While most of North America
is feeling the grip of old man winter, down in the southern hemisphere
storm season is reaching its peak. I travelled to New South Wales
in Australia to meet up with local storm chaser Jimmy Deguara
and together we went after the thunderstorms that billow up in
the area north of Sydney. It was a challenge trying to forecast
and chase in the southern hemisphere since everything works backwards
compared to North America but it was a great learning experience
and we got to see some dramatic skies.
A heavy precipitation core is
a welcome thing in this drought stricken area.
Here's a sign I've never seen
while chasing in North America!
Storms starting to form over
higher elevation.
A billowing thunderstorm, just
getting started.
The road network here was not
very good. Sometimes even the gravel roads couldn't get us under
the storms.
Jimmy, surveying the sky and
watching the cloud motion to see where we should head next.
A large dust devil that was
kicked up near one of the thunderstorms.
Some swiftly rushing water alongside
one of the roads, nearby was a torrential downpour.
A lowering below cloud base
near a rural farm in New South Wales.
Just outside the "town"
of Collie: Population: 39.
The Warrenbungle mountains,
just outside of Coonabarabran.
A good view of a mature thunderstorm
as we approach.
Dust being kicked up by thunderstorm
outflow winds.