Supercell Hailstorm - Grafton / Yamba, New South Wales, Australia. Blast from the Past, Nov 1997

This supercell formed on the divide south west of the city of Grafton, New South Wales, Australia, Coast. At its peak it tracked north east for over 50kms (32 miles) along the Clarence River estuary from Grafton to Yamba. Hail from the storm caused an estimated $3 million in damage in the city and there where reports of a nesting waterbird colony being decimated. Hundreds of acres of sugar cane crops were flattened by the straight line winds. My vantage point was the town of Yamba at the mouth of the Clarence river. I believe the worst of the storm just skirted us.

One of my first documented storm chases, although I had been chasing weather for 20 years before 1997.

Please forgive video quality. I only had cheap standards definition camcorder with mono sound. Even the images are scans from photos - digital still way expensive back then

#hailstorm
#stormchasing
#grafton