Battening Down For Cyclone Number Two in N.E. Downunder.
By bernieh
35 comments
‘Wet’ season here in northern Oz not only means heavy rainfall, but the possible occurrence of significant weather events like cyclones. So far this ‘wet’ season we’ve had one Category 1 cyclone … Tropical Cyclone Tasha … which passed a little further north of us on Christmas Day morning. That cyclone deteriorated to a rain depression when it moved inland and went on to contribute significantly to the flooding experienced throughout central and southern Queensland.
Well our second cyclone of the season is on its way. It’s Category 1 at the moment, but expected to intensify to Category 2 as it nears our coastline. TC Anthony is expected to cross the coast right here either late this evening or early tomorrow morning.
Here’s the map show TC Anthony’s path towards our little stretch of Queensland coastline.
Tropical Cyclone Threat Map
Of course, we’re used to preparing for cyclones. I started getting the garden ready for the ‘wet’ season at the end of November (last month of spring) just before our summer began. All the huge shrubs around the garden were trimmed back without prejudice and are now full of new more flexible growth. Hubbie had started cutting down a huge Queen Palm just a couple of weeks ago as it was a possible threat to our house. He also spent time cutting down potentially dangerous limbs of the gum trees close to the house as well.
We had built up quite a pile of debris on the fire pit, but the constant rain had prevented us from burning it off. Yesterday we got the chance to do so, finally, although the centre of the pile was still quite damp. Hopefully what’s left won’t be a problem when the wind starts whipping up! Everything else is packed up or tied down, and we’re hoping the weight of the enormous sections of Queen Palm trunk will be too heavy for Category 2 cyclonic winds to pick them up … fingers crossed.
Photo was taken yesterday as we lit up the pile of debris trimmed back or cut off around the garden.
We also have to do things like moving all the verandah furniture inside the house, moving all the pots and containers out in the courtyard garden under cover, moving any loose items such as the wheelbarrow or the barbeque under cover.
We stock up on food items such as canned food and dried food. We fill up water containers and make sure the bathtub is full of water … just in case we lose water supply. We also make sure we have torches that work, a radio that operates on battery power and lots and lots of candles. It all becomes habit after the first couple of ‘wet’ seasons.
For the last two days it’s been so still here and the birds have been so quiet … all signs of an approaching cyclone. You really notice it when the birds are not singing. We’re so used to the background noise of bird song here in the bushland and when it stops, it starts feeling quite eerie! We had a little bit of wind this morning but it’s back to still and quiet now … at midday.
We’re expecting torrential rain and very strong winds from TC Anthony, but that usually only lasts for a day or so when it’s such a ‘weak’ cyclone. The problem is there’s another huge system hanging around out in the Pacific and it’s been building up considerably … that’s the weather event we’re really worried about so we’ll see how it all pans out!
The following link shows TC Anthony near our coast and the massive system building up out in the Pacific.
Infrared image of TC Anthony heading for our coast and the massive system building up out in the Pacific
30 Jan, 2011
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Comments
Good luck!
30 Jan, 2011
wow that looks scary.....hope you survive.....
30 Jan, 2011
Bernieh:
Wow! It sounds like you're very prepared. Hope it's not as bad as it looks. The second developing tropical cyclone (hurricane) is looking gigantic! Let's hope it doesn't bring horrible rains again to Queensland!
Sorry to hear about your Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)! However, I do know they are one of the palms which blow over pretty easily in high winds. So many very tall Queen palms blew down in San Diego last winter, during the intense El Niño storms.
30 Jan, 2011
Keeping Fingers crossed for you
30 Jan, 2011
Wow, I wouldnt like to have to contend with that sort of wind and rain, keeping fingers crossed for you.
30 Jan, 2011
hoping very much that your preparations are not needed and it misses you, the area has had quite enough over the last few weeks to last a lifetime -- as Bjs says-- fingers crossed xxx
30 Jan, 2011
Thoughts and prayers are with you Bernieh, hoping it passes without serious consequences, stay safe.xx.
30 Jan, 2011
Wow thats a big one following up. Hope it miss'es you Bernieh, take care.
30 Jan, 2011
Fingers crossed for you hope you keep safe, we moan about our weather but we dont get anything like that.
30 Jan, 2011
I wish you luck Bernieh hope it does nt affect you or if it does not too bad, makes you think how lucky we are over here not having to take precautions like you do each year.
30 Jan, 2011
Take care, Bernieh, it looks like your cyclone season is much worse than the hurricane season here in Texas...isn't it interesting how animals react to nature? (birds not singing, the stillness...) when the animals start acting strangely...you know somethings up!
30 Jan, 2011
gosh sounds bad berneih, hope your all ok and doesnt cause you any damage, so much to do and prepare, getting food etc in and making sure everything safe inside, take care and hope it soon passes ;o)
30 Jan, 2011
All is well here today and thanks for all your concern. TC Anthony crossed further south so we missed all the wind and rain. It crossed at my home town a little further down the coast where my Dad and brother still live. They had a rough night … winds around 120 km per hour and lots of heavy rain … but luckily no real damage. My brother had some smashed windows and fallen trees at the caravan park where he is the manager and Dad just has some squashed plants.
Now we’re all watching TC Yasi, the huge system out in the Coral Sea has developed into a cyclone and is on its way. Weather Bureau is not entirely sure where it might hit, so it’s another wait and see game. Thursday looks to be the day though.
It's a huge system and the rain will affect an already totally drenched Queensland. It's also expected to affect most of northern New South Wales as well, which has just started recovering from flooding just recently. So much rain!
30 Jan, 2011
So pleased it missed you Bernieh so sorry to hear that your dad and brother got some of the brunt of it, but at least they are alive and well and thats what counts.
Lets home TC Yasi misses you too, its terrible if it hits Queensland again after all they have recently had to put up with. Hope you stay safe and your family.
30 Jan, 2011
very glad you're all safe Bernie - and yassi can just go away thank you - far away ... my sister in Mackay is eying it with great suspicion too - take good care - Cate
31 Jan, 2011
Bernieh:
I'm glad to hear TC Anthony missed you!
Tropical Cyclone Yasi is looking very ominous! It's also an extremely large tropical system. I hope this one misses Queensland! It's unimaginable what this system would do if it hit anywhere near Queensland.
Good luck, and take care!
31 Jan, 2011
pleased it missed you Bernie and that your family are not too bady affected, this other one sounds really bad I do hope it misses you all xxx
31 Jan, 2011
Take care and stay safe Bernieh.
31 Jan, 2011
Bernieh:
I've seen the most current satellite images of Super Cyclone Yasi. It's looking absolutely monstrous!
According to what I've read recently it looks like the eye may be heading possibly very close to Townsville. Are you thinking about evacuating the city? I'v read Yasi could be the largest and strongest cyclone (recorded) to hit Queensland. :>(((
I'm sending good thoughts, and prayers your way.
Stay safe.
31 Jan, 2011
For any one wanting to see the size here is a link
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/north-queensland-battens-down-for-cyclone-yasis-fury/story-e6frf7l6-1225997578540
31 Jan, 2011
Hi all ... just to update. Cyclone No. 3 is coming ... cyclone no. 3 is coming ... and it's not a nice one!
TC Yasi is a monster and it's predicted to become a Category 4 just before it crosses the coast. Category 5 is the highest possible category for cyclones, so it's going to be a bad one.
We've been closely watching it all day today and it's begun moving quite quickly towards the coast. No-one can be entirely certain where it might hit landfall, but at the moment it's predicted to be further north, maybe up around Innisfail or Cairns.
It is however a huge system and we will definitely be affected. Nursing homes and one boarding school was evacuated yesterday ... and today most of the low-lying areas close to the coast have been warned to evacuate. There's a huge storm surge expected to hit Townsville as well as the outer edge of the destructive winds.
Cyclone Larry which devastated north Queensland just a couple of years ago was actually smaller than the cyclone on the way. Yasi is one of the largest cyclones Queensland has experienced so far.
All schools are closed tomorrow and Thursday, so I get to stay at home. We have relatives living in the inner city who have been warned to evacuate so we'll be looking after them.
The supermarket shelves here are almost bare ... there's no Baked Beans or toilet paper to be found. On the way home from work this afternoon I saw incredibly long lines of cars waiting to fuel up at the petrol stations because we're expected to lose power for a while. People are queued at ATM's to get cash ... and there's not a battery to be found in this great city of ours!
Ah ... the tropics! Anyway thinking of migrating for the wonderful weather??? Hmmm?
I have to say too, lol, that there's not much wine or beer left in the bottle shops either!!! Typical for Aussies!
1 Feb, 2011
Bernie my thoughts are with you all take care xxx
1 Feb, 2011
My best wishes for your safety - and all the people of Queensland.
1 Feb, 2011
Good Luck Bernieh hope you all come through it safely and soundly.
1 Feb, 2011
Update from north Queensland:
TC Yasi is now Category 5 ... the highest category for a cyclone and the worst ever to hit our coast. Please keep north Queenslanders in your thoughts and prayers today as there is expected to be quite some devastation and perhaps loss of life.
Yasi is expected to cross the coast north of us late tonight or tomorrow morning, up around Innisfail or Cardwell, but we are in the path of destructive winds with some very heavy rainfall on its way.
Winds have already picked up here, although it's a bright sunny blue-sky day ... would you believe! No cars are allowed to be out on the roads after midday today with the exception of emergency vehicles and then we just sit and wait.
Thanks everyone for all your well wishes ... unfortunately this is probably not going to be a good two days!
1 Feb, 2011
Bernieh:
Yes, my family's good thoughts and prayers will definitely be with you and your family... and also, for all Queenslanders.
Super Cyclone Yasi is the size of Queensland, Australia. It boggles my mind! Are the Homes in your area able to withstand category 4 or 5 cyclone winds?
Stay safe and take care!
2 Feb, 2011
Keep safe Bernieh! My prayers will be with you and all NQers tonight.
2 Feb, 2011
My thoughts and good vibs are with you Bernieh and all of your family and all over there heard late last night it had gone to a 5 top wack, also they had evacuated every one how come your still by it, keep safe sound and most of all alive good luck my friend. x
2 Feb, 2011
thoughts and prayers with you brave Queenslanders
2 Feb, 2011
I echo all the above thoughts Bernieh. Please take care and be safe. Thoughts and prayers are with you.
2 Feb, 2011
Hi Bernieh Just watching the events on UK tv looks like your having a rough time out there hope everything pans out ok for you and you all get through it with out to much damage, keeping my eye on the news.
2 Feb, 2011
Hello Bernieh ....just watched the news and saw the damage that the cyclone caused, on the news they where saying that it was not as bad as thought ,but it looked pretty bad to me.A councilor was saying a lot of damage had been done in places called Tully and Innisfal. Hope you and your's are all safe and well ...take care
3 Feb, 2011
Hope you're okay, take care
3 Feb, 2011
Hope its just you net gone down Bernieh as we have nt heard from you today hope your well and sound there X
3 Feb, 2011
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It sounds dangerous. I hope you'll be all right. I hope your family are surviving the floods aswell.
30 Jan, 2011