Western Sydney Supercell 9 December 2007 (Fifth year anniversary)

Now that we are coming into December 2012, it is considered to be a great opportunity to remember a weather event that occurred 5 years ago on Sunday afternoon December 9 2007. Its now the fifth year anniversary of that thunderstorm that saw large hailstones fall from Blacktown to Baulkham Hills. It is a good opportunity to provide images and stories of what occurred.

For me, I knew a weather event would take place that day so early afternoon, I went up to a lookout at Bella Vista and watched the storm event unfold. That lookout gave great views across Blacktown to the Blue Mountains. I watched the storm come off the lower Blue Mountains and track towards me. As it was, the storm base and the hail core passed right over me.

I remember being amazed at holding large hailstones in my hand. There was not allot of lightning flashes or thunderclaps but big thunderclaps were heard earlier. That storm caused some $460 million worth of damage and looking at the Bureau of Meteorology website, hailstones of 7 to 8 cm occurred at the peak of the storm although there is a report of a hailstone to 11 cm at Cherrybrook which has never been proven. Hence that is doubtful.

One funny thing about this event, I parked my Council car under a tree. That tree had much of its foilage stripped and I had a small number of minor hail dimples across the roof. I reported it but two days later, the car was sold and I received my new car.

Please feel free to add to this post and remember the anniversary of the event.

This storm produced substantial hail where I was as shown.

The storm passes to the NE. It began to weaken as it continued to the north east.

I deliberately post a larger version of my first photo to show the base and lowering as it came towards me so one can see the structure of the base for any comment. Also in my second photo of the base (Photo 2 above), I would like to find out if possible whether that is or was a small funnel feature. It was short lived but for five years, I have been curious to find out what it might be. I only have one photo of it because I was taking a big risk standing out in the open with this storm upon me and I was getting nervous. I quickly went under cover after I took that photo.

I will post another showing the base being a panoramic view as it was over Blacktown for any further discussion. I am looking south west towards Blacktown. At this stage I did not see further lowerings. This is about to pass over me.