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Electrically charged skies aid in dampening western Queensland
Craig McIntosh, Tuesday July 19, 2016 - 13:35 AEST
With convective energy similar to the severe weather season, thunderstorms that began to develop in recent days are refusing to dissipate over a large area of central Queensland.
Still thundering on from the weekend, severe storms with heavy rain continues to lash parts of the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders and the Central West. Warm temperatures and tropical moisture drawn over the land by a low pressure trough have provided more than enough fuel for the long-living storms.
In the last 48 hours, over 133,000 lightning strikes have been detected in a 300km radius of Richmond. Richmond Airport also recorded its highest daily July rainfall in over 125 years of records, 54mm to 9am this morning. Cloudy skies and moisture-laden air kept Richmond warm overnight, only dipping to 18 degrees which is nine above the monthly average minimum.
Winton has recorded almost 15,000 strikes within a 100km radius in the last 24 hours and that number will no doubt increase as the thunderstorms pass overhead. It was Winton's warmest July night in over 11 years and wettest July 24 hours since 1981.
The storms are very slowly tracking south with the trough, however they are not leaving without a fight. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning for damaging winds and heavy rain has been issued for the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders and the Central West. This warning is likely to stay active for most of the afternoon.
The storms are likely to have used all their fuel by tomorrow, however showers will persist over central Queensland. The skies will begin to clear well and truly by Friday afternoon and a great looking weekend is on the way.
- Weatherzone
© Weatherzone
2016
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