Large storms had developed the last day or 2 in inland NSW due to a trough of low pressure. The trough had slowly moved eastwards and storms were likely. The morning screamed instability with a nice NE'ly, plenty of low level moisture, and large patches of blue sky ahead of the trough. A convergence line ran right down the ranges, and storms were expected throughout. The strength of the wind shear was not too good, but its amazing what can happen regardless! One of the significant features analysed after the event, was that of a mid level jet comming through the area, with a strength around 40 knots from the WSW. This with the 20 knot or so NE at the surface feeding into the storm (60 knots of directional shear), is sufficiant enough for supercells.

I killed time watching TV and then headed off to an internet cafe to check things out since my HDD packed it in. The Lifted Index was around -4 to the SW of Sydney on the AVN model. This is low, but considering the potential for thunderstorms I was surprised it was not a little lower. I had not seen any towers to the west because of a deep moisture haze on my way to check the internet, but I decided to load radar and was amazed to see storms had started firing in the last 30 minutes (it was now around 11.30am) on the ranges, in the pink and red on radar ! I amost ran out of the place and saw anvils developing to the west. I ran home, jumped in the car and was off. I could see 3 anvils, 1 to the SW, another West and another NW. I filled up the tank and hung around Penrith University (good lookout!) watching a small storm on the ranges moving NE before dissipating.

Massive towers were shooting up in the Hunter some were shooting up back in Sydney, and again along the western side of the ranges. Matt Pearce called telling me he could see a large storm to his S/SW. I could not see this from my location due to low level cloud from the weak storm on the ranges, but 10 minutes later it cleared and a massive thunderstorm with backsheared anvil could be seen and you could tell this was the biggest storm around by far. Towers were shooting up on the NW flank and I decided to drive towards this storm. The thing was absolutly massive and my heart was racing.

Heading South on The Northern Road towards Camden, a massive wall cloud became visible underneath a huge updraught!!! I was in awe at this stage watching this amazing sight. As I got closer it lifted back up to around cloud base level. I drove closer and pulled over just North of Camden, where a nice mesocyclone was rotating slowly, CG's were pulsating a few times each, and it was the blackest rain core I had ever seen. It was simlpy mind blowing, and the storm had "Do not come near me" written all over it. I was getting S/SW outflow winds (25 knots or so) from my location as well, which confused me a little.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST Issued at 16:25 on Friday the 3rd of November 2000

This warning affects people in the following Local Government Areas: SYDNEY METROPOLITAN. This warning is valid until 5:30 pm.

 

At 4:20 pm an active thunderstorm was located in the Horsley Park/Bankstown/Homebush area and moving towards the northeast and is expected to pass through Parramatta shortly and Hornsby during the next hour or so.

Hail large enough to damage cars and roofing, and rainfall heavy enough to cause local flooding were reported at Picton and Campbelltown about 3 pm and at Liverpool at 4 pm.

Large hailstones, very destructive winds and very heavy rainfall are expected to continue with these storms.

As the storm moved closer I retreated back up The Northern Road and onto Bringelly Road towards Liverpool. I could not get a good viewing spot along this road (tree's everywhere) so I turned back to TNR, keeping my eye on a storm that had developed on the ranges as well. Daniel Weatherhead called me saying he was getting 20C piece hail at Liverpool, and Andrew Godsman called me saying the storm was in the red and pink headed between Parramatta and the City, I decided to head towards the city as the storm was moving NE, I somehow got onto Mamre Road and finally onto the M4 heading east towards the City. As I was driving, rain started west of Parramatta and then it got torrential. Driving towards the storm from the west, you would have thought it was just heavy rain ahead, no cloud structure was visible at all. Everyone on the M4 had slowed down to a crawl, and this was mixed with very small hail. I was confused at this point, going by Andrew's radar observation, I was not expecting rain this heavy west of Parramatta.

Then in a matter of seconds it cleared, at this stage I knew exactly where I was within the storm, I had just driven through the rain wrapping around the wall cloud and mesocyclone which was just infront of me !!! A large funnel cloud ahead was almost touching the ground but I could not confirm, and could not see any debri. I pulled over, got a couple of photographs and then continued driving. Looking back.. I regret not turning around and looking west through what I had just driven through. It would have been an incredible sight of extremely heavy rain wrapping around the meso.

The wall cloud had now passed over the M4 and I continued driving, pointing the video camera to the left at the wall cloud.

There is speculation that there is debri in the captures below, but I am sure it is just rain drops on the windscreen as no damage was seen in that area.

The southern side of the hook echo was almost upon me, I kissed the view of the possible tornadoes, wall cloud and meso away, as a wall of rain and hail just over 2cm engulfed me. Many people pulled over and rode the storm out at this point. A couple of suburbs south (Fairfield etc) of this location were blanketed in hail which resembled a snow scene. Daniel Weatherhead called me at this stage, telling me he has just heard reports on ABC radio of debri being sucked up into the air and funnel clouds over Greystanes, and I told him I just took photos and video of the funnel from the M4. After the rain had eased off I tried to continue North but it was no use. Traffic lights were out everywhere, traffic was banking up, and the storm had moved up over the northern side of Sydney. I met up with Max and Malcolm, Max left for Parkes and myself and Malcolm looked for a damage path somewhere in the Greystanes area, as that is where reports on the radio of debri being lifted up in the air came from. We came across a damage track, with large gum tree's snapped off near the base large branches down, tiles off roof's in the area, and general wind damage around F1. (Refer to Malcolms link at the top of this report to view pictures of the damage!!)

After sunset we went back to Malcolm's house and looked at some radar and read a few emails, we went and had some dinner and then we went home calling it a day, and what a great one it was!

3 confirmed tornadoes, 2 F0 and an F1, all within the Greystanes/Pendle Hill/Wentworthville area. Hail size ranging from golf ball to possibly cricket ball size.

Thanks to Daniel Weatherhead, Malcolm Ninnes, Matt Pearce and Andrew Godsman and Nathan Howes who was in Sydney from WA for updates. Supercells also developed today in the Hunter, and possibly one near Nowra south of Sydney. This was the start of a massive thunderstorm outbreak that would last till November 7, moving into NE NSW and SE QLD.