Styx

I notice he has toned down his apocolyptic language, and is defiently more vauge. One thing seems certain though and that is his front page tabloid days are over. Surely?

I am currently in Melbourne ( until next week ). This was a very discernable quake, shaking the bunk bed I was lying on at the time, quite a heavy vibration to and fro for 10 to 20 seconds. Then the rattling of the window, and what appeared to be the entire foundation of the pub I am staying at. Accomodation is on the second floor. It sent every guest in their rooms into the corridor in an excitement. This morning, there are reports of minor damage to some properties in the Melbourne area ( cracked walls and the like ). The link below has some photographs of some supermarket shelves tossing off their items onto the aisle. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/quake-shakes-state-20120619-20m88.html Got to say I love my timing in being here! This is reported as being the biggest quake to hit the state of Victoria in a century.

Rest assured there is no danger of extinction for the wombat! Their numbers run into the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. There are 3 species ( common, northern and southern hairy nosed ) - the southern hairy nosed wombat which the article mentions is plentiful, and the disease which the article talks about is a local affliction caused by local habitat change via agricultural practices,not population wide. The final sentence ( quote ) reads: “If nothing is done, future populations of the wombat could be threatened,†he said. Far cry from " The wombat in serious danger of exstinction (sic) "

Getting slightly surreal here. Frost free, persisting mild, and no usual winter snow peak on the mountains. In fact, the most 'wintry' cold change of the year happened back on March 23, 3 weeks after summer ended.

They will cop it tonight ( Tuesday ). If the weekend storms were "once in a decade" then the next one is gearing up to be the winter storm of the century. I have never seen the word "dangerous" in an official forecast. Winds forecast to reach or exceed 125km/hr ( 77 miles per hour ).

The trough line crosses land SW Western Australia, Perth. It's all happening... Come on Tasmania, step up to the plate

You are right, and I think the topography has a lot to do with it. Overnight lows are more tempered by the proximity of the sea, and a weaker inversion influence. Further inland though, and not too much further inland, frosts are probably just as prevalent as in Christchurch district. What has become more noticable though is the lack of frequency of freezing nights here ( just 3 since 1995! ), prior to this it used to be almost a yearly event.

Defiently South island and most probably Christchurch. 10cm ( 4 inches ) reported from there. That is quite considerable for the city centre, eventhough the foothill suburbs usually receive snow every year. Funnily enough Christchurch is almost at the same latitude as Hobart, but we have not seen snow in the city here for 26 years. One of the reasons is simply unluckly allignment of the weather systems. Very unfair!

The complex low pressure system is now tracking up the coast, and as NthNSW points out Sydney and surrounding districts are now preparing for storm force winds and heavy rainfall.

I love how thunderstorms, especially in dramatic scenes, are so overdone. Often like a firecracker factory exploding outside the window yet the characters in the film are supposedly oblivious to it. For me it usually kills the scene, and I start to think why arent they there at the window checking out the night show!

Hobart - Capital city of Tasmania ( pop 200,000 ), sealevel, 2 miles from the ocean, backed by a 1270m/4200ft mountain range May - Last month of autumn This was the wettest May since 1986; and it consequently bridged the small rainfall deficet for the year. Most of the rain fell on 2 seperate days at either end of the month, as low pressure systems formed off the north east coast. Once again warmer than the 1981-2010 average; these decades are the warmest on record in Hobart. Average maximum: 15.4 ( +0.3 ) Average minimum: 8.1 ( +0.5 ) Rainfall: 92mm ( Average 46mm ) Extremes in daily temperature Highest maximum: 20.4 ( Record 25.7 in 1997 ) Lowest maximum: 10.7 ( Record 6.1 in 1921 ) Highest minimum: 12.4 ( Record 16.0 in 2005 ) Lowest minimum: 5.2 ( Record -1.6 in 1902 )

What a dicey looking road! What a corner!

Here's the chart for May. Warmer than usual in Tasmania ( again ) and in Western Australia, but more shades of blue everywhere else.

Heavy rain and possible flooding for Victoria A low pressure system centred off the coast of the state of Victoria, with tropical infeed from the north, and cold air moving up in to it off the eastern flank of high pressure to the west. Flood warnings current, with forecast rainfall of 50-100mm within the next 24 hours - these amounts are also possible for the state capital of Melbourne. Snowline to 1100m ( 4000ft ) with accumulations possible at higher elevations exceeding 30cm (1ft ). Should produce an excellent base for the opening of the ski season in 2 weeks with a prolonged settled period to follow.

I am thinking this is quite unusual, I am not aware of cyclones in Australian waters before, this time of year

I've just read that the Australian government is about to permit the Australian weather bureau to allow advertisers on to its website. I don't like the idea of that at all, one hopes its done tactfully. 3 billion hits a year at www.bom.gov.au and they have just figured there be the potential to bring in a bit of money

Great photos! Never been to Darwin, but when I do manage to go it'll be in the wet season to check out the evening storms. Here in Hobart ( 2300 miles south ) we average just 5 storms a year - to Darwins 100 - and by the looks of it those things are the real deal

Big country but not much happening. Models seem to be predicting a breakdown of the recent situation with weakening high presure systems; a situation of more flux. Very long range forecast maps show huge potential for a prolonged cold outbreak to affect the south east, low pressure systems steaming up from the south without hindrance. Beautiful!

Hobart is Australia's southernmost city, situated at sealevel on an estuary 2 miles from the ocean, and backed by a 1270m ( 4200ft ) mountain range. April - second month of autumn This month had the equal highest average maximum temperature that has ever been recorded here, tieing with 1993. Overall it was the second warmest April on record, equalling 2010 and behind 1989 ( which was the warmest. ) Winds were predominant warm NW off the continent, with intense high pressure systems slow moving to the east, and very little activity moving up from colder waters to the south. Any front that did cross, swung winds around only briefly. Anomolies ( in brackets ) are 1981-2010 comparison. Average maximum: 19.6 ( +1.8 ) Average minimum: 10.4 ( +1.0 ) Rainfall: 22mm ( Average 51mm ) Extremes Highest maximum: 28.9 ( Record 30.6 in 1941 ) Lowest maximum: 12.5 ( Record 7.7 in 1967 ) Highest minimum: 16.3 ( Record 18.6 in 1959 ) Lowest minimum: 4.0 ( Record 0.7 in 1963 )

Warmest April on record is possible here, with the projected temperature until the 30th going within 0.1 of a degree of the 1989 record for the month of April

Umm..10.1 That was my guess for April, I just got my months mixed up

That is a big surprise! So many. I would have thought none. Where I live, which gets compared to the English climate all the time due to its latitude and temperate climate, no second month of Spring has ever been colder than the preceeding winter months. I will also suggest that a very limited number of first Spring month have been colder than the previous 3 months.

I hope you settle in well, it seems like a fascinating place to live - big changes there since the turmoil of the 1980s. Also the climate appears to be colder and snowier than I first realised.