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Severe Multi-Cell Thunderstorm
Cavendish/Hamilton/Dunkeld region
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Throughout the 11th - 13th April a trough system moved through South Eastern Australia. On the night of the 11th several storms developed in eastern SA before dissipating just across the Victorian border. The following day, the 12th, began with the promise of more storms as the cloud had moved away. There was a lot of moisture in the middle levels due to ex TC Diane and increasingly colder upper levels. The BOM also suggested a weak short wave mid level trough, and this, combined with the very unstable mid and upper levels prompted them to suggest the possibility of severe storms in the Western District.
Towards late afternoon some surface convection did begin to happen to my east between Hamilton and Ballarat but what caught my attention was the growing area of black to my north west in the direction of Naracoorte. An hour earlier, before the radar had gone wind-finding, it appeared that some showers were forming near Naracoorte. Without radar I just observed the skies to the west and as it came closer it became increasingly black. To my eyes it looked like just a rain band with possible embedded storms within, but as it got closer radio static began, and then distant rumbles of thunder. A quick check of the radar back online confirmed a large slow moving thunderstorm just to my north. So I packed up and went chasing!
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Surface convection east of Hamilton
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The Storm approaching from the north west.
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As I neared Hamilton I could see Cg's pumping out in several places. Between Hamilton and Dunkeld torrential rain started to fall, forcing the cars to slow down to about 30km/h. Within minutes the highway was awash, I could not see the car in front of me, and lightning was going off every second. (of which 90% were Cgs) Smoke from a fire gave the sky an interesting glow to add to the surreal ness of it all. And it was SO DARK, it was as if the sun had gone down already.
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I struggled to find a place safe to pull off and there wasn't much I could do anyway if I did. Photos were useless - I really need to get a video camera!!! So I parked the car when I got to Dunkeld, spoke to a Jane O'Neill and Jono about the storm and what the radar showed. I suggested to Jane O'Neill that there should be a STA for the western district so she rang up the BOM, only to find out an STA had just been put out. The BOM were happy for the report though as it agreed with their predictions. A report from a BOM forecaster about the storm can be found HERE.
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Had to wait another 15 minutes before the storm passed as it was moving very slowly - hence the large rainfall. The roads were awash everywhere and flash flooding of drains, creeks, roadsides, etc were prevalent.
45mm fell at Cavendish (N of Hamilton), 28mm at Dunkeld (E of Hamilton), and 20mm fell at Hamilton AWS. I would suggest that much more than 45mm could have fallen in the area between Cavendish and Dunkeld as it is here where radar showed it was at its intensity. Although I did drive back home via that way and it didn't seem as wet as Dunkeld.
Not great photos, but I did experience one of the best storms I've been in and some unbelievable lightning!!
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All photos copyright Tim Eckert 2002
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Analysis chart and Victorian satellite pictures for 4pm and 7pm from Bureau of Meterology and The Weather Company.
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The multi-cell thunderstorm continued on its way after Dunkeld tracking SE over the Otways and out into Bass Strait. The 7pm sat pic and this CSIRO image shows the storm well. The BOM estimated the storm to be 12km high at this stage!
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