Perilous Times and Climate Change
Australia: Sydney on alert as severe storms sweep area
* Malcolm Holland
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* November 08, 2010 3:03PM
SYDNEY is set for an afternoon of lightning, thunder, driving rain and
possibly big hailstones as severe storms sweep into parts of the city
from the west.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a specific severe thunderstorm warning
for the city as it radars tracked storms crossing near Jamberoo and
Londonderry at 2.10pm.
"These thunderstorms are moving towards the east," the bureau said.
"They are forecast Hornsby, Parramatta and Richmond by 3:10 pm.
Sydney Airport, Sydney Olympic Park and Camden are expected to be hit
by the storms by 3:35 pm.
Severe thunderstorm warnings are also current for vast tracts of NSW,
including: the Hunter, Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands,
Southern Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes,
Snowy Mountains, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Tablelands and
parts of the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, North West Slopes and
Plains, Riverina, Lower Western and Upper Western districts.
Tom Saunders, Meteorologist at The Weather Channel, said storms are
again likely in Sydney tomorrow and Wednesday.
He said warm and humid northerly winds throughout the week will provide
ideal conditions for afternoon thunderstorm development in Sydney and
across the state.
Most of NSW should receive at least 5mm of rain from thunderstorms over
the next few days, but totals in excess of 50mm are possible from the
most intense storms, Mr Saunders said.
After a brief period of mostly dry weather on Thursday and Friday,
thunderstorms are again possible for inland parts of the state during
the weekend.