🔥 Peter 🔥
@mountainpine.bsky.social
Mad scientist, techno-tragic, weather nerd and part time pyromaniac
Living on Gundungurra Country
Living on Gundungurra Country
Same view, different day, but never gets boring.
January 26, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Same view, different day, but never gets boring.
An enhanced phone snap of the Aurora from the south coast of NSW. For reasons unknown, I thought I wouldn't need the DSLR on this trip 🫤
January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
An enhanced phone snap of the Aurora from the south coast of NSW. For reasons unknown, I thought I wouldn't need the DSLR on this trip 🫤
From the south coast of NSW, from the phone. For some reason I decided to leave the good camera at home when packing for this trip.
January 20, 2026 at 1:14 PM
From the south coast of NSW, from the phone. For some reason I decided to leave the good camera at home when packing for this trip.
In the last 36 hours, my weather station has recorded 295mm of rain. While that's significant in itself, what's of particular interest is that the forecasts didn't flag such a major rainfall event. There was certainly a signal there, but what we received is way above expectations.
January 18, 2026 at 12:24 AM
In the last 36 hours, my weather station has recorded 295mm of rain. While that's significant in itself, what's of particular interest is that the forecasts didn't flag such a major rainfall event. There was certainly a signal there, but what we received is way above expectations.
175 and still going. Let's see if we make 200 in 24 hours.
January 17, 2026 at 11:05 AM
175 and still going. Let's see if we make 200 in 24 hours.
150mm+ and counting so far today. My weather software resets at midnight and not 9am like the official gauges, but that's still a lot for one day.
January 17, 2026 at 6:47 AM
150mm+ and counting so far today. My weather software resets at midnight and not 9am like the official gauges, but that's still a lot for one day.
Smoke from bushfires in Victoria has made it all the way to New Zealand
[imagery: WeatherZone]
[imagery: WeatherZone]
January 8, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Smoke from bushfires in Victoria has made it all the way to New Zealand
[imagery: WeatherZone]
[imagery: WeatherZone]
I just noticed that one of the plants we recently bought from the nursery has been agressively pruned. Knowing that nobody would cut so much off a bottlebrush we just brought home, I had my suspicions and checked the webcam. The culprit has been identified.
December 31, 2025 at 1:34 AM
I just noticed that one of the plants we recently bought from the nursery has been agressively pruned. Knowing that nobody would cut so much off a bottlebrush we just brought home, I had my suspicions and checked the webcam. The culprit has been identified.
Here is the 2025 weather summary from my place here in Katoomba. It was quite an average year compared to the last few.
December 31, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Here is the 2025 weather summary from my place here in Katoomba. It was quite an average year compared to the last few.
When the social media team schedules a series of posts then takes the weekend off...
December 28, 2025 at 10:14 PM
When the social media team schedules a series of posts then takes the weekend off...
The onshore airflow is dominant in Katoomba tonight. Given how cool and overcast it's become, I'm expecting mist and drizzle overnight.
December 23, 2025 at 9:12 AM
The onshore airflow is dominant in Katoomba tonight. Given how cool and overcast it's become, I'm expecting mist and drizzle overnight.
Work has taken me to some amazing places over the years. Today's adventure: Warragamba Dam.
November 28, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Work has taken me to some amazing places over the years. Today's adventure: Warragamba Dam.
Some interesting cloud this afternoon, looking west from Katoomba. The smooth, crisp edge was quite striking and was what caught my eye. This was related to a short duration standing wave that occurred over the ranges this afternoon.
[ satellite image via Weatherzone ]
[ satellite image via Weatherzone ]
November 17, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Some interesting cloud this afternoon, looking west from Katoomba. The smooth, crisp edge was quite striking and was what caught my eye. This was related to a short duration standing wave that occurred over the ranges this afternoon.
[ satellite image via Weatherzone ]
[ satellite image via Weatherzone ]
The Fringe Lilies have decided today is a good day to flower. In this species, each flower only opens for one day, and quite unusually, the flower on the left has 4 petals instead of three.
November 14, 2025 at 3:10 AM
The Fringe Lilies have decided today is a good day to flower. In this species, each flower only opens for one day, and quite unusually, the flower on the left has 4 petals instead of three.
Mediocre aurora photography: November 2025 edition
November 12, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Mediocre aurora photography: November 2025 edition
1/4: Linux. I've been a fan for a long time but have felt locked in by M$ on the desktop. But given the way that platform is going, I thought it was time for a more serious trial. I've been running Debian with KDE Plasma for the last couple of weeks from a USB *FLASH DRIVE* and wow, am I impressed.
October 23, 2025 at 9:43 AM
1/4: Linux. I've been a fan for a long time but have felt locked in by M$ on the desktop. But given the way that platform is going, I thought it was time for a more serious trial. I've been running Debian with KDE Plasma for the last couple of weeks from a USB *FLASH DRIVE* and wow, am I impressed.
A few photos from around our bush garden today. After a slow start to the season, spring is finally starting to show its face.
October 17, 2025 at 8:39 AM
A few photos from around our bush garden today. After a slow start to the season, spring is finally starting to show its face.
Despite this looking somewhat amateur, this is an official Bureau of Meteorology product (the human element is an invaluable extra layer to the forecast). Potential supercells and giant hail across the region tomorrow. Sounds exciting.
October 16, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Despite this looking somewhat amateur, this is an official Bureau of Meteorology product (the human element is an invaluable extra layer to the forecast). Potential supercells and giant hail across the region tomorrow. Sounds exciting.
Just the white Waratah in our front garden
October 8, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Just the white Waratah in our front garden
A few photos from a recent hazard reduction burn at Wentworth Falls. Conditions for burning are favourable at the moment, so more burns like this are likely in coming weeks.
October 4, 2025 at 11:13 PM
A few photos from a recent hazard reduction burn at Wentworth Falls. Conditions for burning are favourable at the moment, so more burns like this are likely in coming weeks.
RAAF Richmond - Airshow 2025
September 28, 2025 at 8:09 AM
RAAF Richmond - Airshow 2025
Photo theme for today: emergence
September 27, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Photo theme for today: emergence
And the Bureau of Meteorology's radar derived 24 hour rain totals
September 20, 2025 at 6:11 AM
And the Bureau of Meteorology's radar derived 24 hour rain totals
I was talking to someone yesterday and said that the overnight rain would be an all or nothing event. But I didn't expect it to play out quite like this, with virtually nothing falling over the Blue Mountains. Kind of interesting from an atmospheric dynamics perspective.
September 20, 2025 at 6:10 AM
I was talking to someone yesterday and said that the overnight rain would be an all or nothing event. But I didn't expect it to play out quite like this, with virtually nothing falling over the Blue Mountains. Kind of interesting from an atmospheric dynamics perspective.
A break in the weather allowed us to get a small hazard reduction burn done in north Katoomba today. A great result and a nice way to finish the working week.
September 19, 2025 at 7:27 AM
A break in the weather allowed us to get a small hazard reduction burn done in north Katoomba today. A great result and a nice way to finish the working week.