Heat Waves

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Tropical cyclones, heat waves, storms and snow! January 2010

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

As two tropical cyclone warnings are issued up north – Tropical Cyclone Magda and now ex-tropical cyclone Neville – in contrast heat waves and scorching the south of the continentSydney’s west experiencing 3 consecutive days of 40C or higher temperatures. Lucky the recent rains have made the forests and fields green again that bushfires are not a major threat.

And then of course snow fell during a brief cold snap that passed over southern Australia namely Victoria and southern NSW producing snow over the highlands of the Snowy Mountains. What a month. Now back to the 40C heat!

Incidently, following the two severe storm events prior to Christmas including the Singleton hailstorm, early January was an active period for severe thunderstorms with a few explosive thunderstorm events intercepted.

Jimmy

Explosive updraft and overshooting top lower Blue Mountains January 5th 2010

Explosive updraft and overshooting top lower Blue Mountains January 5th 2010Base with wall cloud January 5th 2010

Deep convection - this severe pulse storm kept rising January 10th 2010

Deep convection - this severe pulse storm kept rising January 10th 2010

Explosive updrafts lower Hunter Valley from outflow of Putty pulse storm January 10th 2010

Explosive updrafts lower Hunter Valley from outflow of Putty pulse storm January 10th 2010

Base of exploding storm headed for Jerrys Plains January 10th 2010

Base of exploding storm headed for Jerrys Plains January 10th 2010

Inflow characteristics and intense lightning were characteristic of this storm
Surprise supercell developing in deep layer shear January 14th 2010
Wall cloud under severe supercell near Walcha - January 14th 2010

Wall cloud under severe supercell near Walcha - January 14th 2010

December heat wave and bushfire weather return

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Bushfires and extreme heat have surprisingly returned. It certainly amazes me how low temperatures over western Queensland a week ago and also parts of the Northern Territory have once again allowed for the heat trough and ridge to set in extending to coastal NSW once again. Furthmore, the wet season has barely made any impact on the Northern Territory or over most parts of northern Australia for that matter! The latest models consistently show extreme heat covering at least a quarter of the continent over  the interior. Basically, this excessive heat must give way to an extensive monsoonal trough and ample rainfall as well as an extensive tropical cyclone season.

Jimmy

Heat wave conditions November 2009

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

It is incredible that we have almost repeated the heat wave conditions Victoria experienced earlier this year which produced the catastrophic bushfires. With 850hPa temperatures of 26 to 28C over the next few days, temperatures are sure to rise into the mid-40’s. Given it is still officially late spring, this is record breaking conditions. Drought conditions continue right across the region and with the heat, we have potentially near catastrophic bushfire conditions with the index nearing 100.

I note that you were able to experience an incredible lightning display Wednesday night.

Jimmy