May have to head for high ground

A

Aussie_T100

Banned
As if our state hasn't had enough bad weather lately it seems as though we are now in for a severe tropical cyclone with the emphasis on severe - this one looks like a real beauty. Residents in low lying coastal areas are being advised to evacuate now due to an expected tidal surge.

It's still about 48 hours away at this point and I'm just on the southern edge of its suspected sphere of influence but it looks like tomorrow could be a busy day making preparations. I'm one of the ones being advised to evacuate so tomorrow I'll probably be looking for a temporary home for myself, my wife, a car full of precious possessions and one Bonneville motorcycle. No local evacuation centers are provided so they are asking people in defined low lying areas to move to friends or relatives homes on higher ground for temporary shelter.

Here's a few sites you can visit to see what we are facing:-

http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/synoptic_col.shtml

http://www.bom.gov.au/gms/IDE00035.latest.shtml

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml

Just in case those pages don't stay live here's the front page of the Bureau Of Meteorology site for Queensland:-

http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/

And an alternative site:-

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html

I'll keep you all posted as things develop and as long as I have internet access.
 
A

Aussie_T100

Banned
Here's some more info, this video talks about the two previous cyclones the country has seen in the past week, one on the west coast (Bianca) that died out before making landfall and another (Anthony) that passed just to the north of my location just 24 hours ago and the third one threatening us now (Yasi).

After the entree of Anthony it looks like Yasi will be the main course but what is also disturbing is that he is predicting two more "storms" in our area in the next two weeks. Fun fun fun!!! (NOT)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_txm7Idr9HU
 
mark66

mark66

TT Racer
Best of luck for you down there Aussie....hope all works out OK. Man, your getting hit with flooding and what we call hurricanes, and here in the north east coastal area of the US we're getting hit by snow storm after snow storm.
 
A

Aussie_T100

Banned
Thanks for you concern guys, it's 1:20 in the morning here now so I'm off to bed to sleep on it and will make an assessment of the situation in the morning before deciding on exactly what action I take.

You are right about the crazy world weather at the moment, it seems as though everybody is getting their share of it in some shape or form.

Here's what is probably a more comprehensive coverage of our current situation all in one link:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT1bmcv7GL4

Going to catch some shuteye now. :)
 
koifarm

koifarm

Hooligan
Damn Aussie, I sure feel for you all there, your cyclones are hurricanes here in Florida and I've seen enough to know you are all facing some awesomely bad weather.
Our hearts and minds are with you and hope you are able to survive intact, I feel so sorry for those folks that were flooded out and endured and still enduring some of the worst weather to hit you in a long time.
Best of luck and if you need to, don't hesitate to ask for help, I have no doubt there are many of us who will do our best to give you a leg up should you need it.
 
A

Aussie_T100

Banned
Thanks very much again for your concerns guys. The cyclone appears to be tracking a little further north on the latest forecast so that lessens the danger a little for us but the unknown is the tidal surge particularly if it crosses the coast at or near high tide. The evacuation order still stands for our area so preparations are under way.

If the cyclone continues on its predicted course it will cross the coast some 350 miles to our north so we should be reasonably fine as far as wind goes but I would expect some heavy rain. Our main threat is the expected tidal surge.

I feel for the people of Innisfail which is directly in the path of this cyclone as their town was completely demolished just a couple of years ago by cyclone Larry and they have just gotten back on their feet.

My wife has a sister in Cairns and a niece in Innisfail so we are very concerned for them & their family's safety as well.

Anyway I have preparations to do so I'll catch you all later.
 
A

Aussie_T100

Banned
Just a bit of an update, we no longer have to evacuate so that is one good thing but we are now bunkered down and will sit back and see what happens. I would expect heavy rain and winds of up 160Kph (100Mph) is what we will experience.

We are lucky in that we are on the lower edge of the effected area so we will not see the worst of it but I'm anxious for the safety of those directly in the firing line of this storm which is now a category 5 cyclone. The talk has been of 300Kph winds (185Mph) and a tidal surge of 6 or 7 meters (20 feet plus) in the area where the cyclone is expected to cross. This storm is so large and has such momentum that it is expected to still be category 3 strength by the time it gets to be 500Klm's inland. This is the largest storm to hit the Australian coast in living memory.

The long and the short of it is that we will be fine as we are under no serious threat where we are located so our concern now shifts to those to the north of us.

http://www.goes.noaa.gov/sohemi/sohemiloops/shirgmscol.html
 
A

Aussie_T100

Banned
OK, 'tis all blown over. No problems here but they copped a flogging up north, here's some video and pictures of the devastation:-

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/03/3129449.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/03/3129440.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/03/3129287.htm

http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/24060327/

http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cyclone-yasi-6.jpg

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201102/r712773_5591114.jpg

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201102/r712638_5588248.jpg

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201102/r712655_5588579.jpg

Gallery 1

Gallery 2
 
pepper

pepper

Street Tracker
My lord that Yasi was a nasty bitch wasn't she? Glad to hear you're ok.

Dorie and I just looked at all the pictures and, aside from the devastation, it looks like a lovely area. We've been putting away a nickel here and there in hopes of visiting the continent again someday, now we're thinking screw it, we've already been there, Australia's probably a better place to go.

Best to you and yours
 
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