Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Brisbane storm: why was it so bad?

Brisbane storm: why was it so bad?
The ‘supercell’ storm and its 140km winds was caused by a perfect confluence of meteorological events.
Two storm cells meet over Brisbane, creating a 'supercell' which lashed the city on Thursday 27 November 2014.
Two storm cells meet over Brisbane, creating a ‘supercell’ which lashed the city on Thursday 27 November 2014. Photograph: Kai Linkerhof/Kai Linkerhof
Supercell storms are the most serious thunderstorm events Australians experience, and they are dangerous for a number of reasons.
They last for a relatively long time and can maintain intense power for many hours.
They also have what forecasters call highly organised circulation – a continuous, strong updraught which means supercell storms can exert control over the surrounding atmosphere.
Thursday’s supercell event was proof of how powerful and destructive they can be, producing wind gusts of 140km/h, which is equivalent to a category 2 cyclone.
It also produced very large hail, about 8cm in diameter, which did a vast amount of damage to homes, businesses and vehicles.
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/nov/28/brisbane-storm-why-was-it-so-bad

No comments:

Post a Comment