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STORMPLANET - Severe Event Reports
Storm Chase!! A large cloud band stretching from the NT to the southeast was forming in a broad trough, generating widespread showers and thunderstorms throughout SE Australia. In western and some central areas of the state, dew points and surface humidity levels were very high with favourable shear and high levels of instability. Surface temps were forecast in the 30's and my maximum recorded temperature for the day was 36.5°C. By 0930hrs the first severe Thunderstorm Advice was issued for the Wimmera & Mallee districts, pre-empted by a large thunderstorm near Naracoorte. The trough that was expected to cross Victoria's western border in the late afternoon was moving very slowly thus having the potential of spawning severe storms with flash flooding and very high winds. The CAP was fairly strong and was not going to break until mid-late afternoon, which is what did occur in most western areas. Thanks to Karl Lijnders for his SMS updates & Andrew McDonald for his updates from the SA/Vic border, where it really got exciting! Timeline
1125hrs:
Stopped to film and photograph some
Lenticular clouds, certainly didn't expect to see these today, mostly
scattered to the north and east. Temperature now 36°C:
Stopped 75km east of Horsham near Marnoo.
Some Cumulus development to the west and south over the Grampians,
strong shear and cap means that most updrafts blow over but the odd cell
seems to penetrate the cap, a promising sign:
Set myself up 30km east of Horsham near
Rupanyup, an ideal location to wait and see how things progress, hoping
for the cap to break in the area. Cu development to my NW and West
indicates that I may be in a good area for some explosive development
soon, although it's looking more likely that the cap will break later
than I had anticipated. It is 36°C with a 10-15kt wind from the north.
Humidity (& flies) remain top of mind!
A couple of cells have broken the cap over
the Grampians, no doubt aided by orographic lift. Another storm also
passes to my north with a nicely contrasted precipitation base. Radio
static indicates a lot of lightning in the area, but only a few CG's seen
from this cell. First decent storm now builds to my NW, audible thunder and some CG's. Base wrapped in rain and probably with some hail too. This cell is moving towards me but ends up passing just slightly north, giving me some heavy rain for just a few minutes and some nice photo opportunities. By now there are a line of storms moving SE and located to my north and NE. All have heavy rain bases with probable hail, they pulse and whilst most have anvil tops there is little impressive structure and no signs of rotation.
Cells continue to develop nearby but many weaken or pulse out only to strengthen further SE. I decide to work my way back towards Melbourne, although the action was further NW it's a week night and unfortunately I have to work the next day! At around 2000hrs some nice mammatus is viewed near Newbridge and around midnight I stop near Kyneton to watch a terrific lightning show to my South, West & North as some storms move towards Melbourne. Most of the CG's were too far away to photograph or capture well but a few are shown in this short video clip.
The day was rewarding for the interesting
pulse storms that moved through and the exciting anticipation during the
day with such high temps, DP's, RH & favourable shear was a terrific
experience. Had it been a weekend I would have been amongst far more
severe weather further west and NW however as usual, much was again
learned on this trip, to be applied at the next!
12Z Melbourne Sounding
1.
A few lightning CG's captured, most were too far away to capture.
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T a k i n g A u s t r a l i a b y
S t o r m ! 
