Severe Storms Cause Deaths and Disruptions Across Eastern Australia

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Eastern Australia has been hit by severe thunderstorms this week, bringing tumultuous weather conditions that have resulted in heavy rain, destructive winds, and giant hailstones. Wind gusts exceeding 100 mph were reported, leading to significant operational disruptions at Sydney airport and widespread damage to buildings, including roofs being torn off.

Tragically, an 80-year-old man lost his life after a tree fell on his vehicle in New South Wales, while several others sustained injuries due to the extreme weather. The storms triggered numerous lightning strikes, leading to widespread power outages affecting over 200,000 homes and halting rail services in multiple regions.

Hailstones reached diameters of up to 4 cm in many areas, with reports from Southern Downs and Queensland indicating stones as large as 10 cm, which are comparable to tennis balls. Meteorologists attribute the storms to a combination of cold air interacting with a low-pressure trough, creating atmospheric instability paired with saturated air over southeastern Australia. This phenomenon resulted in a squall line—a continuous line of thunderstorms stretching hundreds of kilometers—known for producing intense rainfall and powerful winds.

Additionally, the storms gave rise to supercells, which are individual thunderstorms characterized by deep rotating updrafts. These updrafts significantly contributed to hailstorm formation by repeatedly lifting hailstones into cold air, resulting in larger, more destructive hail.

As the storm disruptions unfold in Australia, other parts of the world, such as Delhi in India, are grappling with dense fog that has disrupted transport and significantly affected air quality. With dense fog conditions prevalent since January 10, many flights and trains have been delayed or canceled due to the poor visibility.

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