After an incredibly dry 2019, Armidale has transformed into an emerald city after something like 250 mm (c. 10 inches) of rain in the first six weeks of 2020. And, last evening, I saw a lovely rainbow to the east of our house as the sun was setting.
This was the first time in many months that we had seen a rainbow. I thought about tracing the pot of gold where the end hot the ground, but Tuesday evening is my contract bridge evening and I hastened off to my game instead.
Two days earlier - last Sunday - I drove out to Wollomombi falls to see what I imagined would be a torrent of water cascading over the escarpment and crashing into the pool beneath, amidst clouds of spray. However, I arrived at the road leading to the falls just as a thunder-storm released torrents of rain. The road has to cross a narrow causeway over a little stream that's almost always dry. This time I joined a queue of stationary cars stationary awaiting the opportunity to cross, while another queue on the other side waited to escape. As you may know, I have an impatient streak. After a few minutes, I turned around as the torrent of water intensified and headed back to the Baker's Creek falls to the west. I'd passed the turn-off to those falls earlier when the weather was dry. Well, I was in luck. There was no rain despite looming dark clouds. But heavy rain over many days had caused a massive inflow of water to the falls. I was stunned by the thunder of torrential water and estimated that the water flow must have been ten times or more than I had ever witnessed previously.
The torrent is captured on the left and note the spray drifting over the landscape. Turning through 90 degrees one can see the gorge etched out by the creek over thousands of years on the right. Note the threatening colour of the sky.
I didn't linger long because I could see the rain coming and I just reached my car as the skies opened. And the downpour was, I think, the most intense I have ever had to negotiate. Usually I drive the Waterfall Way, as the coast road is named, at c. 100 kph, but I had to reduce speed to c. 40 kph to give my wipers a chance to clear the wind screen and avoid an accident.
By the way I have a 20 second video of the waterfall with the roar of water audible. I can copy it to you if you ask nicely! In addition consider this. If rainfall continues at this rate for the rest of 2020, we'll receive something like 2125 mm (85 inches) compared with the usual 750 mm (30 inches).
Hmmm. Ark construction might take off as people seek to secure their future homes. And the government might want to build arks to populate them with the remnants of many different species of plants an animals driven to the verge of extinction by drought and fire. Maybe that thinking is overboard in Armidale. We live at c. 1012 m (3320 feet), so we're not likely to go under-water any time soon. And, were that to occur, most of humanity would be drowned!
AS
This was the first time in many months that we had seen a rainbow. I thought about tracing the pot of gold where the end hot the ground, but Tuesday evening is my contract bridge evening and I hastened off to my game instead.
Two days earlier - last Sunday - I drove out to Wollomombi falls to see what I imagined would be a torrent of water cascading over the escarpment and crashing into the pool beneath, amidst clouds of spray. However, I arrived at the road leading to the falls just as a thunder-storm released torrents of rain. The road has to cross a narrow causeway over a little stream that's almost always dry. This time I joined a queue of stationary cars stationary awaiting the opportunity to cross, while another queue on the other side waited to escape. As you may know, I have an impatient streak. After a few minutes, I turned around as the torrent of water intensified and headed back to the Baker's Creek falls to the west. I'd passed the turn-off to those falls earlier when the weather was dry. Well, I was in luck. There was no rain despite looming dark clouds. But heavy rain over many days had caused a massive inflow of water to the falls. I was stunned by the thunder of torrential water and estimated that the water flow must have been ten times or more than I had ever witnessed previously.
The torrent is captured on the left and note the spray drifting over the landscape. Turning through 90 degrees one can see the gorge etched out by the creek over thousands of years on the right. Note the threatening colour of the sky.
I didn't linger long because I could see the rain coming and I just reached my car as the skies opened. And the downpour was, I think, the most intense I have ever had to negotiate. Usually I drive the Waterfall Way, as the coast road is named, at c. 100 kph, but I had to reduce speed to c. 40 kph to give my wipers a chance to clear the wind screen and avoid an accident.
By the way I have a 20 second video of the waterfall with the roar of water audible. I can copy it to you if you ask nicely! In addition consider this. If rainfall continues at this rate for the rest of 2020, we'll receive something like 2125 mm (85 inches) compared with the usual 750 mm (30 inches).
Hmmm. Ark construction might take off as people seek to secure their future homes. And the government might want to build arks to populate them with the remnants of many different species of plants an animals driven to the verge of extinction by drought and fire. Maybe that thinking is overboard in Armidale. We live at c. 1012 m (3320 feet), so we're not likely to go under-water any time soon. And, were that to occur, most of humanity would be drowned!
AS
1 comment:
There have been three storms here over three consecutive weekends. Storm Dennis was actually pretty scary. Living very high up on a hill I am not worried about Flooding. However a family friend in Nottingham has been effected. It is a good photo of the Rainbow Cousin Tony. Caused by refraction.
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