Mon, 08 Mar 2010
Storm, no damage // at 22:00
After being away from Melbourne for three days we were more than a little apprehensive at what we'd find after the thunderstorms, the TV footage of metre deep floods in the CBD and hailstones the size of1 golf-balls, tennis balls, lemons, etc all looked pretty frightening. How, exactly, would the wobbly old house hold up? According to the newspaper this morning, the centre of the swath of destruction had passed less than a suburb to the north, so it wasn't too promising.
Tip-toeing in the door and looking around showed us the suprising news that we had no broken windows, no soaked ceilings, none of the roof was missing and that the leaning gum tree in the backyard was still standing. There are shredded leaves everywhere along the side of the house and in the back garden from the neighbour's apricot and the bushes, the magnolia tree lost most of its leaves, and the jade plant took a pruning — but nothing much else seems to be a problem.
No sign of hail sitting around so it must have all melted by now, although some parts of the garden look partly plowed where it landed. A massive 68mm of rain in the rain-gauge, I can't remember when we last had that much rain in a month, let alone in a single weekend!
So how long to the next “One in a hundred year” storms?
Footnote:
1. Where would we be if people were forced to simply say “Five centimetre hailstones” rather than what seems to be a news-media inspired fishermen stories of ever increasing sizes?
Sat, 31 Jan 2009
Heat death // at 16:00
Three days of ridiculously hot weather have ended, three days in a row with a maximum temperature over 43°C; 43°C on Wednesday, 44°C on Thursday, then 45.1°C on Friday. Records have been broken, together with some of Melbourne's infrastructure, tempers and a few too many lives.
Walking around Oakleigh and Murrumbeena this afternoon the grass is brown and crisp and covered in leaves, every second tree has shed its leaves to conserve water — some of the eucalypts have shed branches too. Half a dozen dead ringtail possums were lying on the ground through the park, a dead Tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) on the ground under its nest, parent bird a stock-still silhouette against the sky above. If it hadn't been for the dead fledgling we'd have walked past and never spotted it.
Back home the lemon tree has dropped all its lemons and strange burning smells came from my ADSL modem, the BigPond SpeedStream has always been a lousy performer in the heat, this week the wireless simply shutdown — amazingly it recovered after being switched off and allowed to cool down. Hopefully the scorched leaves and wilted plants will recover after they've been allowed to cool and rehydrate….
Thu, 29 Jan 2009
…or hotter // at 16:00
Following on from yesterday it was uncredibly hot overnight, I slept with the windows open but as it only dropped to an overnight low of 28.7°C it was just as hot inside as out, a little less stuffy but more light and noise from the street.
Third hottest Melbourne night on record with an overnight low of 28.7°C; 1902-Feb-01 was hottest at 30.5°C followed by 1997-Jan-21 with 28.8°C. I wonder how hot it really was in our house? The old OneWire weather station seems to think it dropped to around 21°C, lying on its side on the tiles in the kitchen — maybe that's where I should have slept!
As the day wore on our office stayed cool, although the air-conditioning in various other places broke down and staff were sent home. Power consumption throughout Victoria hit new records as every man and his dog cranked their air-conditioners up… endless suburbs of big brick boxes of houses with poor design, no shade, little insulation and the assumption that heating and cooling can all be done as an after thought with power-hungry equipment.
From http://business.theage.com.au/business/power-hits-dangerous-low-20090129-7scr.html
Victorian power demand has hit a new record today, depleting electricity reserves to critical lows, as the state sweats through a summer heatwave.
Demand on the state's electrical grid exceeded 10,000 megawatts for the second consecutive daily cycle, dropping the excess power on the grid to zero before hovering around the 1% mark, according to power-monitoring service Global Roam.
Odd that I clearly recall a statement on Monday by the premier that there would be at least 10% capacity available on top of any anticipated maximum peak demand this week….
I wonder if the power will be on when I get home?
Oh look, and the train system is melting:
…198 trains cancelled by 4pm and services suspended on three lines.
Between an asset-stripping kind of privatisation to Connex, decades of government neglect and go-slow unionism the whole debacle grinds to a halt. Connex blames the government and the rail unions, the unions blame the government and Connex, and the government blame previous governments. Tracks buckle, trains have air-conditioners that only work up to 35°C, and unionised train drivers pull trains from service for a range of faults, too technical to be explained to the lay person but sufficient to make the operators and the government look bad. Public transport to be free for the next two days, not that it'll help everyday commuters who have weekly or monthly tickets, if there is no public transport available due to breakdowns in the heat!
Second day of cycling home in 43 degrees, I really wouldn't want to make a habit of it. A couple of cars broken down in the heat, a V/Line train crawling along at dead-slow, a few motorists in their air-conditioned boxes either dazed and confused or just plain 'ol grumpy. Home at last, a trifle cooler inside than out, some clouds on the horizon starting to promise a possible change later….
Wed, 28 Jan 2009
Whether the weather is hot…. // at 23:00
Stupidly hot today, the rest of the family escaped to the coast leaving me to get hot and grumpy by myself, rather than hot and grumpy in the company of others — something that is never pleasant for the others.
I'd gone in to work earlier than normal as the temperature was already climbing towards, or maybe even past, 30°C but its still simpler and quicker to ride in slowly for fifteen minutes than to take walk to the station, catch a train, wait at the station, catch a bus, then walk ten minutes to get to work.
During the day people seemed to spend half their time watching the temperature climb inexorably upwards — apparently if we have three days in a row of 43°C or more it'll set a record for Melbourne.
Hanging around after work wasn't making it cool down, turns out the highest temperature of the day was at 18:15! I think it was around 42°C when I rode home, slowly, carefully, and frequently squirting myself with the drink bottle.
Mon, 10 Dec 2007
2007 Rainfall // at 12:55
Manually recorded rainfall from the rain gauge in our back garden.
| Date | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.0 | 7.5 | 1.5 | — | 2.5 | — | — |
| 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | — | — | 1.5 | — |
| 3 | — | — | — | — | 3.0 | — | — | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | — | — |
| 4 | — | — | — | — | 9.0 | — | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | 18.0 |
| 5 | — | — | — | — | 3.5 | — | 7.0 | 7.0 | — | 0.5 | 26.0 | — |
| 6 | — | — | — | — | 4.0 | — | 5.0 | — | — | 7.5 | — | — |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | — | — |
| 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.5 | 1.5 | — | — | — |
| 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 10.0 | 1.0 | 7.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | — | — |
| 13 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.5 | 1.0 | 4.5 | — | 2.5 | — | — |
| 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.75 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | — | — | — | — | 0.5 | — | 1.0 | — | 2.5 | — | — | 0.5 |
| 16 | — | — | 5.0 | — | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7.0 |
| 17 | — | 0.5 | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.0 | — | — | — |
| 18 | — | — | — | — | 9.5 | — | 27.0 | — | — | — | 2.0 | — |
| 19 | 3.5 | 1.5 | — | — | 1.0 | — | 4.5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | 1.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.0 | — | 4.0 | — | — | 4.0 |
| 21 | 22.0 | — | — | — | — | 12.0 | 0.25 | — | — | — | 6.0 | 38.0 |
| 22 | 5.5 | — | — | 6.5 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 7.5 | 39.0 |
| 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.25 | — | 6.0 |
| 24 | — | 4.0 | 12.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 25 | — | — | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1.0 | — | — |
| 27 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.25 | — | 0.25 | — | — | — |
| 28 | 0.5 | 1.5 | — | 2.0 | — | 1.0 | 1.5 | — | 9.0 | — | — | — |
| 29 | — | 8.0 | 1.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 30 | — | 0.5 | 3.5 | 12.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 31 | — | — | 2.0 | — | — | — | — | |||||
| Tot. | 33.0 | 7.5 | 27.0 | 13.5 | 58.5 | 32.5 | 80.75 | 26.0 | 20.75 | 15.25 | 43.0 | 112.5 |
| YtD | 33.0 | 40.5 | 67.5 | 81.0 | 139.5 | 172.0 | 252.75 | 278.75 | 299.5 | 314.75 | 357.75 | 470.25 |
I'd love to get an electronic rain gauge, maybe one day!
Sun, 07 Jan 2007
2006 Rainfall // at 12:32
Manually recorded rainfall from the rain gauge in our back garden.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | 6.5 | — | 6.5 | 3.5 | — | — | 3.0 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | 5.0 | 1.5 | — | — | — | — | 2.0 | — | — | — | 20.5 | — |
| 3 | — | — | — | — | 3.0 | — | — | 3.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | — | — | — | 9.0 | 6.5 | — | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | — | — | — | — | 1.0 | — | 6.0 | — | 4.5 | — | — | — |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | 10.25 | — | — | — | 0.5 | — | — | — |
| 8 | — | — | — | 1.0 | — | — | 1.0 | — | 1.0 | — | — | — |
| 9 | — | 27.0 | — | — | 12.5 | — | — | 2.0 | 0.25 | — | — | — |
| 10 | — | 1.5 | — | — | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | 11.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.5 | 1.5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | — | — | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.0 | — |
| 14 | — | — | — | 4.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11.0 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 1.5 |
| 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 17 | — | — | — | 24.0 | — | — | — | 2.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | — | — | — | — | 0.25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | 2.5 | — | — | 10.5 | — | — | — | — | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | — |
| 21 | — | — | — | 11.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 22 | — | — | — | 0.5 | 4.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | 4.5 | 4.5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 25 | — | 53.0 | — | — | — | 3.0 | — | — | 6.5 | — | — | — |
| 26 | — | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23.0 |
| 27 | 4.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 28 | 18.5 | — | — | — | 3.5 | — | — | — | — | 4.5 | — | — |
| 29 | — | — | 2.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 30 | 6.5 | — | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 31 | — | — | — | — | 21.0 | — | — | |||||
| Tot. | 49.5 | 95.5 | 21.0 | 76.0 | 45.0 | 13.0 | 7.5 | 33.0 | 14.25 | 5.0 | 25.5 | 24.5 |
| YtD | 49.5 | 145.0 | 166.0 | 242.0 | 287.0 | 300.0 | 307.5 | 340.5 | 354.75 | 359.75 | 385.25 | 409.75 |
Fri, 21 Jul 2006
OWW — One Wire Weather Temperature // at 00:00
A bit of magic with the one-wire weather station and RRDtool.
July 2006 and I still have not mounted the weather station outside, so the information recorded is from it resting on the table near my PC. Despite the gaps under the door, there's only temperature information, no wind speed or direction!
Today's data
This week's data
This Month's data
Tue, 05 Apr 2005
2005 Rainfall // at 07:05
Rainfall for 2005
| | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | Tot. | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19.0 | 19.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Feb | 122.5 | 141.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mar | 10.0 | 151.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apr | 25.5 | 177.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May | 10.5 | 187.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jun | 46.5 | 234.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jul | 26.5 | 260.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aug | 83.5 | 344.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sep | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oct | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nov | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dec |
