We boarded our brand new Jet-Star Airbus A321 for a 1355 takeoff. Mid cloud had been building all morning and the northerly had sent the temperature in Melbourne to near 38c - a trough advanced into western Victoria through the morning and edged into the central district by early afternoon. Sitting in the squashed seat space of the A321 the wings started to flap ! the body shook and the floor moved a bit like a Richterscale 5 earthquake...Geeeez these Airbus A321's shake around in rough weather.....and we hadn't taken off yet !!!....

Just on departure time a horrendous squall descended onto Melbourne Airport with gusts over 50 knots and a dust storm, we were delayed 50 minutes as the traffic control closed the airport. With the squall line clearing we eventually lined up the runway for take-off....the A321 bounced down the runway and eventually hurtled into the air. As we flew northwest we paralelled the trough-line climbing into a thick band of mid and upper cloud -  the airplane whipped along with a lot of lateral motion followed by horizontal lift stuff, the captain made a number of apologies for the awful weather....We loved it!! The food service was cancelled for over an hour and everybody strapped in..even an announcement for those wishing to go to the toilet you can do that at your own risk !. As we flew into the east of  South Australia we eventually cleared the cloud band and flew into more settled conditions....Three hours later we were approaching Darwin...our Top End storm chase had begun....

Report: Clyve Herbert

Photography: Jane ONeill / Clyve Herbert

Front approaches Melbourne airport - 1330

Leading edge of dust squall approaching Melbourne airport

Squall achieved 51 knots and shook our A321 - something equivalent to a Richter scale 5

Entire airport was shut down during the dust storm

Near the sublimation level over Katherine at 35,000'

Another Darwin sunset!