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Weather diary page

Oct 1, Aomori: It was 11C at 5:30 this morning, so the temps are edging down. High today forecast to be 19 with sun. Fall is definitely in the air... or winter. The first snow on Mt. Fuji was reported a couple days ago, and we're way north of Mt. Fuji. It won't be long before I wake up and see snow in the mountains.

Oct 2, Aomori: 10C at 5:30 this morning. It's a pleasant day so far. It's now 9:30 AM and 18C with partly cloudy skies and virtually no wind (3 kt) which is unusual for our neck of the woods. All in all a very pleasant day.

Oct 5, Northern Rivers: First spring thunder storm around Oct 1 but just a few drops here. Temps have remained moderate - around 25-27C down to 10C at night. Pecan trees re-leafing. Last year i was reporting temps of 38C for early Oct and fires - it's not like that this year thank God - though has barely rained for 2 months so a couple of hot days could set everything off.

Oct 7, Amori: 8C at 5:30 this morning. That's the first time it's gotten under 10. Grass growth seems to have slowed considerably. It would usually add an inch or two after a good rain, which we had a couple days ago, but it's barely grown. If I play my cards right, there will only be one more cut in store this fall.

Oct 9, Aomori: Heat was turned on today.

Oct 12, NR: Noticed sacred kingfishers had turned up about a week ago. You don't normally think of kingfishers as being migratory, but this kind seems to be as they arrived around the same time last year. Weather continues to be perfect - mid-twenties most days, nights around 10-12 - still no rain.

Oct 12, Aomori: It's Monday, the end of a long holiday weekend, a weekend during which it has not stopped raining for all but a couple hours. Of course, it's supposed to clear up tomorrow. Temperatures have been between 10-18. Soon that will sound downright hot.

Oct 14, NR: This time last year we were in the cauldron of a climate emergency. The days were high 30's, the sky looked like Mumbai, the state was on fire. This year is way better. Cool enough to work outside (25C), warm enough at night not to need the heater. Cut grass for the first time last week then did the native trees paddock today. Will mulch tomorrow. Cats-claw is flowering. Wallabies reappearing daily around the house - including baby in the pouch.

Oct 15, Aomori: 6C at 5:30 AM. Leave's are turning and falling quickly now. More ducks seem to be on the lakes, amassing for the migration? The forecast highs for the next week is not supposed to break 20, which is about a week ahead of last year. Lows in single digits all week.

Oct 16, Aomori: 4C at 6:00AM. At this rate I'll be shoveling snow by the end of the month!

Oct 18, Aomori: We had a nice weekend finally with mostly sunny skies in highs in the high teens. Today it hit 18C the low tonight will be 8-10. More birds are arriving on the lakes. Swans arrived.

Oct 24, Aomori: 8C at 21:30. Today was partly cloudy and quite breezy. The last few days have been unstable with a fair but of sun but overall falling temps. The highs have been in the mid teens with a couple nice days pushing 18-19, lows in the single digits, and that is forecast to continue for the next week. More swans have arrived -- counted 30+ today at S lake. Ducks are increasing as well. Although the phone says 9C right now, I just stuck my head out the door and it feels very wintery. Same goes for the weather overall today. There's a definite chill in the air. I put the bikes away for the winter and took the snow shovel out, although it usually doesn't snow until mid to late Nov. I just had to make room for the bikes. I cut the grass today for what will surely be the last time this year. It's notable that it didn't break 20 all week. I think we've seen the last of the 20s.

Oct 28, Aomori: 5C at 5:30 AM and there's snow in the mountains.

Comment: Keep me posted on the duck/swan gathering!

Oct 28, NR: The last few days have seen the full arrival of storm season. It's a wham-bam hit-or-miss affair - we had our first hit today. Didn't look any different from the last few days - cloudy - storms around - one minute i was sitting inside writing an email to deal with my taxes - the next i was out dodging lightning in the downpour trying to get hold of a shade-sail that had broken loose - the buckle of which was violently flailing about threatening to smash a window at any second. I've got a Taiwan scooter pants and jacket just for such occasions but didn't even have time to put it on. A Sacred Kingfisher crashed into the window two days ago. Just heard a bang but didn't pay attention until i saw a raven just out the window - it was going in for the kill on the knocked out kingfisher. Rushed out and picked it up but it was bleeding from a raven peck (it looked like) and dying in my hands, its eyes closing over as i carried it inside - at least i would let it die in peace without being torn to pieces by the ravens. It was so sad. Put it in a box on a bed of tissues waiting for it to pass - it's little body still rising and falling with its last breaths. 30 mins later i checked again thinking it would be time to bury it - but lo and behold it was alive and its eyes were open! Gave it some water, kept it in the box for another hour until he was sitting up and active then took it outside and off he flew. Today it hit the same window again! Pretty sure it's the same bird - they're territorial so there only one or two around. If it wasn't the same one it was its partner. Thank God this time it wasn't so serious and i got there before the ravens. Same routine, in the box, he came-to much quicker, forced concussion protocol rest in the box, then released. My mum had some technique of hanging tinsel on the windows to stop birds flying into them - will give it a go.

Oct 31, NR: Hail storm! Short sharp storms swept across northern nsw and south qld today including widespread hail storms. Here it happened in two bursts - the second one was bigger than the first. Started out as this loud crashing noise on the roof - not a downpour but a slow release of large hailstones, a bit smaller than golf balls - like tom-bowlers. This only lasted a couple of minutes then gave way to rain. Not as heavy as the rainstorm a few days back - and not as much wind - but plenty of lightning. An hour or so later there was a second hailstorm - started out slow but then increased to a full pelting. Scared the shit out of the cows. Only a few minutes and by the end the sun was shining through as it hailed which was surreal so we must have been right on the edge of a storm cell. Further north there were pictures coming out of hail stones the size of tennis balls - at that level cars get smashed up - there were even photos of tile roofs damaged though not sure if that was wind or the hail.