Category: Posts EN

Massive Hail Stones Slam Sydney Region!

Written by Team Morecast

 

A potent mix of high instability and strong upper level winds combined to produce severe thunderstorms from central into northeast New South Wales on Thursday afternoon and evening. These powerful boomers dropped hail up to 8 cm in diameter and larger along with high winds, leading to serious damage and thousands of power outages. It’s being called the worst hail storm in two decades for Sydney!

 

 

Several rounds of powerful storms moved across the Sydney metro between 4 pm and 8 pm AEDT. The radar animation above shows the intense cells. Radar echo reflectivity values were maxed out (the white spots in the center). There was also quite frequent cloud-to-ground lightning. Hailstones of 5-8 cm were reported in several areas, large enough to shatter windows and punch holes in roofs. Wind gusts of 110-140 kph knocked over trees and powerlines, resulting in tens of thousands of power outages. The storms are being compared to the infamous 1999 hail storm in Sydney that cost insurance carriers $1.7 billion in damage claims, the most expensive natural disaster in Australian history. Lead photo courtesy flickr user DM.

 

 

 

Dangerous Cyclone Owen Rolling Towards Cape York Peninsula!

Written by Team Morecast

 

Cyclone Owen has continue to intensify today as it moves slowly east across the Gulf of Carpentaria. Very warm water temperatures and low shear are helping Owen pick up steam. The cyclone is moving more slowly than anticipated, but destructive winds and rains will eventually reach the Cape York peninsula!

 

 

Owen is currently a category three cyclone and may reach category four status later on Friday. Landfall is now expected early on Saturday morning near Pormpuraaw and Kowanyawa. Near the landfall point and just inland, destructive winds are likely gusts exceeding 150 kph. Owen will weaken as it traverses northern Queensland. However, locally damaging winds and flooding rains will accompany the system as it passes near Cairns on the east coast.

 

 

Owen’s prospects from Sunday into early next week are in question. Some of the models suggest the storm will continue to move out over the Coral Sea. However, some keep the cyclone hugging the QLD coast. Obviously a track closer to the coast would increase the risk of significant winds and rains south of Townsville towards Rockhampton. We’ll keep watching and issue updates as needed.

Storms Wallop Eastern Australia As Tropical Faucet Opens Wide!

Written by Team Morecast

The combination of Tropical Cyclone Owen and a powerful upper low over the southeast has tapped into rich tropical moisture. This moisture has invaded much of eastern Australia, sparking widespread storm development. Flooding rains will continue to inundate many areas through the weekend.

Cyclone Owen continues to loiter over the southwest Gulf of Carpentaria. Meanwhile, an upper low has moved into the interior southeast. Strong northerly flow to the west of these systems is pulling tropical moisture from the Coral Sea south. This moisture is helping feed numerous storms across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. The strongest storms have mostly been over the interior so far where the best combination of tropical moisture and heat resides. You can see on the map below the concentration of lightning activity early Thursday afternoon over the interior. Lightning strike frequency is climbing past 120 strokes per minute!

 

 

Although locally damaging winds are a threat, the most common danger with these storms is torrential rainfall and flash flooding. Some of the heaviest amounts so far have been reported in the Alps of eastern Victoria, with rates exceeding 50 mm/hr. Our models suggest this long-ranging squall line will approach the NSW coast later this afternoon or evening, including Sydney and Newcastle.

Resurgent Cyclone Owen Threatens Queensland Coast!

Written by Team Morecast

 

The remnants of last week’s Coral Sea cyclone Owen have drifted into the Gulf of Carpentaria. Extremely warm waters there have allowed the system to reintensify. Now a major cyclone threatens the Cape York peninsula for the late week. After that, heavy rains and high winds could lash much of the eastern Queensland coast!

 

Sea surface temperatures up to 32 deg C reside over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Owen will continue to thrive in these bathtub-like conditions. The cyclone is drifting slowly west at this time, however a turn to the southeast will commence on Thursday. By Friday a violent cyclone is expected to bring wind gusts to 200 kph along the southwest gulf coast. Some weakening will occur after landfall, however Owen may eventually be able to tap into warm Coral Sea waters again. Model guidance indicates the storm will rake the eastern QLD coast with damaging wind gusts as high as 150 kph between Townsville and Fraser Island this weekend.

 

Owen’s interactions with a strong upper level trough over the southeast will enhance rainfall along the QLD coastal corridor for the next several days. Rainfall totals of 150-300 mm will be common in this region, leading to widespread flooding as far south as northeast New South Wales. Owen will finally dissipate by the Monday to Tuesday time frame next week.