Nor'wester Storm

The violent weather that is slowly passing up the country struck here today. The wind was wild and loud. I heard sirens and went out the back to look. A massive buff coloured cloud blotted out the mountains and nearby hills. I just had to go closer.

Driving was tricky, with the wind trying to force me back, and branches flying off trees. At Annat I felt as though I'd burst into a surreal action movie. (See extra shot)  On the right-hand side of the road fire had charged down a line of huge pine hedges and skipped into scrubby wasteland by the railway line, close to the houses. A great pillar of dense smoke billowed up from it. On the left-hand side of the road is a freshly tilled field that must be at least a square kilometre in size. The wind was lifting the top soil into the air, where it mingled with the smoke and streamed off to the east.

Short movie of the downwind side.

Before I could download the photos from my camera the power went off.

With the giant cloud in the west darkness came early, but it was warm. I didn't mind having a cold meal. My little camp stove provided me with hot water for tea.

The rugged and noisy wind continued well into the night. When it dropped the thunderstorm took over. The lightening was so bright it woke me and the thunder rolled on and on so that there seemed to be no gap between the end of the thunder and the next flash of lightening. The rain was pretty noisy too.