We spent Christmas day with family at my sister and her husband's home in Eltham. They say be careful what you wish for, and ever since I left England as a child, I've longed for a white Christmas. Well it happened this year. We were all sitting outside enjoying a balmy 30 deg C afternoon, all very sleepy after over indulging on the traditional Christmas lunch, when we felt a few spots of rain. Everywhere became very steamy with the heat. Then it happened, the skies opened and we received the biggest deluge of hail that I've ever seen, some pieces the size and shape of lemons. Needless to say we all dashed inside and viewed the show from the windows. The outcome, all the skylights in my sister's house were broken as well as a large window. Our cars in the driveway all ended up damaged with craters all over the roofs, sides and bonnets. Their garden and trees were torn to shreds, and we were the lucky ones. They live on five sloping acres and the dam at the bottom of their land just couldn't cope with the amount of water, it burst it's banks and just kept going. There has been such widespread devastation in the area.
Our house was lucky this time, (we lost our roof and skylights in a similar storm last year), the storm followed a narrow path that didn't go over our area.
Looking out of the living room window you can see the size of the hail.
It suddenly gathered speed and pelted down.
Looking down their property to their dam, every where is white.
The hail was so forceful it striped the leaves off the gum trees, paint off the hand rails and put holes right through the plastic chairs. It's amazing the damage that can be caused, it only took 15 minutes to reek all of the havoc.
I hope you all had an uneventful time and that you have a great New Year.
23 comments:
I was quite excited for you till I read about all the damage, awful. Hope your new year celebrations are better! Great pics, by the way!
Oh my goodness Ro! I didn't realise you were spending Christmas day in Eltham. I had heard it was very badly hit there. Glad everyone is OK. Shame about the skylights and the cars though. Is yours badly damaged. I was in Nunawading when the storm hit. Bad weather but no where as bad as the weather you experienced. Take care. Dot xx
I've never seen hailstones that big thank goodness. It must have been quite scary and definitely dangerous to be out in. Hope everyone is safe - the damage can be repaired.
wow! what a shock. Here in New York we always have a white Christmas, but this year it is warm and brown. Not that I really mind. There were a few flakes as we drove home from dinner Christmas day, but nothing stuck. Enjoy your family time
Oh dear Ro, we saw it coming our way but it went around us, fortunately. Glad to hear that you weren't caught out in it and that you are all safe. From what I saw on the news, the river of water was frightening.
Lee:)
Oh Ro, that must have been a horrible experience. We heard of the storms in S.A. where I live, but didn't realise how big the hail stones were.
Oh dear, now for the clean-up, and repair of those cars...
aww ro, we have been seeing reports of all the damage.we had a hail storm here at 6am christmas day but it was small and dissolved before it hit the ground.
fancy holes in the plastic chairs ! shame about the car damage too, i dont think insurance companies will cover that. my mil had hers damaged at Melton.
glad everyone is ok tho , it was torrential...
Wow Ro - it sure is a crazy world. In Perth we were more than happy becasue it wasn't too hot. Hope everything recovers and not toomuch damage. A car is just a car. Cheers
Dale
Glad you escaped unscathed Ro. It was a cracker!!
Norma
Glad you are okay. Windows and chairs can be replaced. I wish it had been a more fun experience for you.
Ho Ro!
That was the most horrific storm....we heard cars were lifted off the ground and it was something of a tornado in parts.The paradox of siting sharing a special occasion with all the preparations that go into it... then in minutes to be left with such a disaster! Those hailstones are so dangerous... I'm glad n0-one was hurt Ro.
May 2012 bring you abundant blessings and leave off the weather dramas! Health, happiness and prosperity to you!
S x
Hi! Ro,
Not at all the kind of white Christmas one would wish for, terrible spoiler for what sounds like a lovely day. Good sde at least nobody was injured.
Happy New Year!!! Thank you for inspiration!
thank YOU ro, for your visit and words. i have followed your work for years, loving your colors, whimsy and ways of looking at life. oh my goodness, i hope i never experience this large of hail coming down! Good health and LOVE to you in the coming new year and ALWAYS! XO WANDA
Gee, Ro! I stopped by to wish you a Happy New Year! I'm shocked to see that kind of damage from hail. I feel bad for everyone in Australia. I've been reading all year about the weather there, and it seems like you just can't catch a break! I hope all is well, and I wish the very best of life, love and creativity to you for 2012!
Wow, we got a bit of rain and thunder out our way, but nothing like that!!! I hope your little car can be fixed.
Wishing you and Steve much health and happiness in 2012.
Looking forward to catching up in January.
Jacky xox
Hi Ro, I found you on another blog and came over to visit. I live in Eltham, so I can relate to this post, although we were in Frankston all day Xmas Day and came home about 6 pm to mass devastation! Our house survived unscathed, two skylights intact, and bird aviaries also intact, although the floors were muddy. Sitting here after a day of 35 deg.heat and dry ground, it is hard to believe that a week ago it was so wet.
wow that is some wild weather!!!
Thanks so much for dropping by my blog and leaving such sweet comments. I am so flattered that you like my work. Your such an amazing artist yourself, it's an honor to be recognized by you.
Thanks again,
Many happy new year wishes to you and yours!!!
xoxo
Debbie
wow that is some wild weather!!!
Thanks so much for dropping by my blog and leaving such sweet comments. I am so flattered that you like my work. Your such an amazing artist yourself, it's an honor to be recognized by you.
Thanks again,
Many happy new year wishes to you and yours!!!
xoxo
Debbie
wow look at that amazing! Hope you had a good Christmas despite this and best wishes for an arty new year
Holes right through the garden chairs?! I hate to think of the hail damage to the cars.
Wishing you the best for 2012, Ro!
not that kind of white Christmas!!
Hope the damage was minimal..
all quiet here, and loving it when the city is serene like this.
Happy New Year, Ro! The storm certainly wreaked havoc over many parts of Melbourne. How unfortunate that your White Christmas turned out to be so different to the scenes portrayed in the song. We were lucky in Richmond, as our hailstones were only about 10-15 mm in size, although the rain came down in torrents. Here’s to a very creative and inspiring year, 2012.
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