Weather News

Central Australia storms

Guy Dixon, Sunday August 21, 2016 - 12:07 AEST

Showers and thunderstorms sparked up over Central Australia overnight, only intensifying as night turned to day.

What started off as the odd isolated shower and a few strikes over the Northern Interior of WA has evolved into two fully fledged bands of thunderstorms.

Within 500km of Alice Springs, 8800 lightning strikes have been recorded in the 12 hours since 9pm, moving towards the east/southeast. Rainfall figures have been modest so far with only 3mm falling over Curtain Springs since 9am, although this is more or less on forecast with 5-10mm expected to fall from eastern parts of the Top End to the Great Australian Bight.

A low pressure trough straddling the Australian continent is responsible for this impressive light show, enhanced by cool air in the upper levels of the atmosphere. As we enter transition season, thunderstorms of this nature become more prevalent as moist tropical air competes with cold polar air.

This area of instability will gradually shift east, presenting a risk of thunderstorms over Queensland and New SOuth Wales in coming days.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2016

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A very wet weekend for southeast Qld, northeast NSW

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