Deluge and local flooding 30-07-06

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The Front

 

A frontal system rocketing through from the w/sw was not expected to do much more than deliver a few local showers. A normal and "stock" looking front it was. (see sat image to the right and synoptic below) But as often happens fate stepped in to take charge and deliver up the unexpected. It started with a severe thunderstorm advice issued for the South East warning of damaging winds. The radar certainly looked interesting as a line of cells and heavy rain moved in off the SE coast. As it turns out this was relatively benign and the action centred further north.

 

I watched the radar as the line approached the southern ranges and hills. The rain started falling in my spot at around 7pm. It was quite solid with large drops that delivered a nice steady rain. 30 minutes later it was still raining and some periods were becomming quite heavy. A check of the radar showed a nice line of rain moving directly across my area with narrow bands of very heavy falls embedded within the main band. The heavy bands were hitting me smack on one after the other and before long the house gutters were overflowing. An hour later it was still raining and there was 14mm in the gauge! As the end of the line approached and I believed all was nearly over a line of very heavy rain exploded into action right overhead and into Kuitpo Valley (see radar image to the right) This is when the problems started. Over an hour of solid rain already had the gutters in the paddock flowing and this torrential downpour was just too much. The water came down in torrents, overflowing the gutters and drains and flooded into the shed, flooded down the patio, began flowing into the carport and nearly made it to the house. By the time it was all over it had rained non stop for an hour and a half and gave us 21mm in this short time.

 

This nice drop bought the total from the last 2 days to 35mm and July's monthly rain to a nice 216mm. In stark contrast to last months paltry 39mm. Left - rain graph from the WX But it was not widespread at all. Onkaparinga Hills recorded just 2mm while McLaren Vale had 19. Kuitpo (less than 10km away) had just 2.6mm and the Adelaide plains generally between 1 and 5mm. Meanwhile in Booborowie in the mid north it was dusty dry with only 21mm falling for the whole month, and nothing at all from this front! It has been a hit and miss year statewide.

Images of Flooding Around the House.

CLICK FOR IMAGES FROM THE EVENT

Just a sample for now..