West Coast Lightning and Storm Photos

This was one of those rare Perth days when storm chasing was not required as the storm actually chased me! This severe thunderstorm moved through Mandurah just after lunch on Sunday 30th March 2003, washing out the second half of my golf game. The gust front structure was spectacular and quite unusual for the west coast given the low humidity the region normally enjoys during summer months. As the storm hit it produced strong winds, torrential rain, frequent lightning, and small hail.

The images below show a large fire which burned out of control near Lancelin in December 2002. The fire was so intense that it produced it's own cumulonimbus cloud, called pyro-cumulonimbus, which actually produced it's own lightning!