FLOODS AND HAIL HIT AUSSIE'S AGAIN
Record rains, floods and hail hit WA
17th December 2007, 14:00 WST
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Bunbury recorded its lowest ever December maximum temperature of 16.8 degrees while Wandering and Collie residents shivered their way through a maximum of just 15.3 degrees.
Record one day falls for the month were recorded at Moora, Dalwallinu, Toodyay and Cunderdin.
The Shire of Coorow reported some flooding. Shire works manager Kelvin Bean said water flooded through the town but no buildings were affected.
The rail line through the town was also washed out and Marchagee Road was flooded but Mr Bean said vehicles were still able to use the road.
No hail has been reported and damage to farm land is believed to be minimal.
In the Goldfields, a big thunderstorm delivered a deluge of hail yesterday.
Workers from Cawse Nickel were amazed to find a blanket of hail covering the usually dry red earth.
Truck driver Sue Sculley discovered the wintry scene when she was sent home at 3pm because of the bad weather.
“It was the most amazing thing, I’ve never seen hail like that before,” Ms Sculley said.
“Cars were stopping; it looked like snow. It was strange to see that in the desert.”
Kalgoorlie Bureau of Meteorology weather observer Deaan Taaffe said hail was not uncommon during thunderstorms.
“Our average monthly rain fall for December is 16.2mm but yesterday we received 19.2mm in one day,” Ms Taafe said.
In Maya, north of Dalwallinu in the north-eastern Wheatbelt, locals captured some amazing images of dust storms ripping across paddocks.
JODIE THOMSON, BELLE TAYLOR AND THE KALGOORLIE MINER
