November 20, 2024
Large hail destroyed solar panels near Tambo. Image by James Turnbull.
In a stark reminder that large hail can strike anywhere in Australia, a small solar installation near Tambo was devastated by a supercellular hailstorm.
While thunderstorm activity finally eased over eastern Queensland over the weekend, the severe thunderstorm potential shifted inland resulting in scattered storms and isolated supercells occurring with one particularly destructive supercell occurring near the township of Tambo.
Supercells are rotating thunderstorms - they require elevated levels of instability and strong, rotational wind shear to develop. Supportive supercellular wind shear can often occur late in the day across inland NSW and Queensland when the low-level jet increases close to sunset. This was the case for this storm where NE winds increased towards sunset making conditions ripe for supercell storms.
For more information on supercells - see our recent story here.
Supercell thunderstorms rotate. Stormchaser Daniel Schummy witnessed the Tambo supercell first hand, capturing this brilliant image clearly showing the circulation shape of the rotating updraft.
Low level wind shear was supportive of supercells with 20-25 knot NE winds backing to 30 knots westerly at 500mb. Source: MetCentre
The Challenge of Protecting Solar Installations
Unlike larger solar farms, smaller installations often rely on fixed mounting systems that leave them vulnerable to hail damage. In contrast, larger operations frequently use sophisticated tracking systems that tilt panels to maximise sunlight exposure. Some even include “hail stow” functionality—a feature that positions panels to minimise impact during hailstorms.
The Importance of Stowing for Hail
Weatherwatch, in partnership with the Early Warning Network, works closely with solar farms and tracking companies to deliver precise hail alerts via the Weatherwatch HailTracker® system.
Powered by cutting-edge algorithms and multi-dimensional data processing, HailTracker® provides real-time hail monitoring and forecasting—a first of its kind in the Australian commercial sector.
With Weatherwatch hail alerts, operators can take proactive steps to stow panels when large hail threatens. In 2022, a hailstorm impacted a solar farm near Gympie, Queensland causing more than $25 million in damage highlighting the vulnerability of solar forms and the importance of hail stowing to support the renewable energy transition across Australia and beyond.
For more information on how Weatherwatch can help protect your solar investment, see HailTracker.
Despite being located on the edge of radar coverage, Weatherwatch's Storm Intensity Mapping indicated severe to intense thunderstorm activity from the storm.
Weatherwatch is thrilled to expand its hail suite with the upcoming launch of SmartHail™—a groundbreaking tool redefining hail forecasting. SmartHail™ combines predictive modeling with adaptive spatiotemporal data processing to accurately track hail size and forecast its movement. This enables high-resolution, real-time hail forecasts, delivering actionable intelligence updated every 5 minutes
Weatherwatch's SmartHail™ alerts in action warning for areas ahead of a hailstorm tracking through Southeast Queensland on November 1, 2024. Targeted hail alerts are essential to minimize warning fatigue.
Weatherwatch issues a daily hail forecast for Australia and accurately forecast the large hail potential on Saturday November 16, 2024. The blue circle indicates the town of Tambo.
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