SOUTHERLY BUSTER??? AND a PUZZLE

[ricki]

... a pain in the butt from Memphis?

... a hand vacuum from Downunder?

... a Mobile, AL relation of Mr. Keaton?

... an album, uh well maybe*

NONE of the above, try ...

"An abrupt southerly wind change, often producing strong and squally winds and sometimes accompanied by thunderstorms and a sharp drop in temperature. These strike Sydney mainly during the summer months."**

Abrupt means with minimal warning AND out of the clear blue sometimes and of course "summer" means now in the Southern Hemisphere.


Looking kinda ugly out there ...
From: www.triptosomewhere.com/

Steve of Kitepower in Sydney, OZ sent the following account of last Sunday's wx:

"We had some weird weather last Sunday too, been too busy to speak about it. One of our southerly "buster" changes was forecast, came through weak at first with just a narrow line of thunderstorms moving in from the SW, which is unusual, the busters are always strong southerly or SE.

All the crowds and kiters left due the lightning and rain, which was very shortlived, then the wind dropped to around 10 knots NE again (the direction it has been blowing before the storms hit. Around 45mins after the storms, just as I was leaving to walk home I noticed the trees opposite the shop really getting blown around, by the time I walked the 200M to the beach, the wind was howling around 40-45knots, strong enough to be difficult to walk in, sand was blowing about 1M high, the top of the chop was being blown into the air. Looking into the South the sky was clear, there was no cloud line, no indicator other than the effect on the water and sand that this wind was coming, if anyone had been trying to get back out with a kite, it would have been nasty. "

This doesn't sound like ideal 20 m kite weather.


From: http://www.triptosomewhere.com/


Southerly Buster, Botany Bay, NSW
From: www.bom.gov.au/

More about wx Downunder at:
www.bom.gov.au/info/ ftweather/page_6.shtml

There is a WHOLE world of varied weather out there. Welcome to the ranks of wind junkies, have a care out there. Of course having a care means having quite a bit more than just a clue, you need to know your game so be sure to do your homework on the wind and weather where YOU ride.

*
From: http://www.users.bigpond.com/

** Definition from: http://www.southerlybuster.blogspot.com/