Sydney dust storm ++

[Marguerite]

Wow, what wild weather we be havin'!

Apparently this storm was the one that flooded South Australia a few days ago and then hit Canberra with a massive dust storm. Well, it hit us last night.

If you've read the Good Morning thread for Tuesday you may have noticed I mentioned getting the washing in because the satellite image (and the weather forecast, which also uses the satellite image) said that there was a massive front of heavy rain and possible hail on the way, with wild winds. Well, the winds were right. And there were a few drops of rain. But what there was, foolingthe satellite - was DUST!

We woke this morning to a permanent sunrise, everything opaquely orange. The airposrt was shut down, the ferries were stopped, even the traffic was in trouble. They were advising people to stay indoors if they could, to certainly not go exercising anywhere (because even indoors, you draw the dust down into your lungs so deep you won't shift it in a hurry). Health warnings out in force.

The storm picked up a vast amount of dust because everything inland is so dry. The front drops rain, sometimes where it's needed, but unless it drops the rain first, all it does is pick up what's left of any topsoil and whip it up to take it on with it.

It's now mid-morning, the dust is paler now but outside it's cold and windy. I've stuck my head out briefly. I can still taste the dust.

I'll attach some links to news for you. This is amazing!

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/sydney-turns-red-dust-storm-blankets-city-20090923-g0y1.html

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26113952-11949,00.html

http://inner-west-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/sydney-dust-storm/

One news program read an email from a weather scientist who said that dust storms like this are extreme, are the result of global warming (when they're this extreme) and can indeed continue around the globe. In the past, dust from storms like this has landed in New Zealand. I remember in past severe firestorms, they have had ash landing in New Zealand.

There was also very heavy flooding in South Australia as I mentioned, from part of this front. And there has been hail too. Plus yesterday afternoon there was a series of small earthquakes in Melbourne.

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/wild-weather-hail-flooding-hits-sa/12681

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20630591-2702,00.html

So come on over and visit Australia - it's really wild at the moment!

Marg

 

[lmf64]

Wow, Marg! Stay in and stay safe.

 

[Hound dog]

OMG Marg!!!

I dunno about Global Warming myself. They've never convinced me on that theory. Personally, I have a feeling it's a cyclic thing myself. But that's just me. Either way.......seems like everyone has been having some majorly whacky weather.

Our summer was more like autumn. And rain.......you guys don't have enough?? Maybe I can send you some of ours. We've had more than our fair share this year!

But I have to say, I'd take rain over dust. Glad you got inside before it hit....and your laundry too.

Hugs

 

[gcvmom]

Ewwww, yuck! We've got nasty dusty air here, too (fires and hot, dry seasonal winds -- air is yucky brownish orange and not very healthy to breathe right now), but not quite as bad as the dust storm you're in. I hope you can stay inside while it passes, and hopefully that will be soon!

 

[Marguerite]

It's still blowing a gale here, but the wind is warming up again. Not tat it was cold, just cooler than yesterday's hot wind. The sky is bluish again although I suspect we're still in for a spectacular sunset this evening. difficult child 3's tennis class has been cnacelled. I've been trying to give him his Maths exam today (early; it's scheduled for next Monday, but I'll be busy) but I think he's just too distracted by the wind and the eerie light that has now mostly cleared. His Maths teacher has instructed me to make sure difficult child 3 finishes the paper, just to note how much extra time he took. He's taking about triple the allotted time. Not good. I suspect he will still pass the subject for the year (it's almost impossible to fail School Certificate, you have to be really dumb and also not making any effort) but I still feel badly. This is a kid who actually enjoys Maths but is VERY slow at it. Before the exam he was showing me (on the computer) some 3-D (ie x,y,z axes computer simulations) of some complex trigonometry functions. He doesn't yet understand them, but he's trying to. That tells me (and his Maths teacher) that it's worth pushing him to do Advanced Maths.

mother in law just rang. BEcause the sky has ceared sufficiently, she is going to brave the doctor's appointmenttoday and not leave it until tomorrow. husband has her car so I need to go fetch her. It will be interesting to see what the weather is really like!

Marg

 

[Fran]

Amazing shots of the city with the all that dust. Nature is an amazing force.

 

[Marguerite]

The sky looks a lot clearer but you can still taste and feel the grit in the air. They have warned people to stay indoors tomorrow too as much as possible and to not exercise outdoors, because the particle level is still dangerously high.

At least visibility is a lot better - they said it was down to 20 metres today at times. That's only 4 car lengths, or even less.

Really wild.

Marg

 

[Star*]

This is exactly why nature is called a Mother. She's a force!!!! I think Nature having to deal with children like Earth, Wind, Fire, (all difficult child's at times) MUST be a Warrior Mom.

Marg & Margs Man - Stay safe as you can. The photos and information are amazing. Thanks for sharing. Nine people have died in Atlanta just an hour East of me due to flooding. It's mind boggling. We're dry as toast here in South Carolina.

 

[Abbey]

Hugs and safety to you, Marge. I watched it on the news tonight. My, my. Got to love Mother Earth.

Abbey

 

[Marguerite]

husband is really suffering tonight with hay fever and generally feeling nasally clogged. I had to go into the city, wore a face mask on the way in and when around strong winds, but down in the city the school is tucked into a sheltered gully on the harbour's edge (nearly) so little breeze. There was a thin film of dust over everything in thr school library (where I spent most of the time waiting).

The sunset tonight was also quite extensive, wrapping right around the horizon. husband is now taking antihistamines, hopefully we'll get to bed early tonight. Or at least, not too late.

They say more dust storms are on the way. Hopefully not as bad as this one.

There was a scientist on TV this morning (he's one of our regular boffins, Dr Karl) who said that what soil we lose in dust storms that blow out to sea, is soil we can't afford to lose. Australia is one continent on the planet that doesn't make soil. We haven't got any mountains to speak of, that are big enough to erode to replace all this soil we're losing. People come form overseas and find it remarkable that Australia is so flat. What WE call "mountains" are barely hills in other countries.

The warnings are still out to not exercise out of doors. This evening we could see the rays of sunlight visible with the dust lighting up like "fingers of God", difficult child 1 calls it. And you can feel the grit in your mouth. Very fine grit, more of a furry feeling than crunchy grit.

I don't have to leave town tomorrow, I'm getting my hair coloured for the wedding. I'll enjoy a rest in the hairdresser's chair! It overlooks the main street of the village which itself overlooks the main town beach. Watching the water gives us a good measure of how the weather is progressing.

All of you in flood-ravaged areas, stay safe!

Marg

 

[gcvmom]

Marg, a friend sent us this link showing the dust storm from space. Amazing how massive this is:

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/09/23/the-australian-dust-storm-from-space/

 

[totoro]

Wow that is truly amazing. It doesn't sound very healthy but it is quite a site.
I hope you are OK staying indoors for bit?

We get incredible dust storms out here in the desert, they travel pretty fast, but we have a lot health warnings when they kick up. Especially for those with Asthma or health issues.
We also get these phenomenon's called Haboobs.
They shut down everything. When we get a rather large dust storm or Haboob we can not drive or must pull over and turn off the lights, so cars will not try and follow you.
They are pretty scary.