It's raining, it's pouring ...

It's raining, it's pouring. The old man is snoring. He went to bed, and bumped his head, And he couldn't get up in the morning. Rain, rain go away, Come again another day. Note: I got myself soaked to make this image!

Wild and wooly weather

Here in Sydney we are at the mercy of an intense low pressure system, streaming wind and rain in from the ocean. We should be over the worst of it tomorrow. Hundreds of thousands of folks are without electricity. The city has received 120mm of rain, and wind has gusted to 100kph. Regional areas, under the same system, have recorded over 300mm of rain. Not disaster proportions, just annoying. Something we should expect every Autumn. Perhaps all my leaves will hit the turf in one fell swoop.

5. What would I miss? Sydney's weather ...

My front garden, this morning.

I had intended to move onto aspects of Sydney I would NOT miss - but had another thought! In Sydney, it is ofen difficult to tell when we move into a new seasom. Now some of you will be aghast, and I can see the pleasures of distinct patterns. I, too, adore a "weather" day. But we still get days that are all-over raining and grey. But, in Sydney we do not get snow. We are on the coast, and so get very few frosts. We are in the Temperate Zone, so we chugg along about on average. Let me give you some official statistics: Summer average is 25-29C Winter average is 16-18C 1200mm rain per annum (highest March to June) 144 rainy days per year 30 thunderstorms per year 57% average humidity pa 6.8 hours average sunshine So, pretty much the weather where I live borders on perfect. Further inland, but still in Sydney, the weather deteriorates abysmally. Sydney ia a large metropolis, with a population of 4.75 million, over an area covering 12,500km2. This is a population density of 380/km2. In comparison, the population density of Australia as a whole is 2.8/km2, and that of Paris is 22,000/km2. Yeah, if I had to leave, I would miss the weather.

An east coast low

It was bad on Tuesday. Like this all day Wednesday. Thursday is expected to be slightly worse:

Cloudy. Rain, heavy at times with possible thunderstorms. Winds E 30 to 50 km/h, strongest along the coast, easing later in the afternoon. Dangerous surf conditions, hazardous for coastal activities such as swimming, surfing and rock fishing, are expected in the afternoon and evening.

The wet weather is being caused by a deepening low pressure trough on the east coast, causing an increase in cloud and rainfall. It should ease by the weekend.

The big wet eases

After four days of relentless, torrential rain, at last today an easing and just a sliver of blue skies. However, early this morning I navigated my way across to the northern side of the harbour to continue lessons with my preferred French tutor.


On the way back, late morning, it was still dreadful. The top image is walking up Martin Place, the middle image is debris in Mosman and, the final image waiting for a bus in Carrington Street, outside Wynyard train station.