A regional council lobby group has warned gaainst ever moving regional flights from the Kingsford Smith Terminal.
A regional council lobby group has warned gaainst ever moving regional flights from the Kingsford Smith Terminal.
New Morwell bypass not on the agenda yet
VicRoads says any decision about moving the Princes Freeway or bypassing the Latrobe Valley is a long way off.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/11/3161493.htm
Severe thunderstorms crossing southern Qld
The weather bureau is tracking a line of severe thunderstorms moving across much of southern Queensland.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/21/3144629.htm
I think there is a chance of some nice storms today over the norther rivers. The Brisbane sounding this morning looks pretty good besides a horrible inversion around 700 mbar. The temp around 600 mbar is set to cool during the day which should help alot. SE change is moving up the coast in the afternoon much may provide a focus for storm development. Shear is a bit on the weak side but should be enough for storm organisation if things come together. I would really like to see some on the inland stations (Grafton, Casino) hitting say 28/18 in the afternoon for a good shot at severe storms. That will give say 1500-1800 j/kg of sbCAPE. Any more is a bonus. The dew point at Grafton has just drop a few degrees in the last hour which might suggest that the coastal moisture is a bit shallow. Casino is holding strong though. A couple of weak echoes showing up now. Will be interesting to see what this afternoon holds.
Once at the target and all data is analysed, the wait for storm development could be brief or nervously long. I constantly analyse what is going on – cumulus cloud development, winds, and how healthy the clouds look in specific areas that may give a clue as to where the main action will develop. If only one storm develops, the decision is easy – chase that one if it is worth while chasing (road network to get to the storm, viability in terms of fuel costs, quality of the storm). If there are several storms, I have to try choosing the best storm out of those based on experience. Even then when on the chase, I continually re-assess the situation as one of the newer developing storms may have intensified and this could mean moving to that storm. In all of this confusion, you have to work with the available network quickly and accurately, ensure you are safe and you are working with the road rules. Sometimes, the chase has to be called off given the road network and environment may make it unsafe. In all, storm chases can last from as little as half an hour to several hours. Most of this time is taken up in driving to and from the event. Some of the best storm chases have been both exhausting yet rewarding. One has to make the most of their opportunities.