Weather Bureau says consistency of recent severe storms on mid north coast is 'unusual'

The Bureau of Meteorology said it is unusual to have so many severe storms on the mid north coast at this time of year.

That was the whitest I've ever seen it and a lot of the residents said they'd never seen quite that

Judith Ellam, Bellingen SES Controller

Afternoon thunderstorms have struck parts of the coast every day for the past week.

Many parts of the region have already exceeded their average monthly rainfall for November.

Forecaster Michael Logan said storms at this time of year are to be expected but not quite as many.

"It is the time of year where we're going into the Summer season, and we often see really big storms with really severe weather up in the Northern parts of NSW at this time of the year," he said.

"But to have every afternoon for a week back to back to back without a break is pretty rare."

Fruit and vegetable growers on the Coffs Coast are still assessing the costs from last weekend's violent hailstorm, and many say they've lost everything.

A number of banana, stonefruit and blueberry crops suffered enormous damage, and farmers are now sorting out what can be saved.

Coffs Coast lettuce grower Dave Saunders said this year's crop has been entirely destroyed - and he's not sure it's worth replanting.

"I'll just have to reassess what my goals are and I'll have a look," he said.

"It's certainly going to take a lot of time and money to get it back up to an operating farm again.

"It's probably more time than money."

The Dorrigo Plateau was covered in a blanket of white after a severe hailstorm yesterday afternoon.

The State Emergency Service says crews were called to fix roof damage at homes, business, schools and the district hospital.

Local SES controller Judith Ellam said the rural residential nature of the area means not a large number of homes damaged.

But MS Ellam said she grew up in Dorrigo and has never seen anything like yesterday's hail.

"That was the whitest I've ever seen it and a lot of the residents said they'd never seen quite that," she said.

"When we drove up there to help out yesterday afternoon it was like driving into a town covered in snow.

"Because it was just white everywhere.

"The hail on the roads made the roads slippery and there were cars slipping, an enormous amount of hail."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-19/weather-bureau-says-consistency-of-recent-severe-storms-on-mid-/5101180?&section=news