develop near Geelong or Southern part of the Bay, Most activity will be in the SW near and just ahead of the trough especially western border areas Today and less likely further East you go unless your near the ranges. The storms in the West may tend to a band of rain with embedded thunderstorms for Central areas Overnight as the change approaches but I see little activity this way in a radius of 30ks around me Today but would like to be wrong. In saying this where the storms do develop they should be nasty temps will go 2-3c above forecasted (away from the seabreeze)
In this situation were the models picking up on only the instability and not the presence of a trigger? In which case is that something to beware of in the future.

There was also mention of dry air from Mt Gambier that morning coming through, I did notice before I left DP in Mitcham drop from 15 to 12. In hindsight probably should've checked that a little more closely as well!

At the very least it was good to get out for a "first chase". Broken that mental block/excuses of "I never have time" or "it's too far". Will definitely look at getting out again before the season is out. If anyone needs a chase partner feel free to PM me!
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Tornado »

Coming home from Shepparton on Saturday evening after waiting for Sis to pop out a baby (Finally did so around 8:30pm); I saw the storm that Bendgo copped on radar, so headed towards Colbinabbin.
Anyway, all I had on board was my point & shoot camera, so I filmed this at about 6:50pm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFRbX8K8khA

Have purchased a HD camera today, so will be filming a lot more (I hope) this Spring/Summer.

What editing software does everyone use?
He strolls up to the twister, and he says, *have a drink*. And he chucks the bottle into the twister, and it never hits the ground.
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Meso »

Nice. Any damage to the car?
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Tornado »

lol.
I thought there would be, but all good. (So glad my new VE was getting serviced)!
He strolls up to the twister, and he says, *have a drink*. And he chucks the bottle into the twister, and it never hits the ground.
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Re: Severe Thunderstorms - October 22-23, 2011

Post by Meso »

greensyboy » Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:28 am wrote:
greensyboy wrote:At the very least it was good to get out for a "first chase". Broken that mental block/excuses of "I never have time" or "it's too far". Will definitely look at getting out again before the season is out. If anyone needs a chase partner feel free to PM me!
Get out as much as you can, mate. Trust me, once you get up close and personal with one, you won't be able to stop!
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