water spouts
WATER spouts off the coast at Old Bar, near Taree on NSW's North Coast, were matched by a brief but intense storm with hail, as the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) predicts a cold snap and widespread rain for the remainder of the week across the east coast of NSW.

The weather event was short and sharp this afternoon (May 4) with Jason Fitzgerald of Port Macquarie capturing some of the triple water spout action off Old Bar beach.

At one point, five water spouts had formed and were seen offshore as far north as Harrington.



Jason said a hail storm hit shortly after he headed north along the highway and home to Port Macquarie.

According to the BoM's Storm Spotter's handbook, water spouts are occasionally seen near the coast in the late summer and autumn.