Wheat Belt Lightning and Storm Photos

Monday 1st of March 2004 was primed for severe storms in the Wheat Belt, a good day for a storm chase. A deep surface trough, a mid-level disturbance, a rapidly approaching cold front, and moisture from a tropical cyclone combined to destabilize the atmosphere over much of southern WA. Storms went up early off the coast of Perth, but Mike Fewings and I decided to leave them behind and chase storms further east as storms there were likely to be more severe. We caught up with some nice storms around Corrigin, but our decision to drive east was truly vindicated when we spotted what looked like a very large storm to the north, possibly close to Merredin. We headed north east to Bruce Rock to intercept the storm which was travelling south. Unknown to us at the time the storm was actually severe, producing significant damage at Merredin Airport where a 130 km/h wind gust was recorded. Just south of Bruce Rock we found a vantage point and observed the storm as it approached our location. The gust front it produced was one of the best I have seen and made for a memorable, albeit lengthy, chase.