Still very windy and cold up here in Medlow Bath, lost power yesterday from 5pm until lunchtime today. Hopefully the wind dies down for Saturday,will post weather conditions again on Friday night and Saturday morning.
It's already blowing strong and cloudy over the upper north shore. Wind at Mt Boyce 20-30 knots.
Satellite photo shows a band of cloud which I think is what's over us now, and clear behind that (southwest nsw) however the cloud is being driven by a strong cold front, so even if it does clear up in the afternoon the wind will be howling.
I'm sure it's quite unpleasant at the airstrip and hopeless for scopes. Alex won't want his new scope plastered in dust.
It's already blowing strong and cloudy over the upper north shore. Wind at Mt Boyce 20-30 knots.
Satellite photo shows a band of cloud which I think is what's over us now, and clear behind that (southwest nsw) however the cloud is being driven by a strong cold front, so even if it does clear up in the afternoon the wind will be howling.
I'm sure it's quite unpleasant at the airstrip and hopeless for scopes. Alex won't want his new scope plastered in dust.
There goes another month...
Bah. We have handled wind before. If its not cloudy its open season.
Also, what makes you think Alex would use his new scopes?
So my weather forecast looks crap, but you can't trust the weather man. Who's still going? Trying to make the last minute decision whether to make the journey or not.
How many times have we gone when its looked like it was going to be bad and its turned out to be unbelievably good? I am willing to take a chance today. That cloud band might evaporate into nothing like we have seen at Hargraves! Plus we have been to the airfield when its been clouded over and its cleared after 10/11. I'm up for an all nighter so don't mind waiting it out if it was to become cloudy.
Am up near Lithgow just now. It's fresh and sunny now, but already very windy. Its howling a bit in the chimney, reminds me of scotland!
Forecast is for damaging wind gusts later this afternoon with showers/storms. I did a little observing last night here in similar wind as now (the wind picked up in the evening), and though the scope wasn't being blown over, it was pretty disconcerting! A few photos earlier in the evening and in the lee shelter of a house in super clear skies though
If it remains like this I'm not so sure I'll head across, with the risk of bad weather and of fallen branches on the road in. I might be better off staying here and hoping it moderates in late evening/overnight.
Edit: the band on the satellite image looks strong and very intimidating, will be hunkering down till that's passed...
How many times have we gone when its looked like it was going to be bad and its turned out to be unbelievably good? I am willing to take a chance today. That cloud band might evaporate into nothing like we have seen at Hargraves! Plus we have been to the airfield when its been clouded over and its cleared after 10/11. I'm up for an all nighter so don't mind waiting it out if it was to become cloudy.
Im up for an all nighter too. Just need to wait for conformation.
Mixed messages being had all round from all manner of sources.
Rod says it is windy. But, both Rod and I think that the best chance we have of getting any viewing done is not from our usual haunt of the slab, but from the 'Hanging Swamp' that is nestled between the two runways. Look at the picture below.
The Swamp is not a marshy wet mess, but a geologic phenomenon. Trees just don't grow on this patch of ground, and Lord knows how many times that National Parks and Wildlife have tried planting trees there, but they all die! This is the site that the Scouts do their camping from at the Airfield.
It is grassy, but totally enclosed by trees which provide shelter from the wind.
Access is not hard. From the "No Entry" sign, instead of turning right up the hill, you keep going straight past the two big hangers, crossing the secondary runway and entering a fire trail. The Swamp is immediately to the left. I've marked it on the picture.
I am looking at leaving by 3pm. I'll ask Rod to put a couple of markers to show the entry to the fire trail, and I'll look to put up a couple of little lights too. The office will still be available to us along with the combustion heater.
Alex.
Last edited by mental4astro; 29-06-2014 at 01:35 AM.
