🔥 Peter 🔥
@mountainpine.bsky.social
Mad scientist, techno-tragic, weather nerd and part time pyromaniac
Living on Gundungurra Country
Living on Gundungurra Country
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.
LINUX UPDATE: Migration complete! (a thread)
After hesitating momentarily, I decided to go all in on Linux. I've had enough of M$ and the direction they are taking Windows, so I figured I had nothing to lose by jumping in the deep end. This was probably the best decision I've made in quite a while.
After hesitating momentarily, I decided to go all in on Linux. I've had enough of M$ and the direction they are taking Windows, so I figured I had nothing to lose by jumping in the deep end. This was probably the best decision I've made in quite a while.
November 20, 2025 at 10:38 AM
LINUX UPDATE: Migration complete! (a thread)
After hesitating momentarily, I decided to go all in on Linux. I've had enough of M$ and the direction they are taking Windows, so I figured I had nothing to lose by jumping in the deep end. This was probably the best decision I've made in quite a while.
After hesitating momentarily, I decided to go all in on Linux. I've had enough of M$ and the direction they are taking Windows, so I figured I had nothing to lose by jumping in the deep end. This was probably the best decision I've made in quite a while.
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
I may have had too much to drink tonight and went down a YouTube jazz hole. If you need proof that aliens have visited and live amongst us, just watch this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJ...
Snarky Puppy - Lingus (We Like It Here)
YouTube video by GroundUP Music NYC
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I may have had too much to drink tonight and went down a YouTube jazz hole. If you need proof that aliens have visited and live amongst us, just watch this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJ...
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
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.
Getting closer to what the NBN should have been from the start. It's a shame though that my ISP can't/won't offer symmetrical uploads, as that would be quite handy for my overnight cloud backups.
September 16, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Getting closer to what the NBN should have been from the start. It's a shame though that my ISP can't/won't offer symmetrical uploads, as that would be quite handy for my overnight cloud backups.
Monday photo journey: A mountains man way out of his depth in the city
September 15, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Monday photo journey: A mountains man way out of his depth in the city
Some nice snow showers tonight in my part of Katoomba. Now we wait to see if the morning reveals a dusting of white.
August 29, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Some nice snow showers tonight in my part of Katoomba. Now we wait to see if the morning reveals a dusting of white.
Well, I don't think I can recall ever seeing such a significant snow forecast. But five days is a long time in forecasting, so this will probably change between now and Saturday. That said, there's a strong signal here that tells a story, so it will be worth paying attention as the week progresses.
August 25, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Well, I don't think I can recall ever seeing such a significant snow forecast. But five days is a long time in forecasting, so this will probably change between now and Saturday. That said, there's a strong signal here that tells a story, so it will be worth paying attention as the week progresses.
Of all the times the central heating could break down, it chooses the dead of winter. And it seems you cannot buy a heater for love nor money in the Blue Mountains at the moment. Brrrr.
August 19, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Of all the times the central heating could break down, it chooses the dead of winter. And it seems you cannot buy a heater for love nor money in the Blue Mountains at the moment. Brrrr.
Well, I'm not going to complain about ending the working week in the Megalong Valley. Have a great weekend!
August 15, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Well, I'm not going to complain about ending the working week in the Megalong Valley. Have a great weekend!
A misty mountain morning, and the Phantom Falls
August 12, 2025 at 12:06 AM
A misty mountain morning, and the Phantom Falls
130mm over the weekend. 155mm this week if we include the preceding rain band. So things are a little damp at home at the moment, which I'm not complaining about given our water tanks are full and our ephemeral pond is back again.
August 3, 2025 at 11:51 PM
130mm over the weekend. 155mm this week if we include the preceding rain band. So things are a little damp at home at the moment, which I'm not complaining about given our water tanks are full and our ephemeral pond is back again.
A bit of a bleak day in the mountains today. The apparent temperature would have to be below zero, with intermittent bursts of cold drizzle making it more miserable. If the weather is going to be like this, it should at least snow and make the discomfort worth it.
July 28, 2025 at 3:53 AM
A bit of a bleak day in the mountains today. The apparent temperature would have to be below zero, with intermittent bursts of cold drizzle making it more miserable. If the weather is going to be like this, it should at least snow and make the discomfort worth it.