After a build-up of relatively weak storms near Coffs Harbour, the main trough began to approach from the southwest with impressive lightning static.

I positioned on the mid-North Coast south of Macksville where high based storms came into view. The storms were not tapping into the low level moisture though the updrafts were developing rapidly. It seemed after a reasonable wait, one storm near Port Macquarie began to indicate a hail structure! Thunder could be heard from storms associated with this line of discrete cell activity.

Finally storms began to intensify further west along this line. A detached shelf cloud structure began to develop becoming more impressive with a double layering! And then lightning! At first not so frequent but as the storms became surfaced based, the lightning activity exploded!

Moving near Macksville and Nambucca Heads, and winds were certainly and unexpectedly fierce based on what structure was coming through - I guess the lightning behaviour was the main hint of what was to unfold. It has been a while since my car shock in ferocious winds. I parked myself in the safest position with less debris. It was very powerful - video very spectacular.

Moving down the coast to Kempsey, I was treated to a beautiful sunset display reflecting off the remnant anvil!

Dave Sercombe photographed the same storm from Coffs Harbour bertween 5.40 and 6.10pm:

Severe outflow at 6.10pm [900kb AVI]

See also the report by Michael Bath of storms at Ballina later in the day.