[meteorite-list] Mystery holes in Grovedale roof could be meteorites, says expert

From: Greg Stanley <stanleygregr_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:29:01 -0800
Message-ID: <SNT117-W28CF18195B94EDA1A453C1D2AB0_at_phx.gbl>

Interesting stuff

Greg S.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/11/10/120101_news.html




Mystery holes in Grovedale roof could be meteorites, says expert

Kerri-Ann Hobbs

November 10th, 2009
RIDDLE: An SES volunteer examines the holes left in a Grovedale roof on Saturday. Residents heard a loud bang but the cause is a mystery.Photo: ANETA ALFORD

LARGE holes were blown in the roofs of two Grovedale homes on Saturday afternoon, baffling emergency workers and weather experts.

One couple reported hearing a loud bang, while a neighbour also heard the crashing sound about 3.30pm.

SES and police told Sturt Court couple Tony and May Giuffre the damage was caused by an unusual weather phenomena called a microburst.

But weather expert Lindsay Smail dismissed that claim because that weather pattern was only associated with thunderstorms, and none were present on the weekend.
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The Astronomical Society of Victoria's president Perry Vlahos predicted a marble-sized piece of space junk or meteorite could have caused the damage and the evidence would be found in the area around the two houses.

"We were sitting in the lounge room and it sounded like something was coming through the rood," Mr Giuffre said.

"We both jumped up.

"When I did go outside it looked like something had fallen onto our roof and my initial thought was a wheel of a plane had come through the roof.

"Even the next door neighbour heard the bang and they came out to see what happened."

SES South Barwon controller Josh Hutton said the mystery had been put down to a microburst because a similar incident had happened in the area a couple of years ago and witnesses reported seeing mini tornadoes hit houses.

"At first we started worrying that something had come out of the sky," Mr Hutton said.

"But then we found another house in the next street with the same holes.

"We had the police involved to make sure it was all legitimate."

Lindsay Smail, of Geelong Weather Services, dismissed the weather claims, saying there were no atmospheric disturbances over the area at the weekend.

"I would guess that the weather is innocent," Mr Smail said.

"Sometimes a bit of plane falls off and because of the velocity that that junk assumes by the time it reaches the ground it can do a lot of damage, even though it may be only very small.

"Unless the authorities used a finetooth comb and worked their way around the area they might never find what it was."
                                               
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Received on Tue 10 Nov 2009 03:29:01 PM PST