Stormplanet by David C Simpson - April 29th 2004 Storm Chase Special Report

T a k i n g A u s t r a l i a b y S t o r m !
Thunderstorms ~ Storm Chasing ~ Severe Australian Weather ~ Media

...from Aussie Storm Chaser David Simpson ~ Melbourne Australia

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STORMPLANET - Severe Event Reports

Saturday September 11th 2004
Victoria.

Video | Radar, MSL & Satellite Loops | Observations Table |

Firstly, here's an interesting rainfall summary courtesy BOM for Victoria, w/e 11th September:

Click on any image to enlarge.

A cold front swept through Victoria today, bringing hail, snow and squalls from thunderstorms across many Victorian districts and leaving behind a pool of very cold and unstable air over Victoria.

At 1700hrs I drove to Monbulk and took Invermay Road up the eastern side (leeward side) of Mt Dandenong into the back of Olinda. As soon as I commenced up Invermay Rd I encountered sleet, small hail, graupel and a flang (close lightning therefore immediate thunder) that shook the car! By the time I reached the outer eastern side of Olinda the ground was quite white with small hail & some melting snow in a thin layer.

Road & roadside approaching Olinda.(1st image is a video still)

I continued on into the Olinda township and headed towards the observation area on top of the mountain, as precipitation subsided and light rain fell. The fog was very dense with visibility less than 100m. Unfortunately the road to the observation area was closed due to road works so I headed back into the township, but on the way back rain turned to snow and some nice large flakes fell before reverting to rain again. Once I reached Olinda it started snowing again and I pulled up near the Olinda Football Club ground to film and photograph what was now a constant falling of snow.

Above: Snow falls Olinda/Monbulk Rd at the football ground (video stills)
Below: Digital images from football ground and Observatory Rd.

I moved a little further east and pulled up at the Olinda Golf Club where the snow was now falling quite heavily. Air temperature measured at 1.5°C.

Above: Olinda Golf Club (video stills)
Below: Fairways under a thin layer of snow (digital image)

The interesting observation I made this evening was that the snow fell on the leeward (eastern) side of Mt Dandenong. Localised convergence pattern and geography are the likely answer, and with Olinda at around 450m ASL this was an early Spring day that I won't forget in a hurry!

Radar & satellite loops & MSL charts courtesy BOM. Click to view animations.

Video compile as per report above 6.7mb

Mt Dandenong Observations courtesy Weatherzone.

Date & Time Wind Sp Gust Temp DP RH Rain>0900

Sun 12/09 00:00 W 5 9 1.0 0.7 98 19.6

Sun 12/09 00:00 WSW 5 9 1.0 0.7 98 -

Sat 11/09 23:49 WSW 6 11 0.9 0.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 23:39 SW 6 10 0.9 0.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 23:30 SSW 6 11 0.9 0.6 98 19.4

Sat 11/09 23:29 SSW 6 11 0.9 0.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 23:19 SSW 8 13 0.8 0.6 99 -

Sat 11/09 23:09 SSW 10 16 0.7 0.5 99 -

Sat 11/09 23:00 SSW 10 17 0.6 0.4 99 19.0

Sat 11/09 22:59 SSW 10 17 0.6 0.4 99 -

Sat 11/09 22:49 SW 8 16 0.7 0.5 99 -

Sat 11/09 22:39 SW 10 19 1.3 1.0 98 -

Sat 11/09 22:30 SW 11 23 1.8 1.5 98 18.4

Sat 11/09 22:29 WSW 11 23 1.8 1.5 98 -

Sat 11/09 22:19 W 8 17 1.9 1.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 22:10 WSW 11 19 1.9 1.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 22:00 W 10 20 1.8 1.5 98 18.4

Sat 11/09 21:59 W 11 20 1.8 1.5 98 -

Sat 11/09 21:49 W 9 17 1.7 1.4 98 -

Sat 11/09 21:39 WNW 10 16 1.9 1.7 99 -

Sat 11/09 21:30 WNW 9 17 2.0 1.8 99 17.2

Sat 11/09 21:29 WNW 9 17 2.0 1.8 99 -

Sat 11/09 21:19 WNW 10 18 2.0 1.8 99 -

Sat 11/09 21:09 WNW 11 20 2.0 1.7 98 -

Sat 11/09 21:00 WNW 9 15 1.9 1.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 21:00 WNW 9 15 1.9 1.6 98 17.2

Sat 11/09 20:49 WNW 9 15 2.0 1.7 98 -

Sat 11/09 20:39 NW 9 17 2.0 1.7 98 -

Sat 11/09 20:30 NW 7 14 2.1 1.8 98 16.4

Sat 11/09 20:29 NW 7 14 2.1 1.8 98 -

Sat 11/09 20:19 NW 7 14 2.2 1.9 98 -

Sat 11/09 20:09 WNW 9 17 2.1 1.9 99 -

Sat 11/09 20:00 WNW 10 18 2.1 1.8 98 16.0

Sat 11/09 19:59 WNW 10 18 2.1 1.8 98 -

Sat 11/09 19:50 WNW 8 16 2.0 1.8 99 -

Sat 11/09 19:39 WNW 7 13 2.0 1.7 98 -

Sat 11/09 19:30 WNW 8 15 2.0 1.8 99 15.4

Sat 11/09 19:29 WNW 8 15 2.0 1.8 99 -

Sat 11/09 19:19 W 7 13 1.9 1.7 99 -

Sat 11/09 19:09 W 6 14 1.8 1.5 98 -

Sat 11/09 19:00 W 6 11 1.7 1.4 98 14.8

Sat 11/09 18:59 WSW 6 11 1.7 1.4 98 -

Sat 11/09 18:49 WSW 6 10 1.6 1.3 98 -

Sat 11/09 18:39 SW 7 13 1.5 1.2 98 -

Sat 11/09 18:30 SW 8 16 1.5 1.2 98 14.2

Sat 11/09 18:29 SW 8 16 1.5 1.2 98 -

Sat 11/09 18:19 WSW 9 21 1.4 1.1 98 -

Sat 11/09 18:09 SW 8 17 1.1 0.7 97 -

Sat 11/09 18:00 WSW 9 17 0.9 0.5 97 13.4

Sat 11/09 18:00 WSW 8 17 0.9 0.5 97 -

Sat 11/09 17:49 WSW 10 23 1.0 0.6 97 -

Sat 11/09 17:39 WSW 9 18 1.2 0.6 96 -

Sat 11/09 17:30 W 6 13 1.3 0.8 96 12.0

Sat 11/09 17:30 W 6 13 1.3 0.8 96 -

Sat 11/09 17:19 W 7 14 1.9 1.2 95 -

Sat 11/09 17:09 NW 6 9 2.9 2.5 97 -

Sat 11/09 17:00 WNW 6 12 2.8 2.4 97 12.0

Sat 11/09 16:59 WNW 6 12 2.8 2.4 97 -

Sat 11/09 16:49 WNW 7 15 2.8 2.4 97 -

Sat 11/09 16:39 WNW 5 8 3.1 2.8 98 -

Sat 11/09 16:30 WNW 6 11 2.9 2.6 98 11.8

Sat 11/09 16:29 WNW 6 11 2.9 2.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 16:19 WNW 4 10 3.0 2.8 99 -

Sat 11/09 16:09 WNW 4 8 3.0 2.8 99 -

Sat 11/09 16:00 W 4 8 3.1 2.8 98 11.8

Sat 11/09 15:59 W 4 8 3.1 2.8 98 -

Sat 11/09 15:49 NW 3 7 3.2 2.9 98 -

Sat 11/09 15:39 WSW 5 7 2.9 2.6 98 -

Sat 11/09 15:30 WSW 4 9 3.1 2.9 99 11.8

Sat 11/09 15:29 WSW 4 9 3.1 2.9 99 -

Sat 11/09 15:19 SSW 5 10 3.4 3.1 98 -

Sat 11/09 15:09 SW 3 8 3.4 3.1 98 -

Sat 11/09 15:00 S 6 10 3.1 2.9 99 11.8

Sat 11/09 15:00 S 6 10 3.1 2.9 99 -