Thunderstorms

Queensland

From the 3rd to the 8th much of south eastern Queensland was affected by severe storms which produced cricket-ball sized hail around Ipswich and Brisbane. The Sunshine coast experienced strong winds as far north as Mackay. Wheat crops were damaged at Brookstead and in the Sunshine Coast hinterland there was considerable damage to fruit trees. There were widespread power cuts and roof damage to many homes. A fisherman in a dinghy at Nudgee Beach was struck and killed by lightning during the afternoon.

New South Wales

Thunderstorms occurred on many days throughout the State bringing strong winds, hail and rain. The most significant of these was on the 18th at Urangeline East (between Wagga and Albury), where roofs were blown off houses, hail to 4.2cm was reported and winds above 90 km/h were recorded. Damage was estimated at 330,000 dollars.

Victoria

Severe thunderstorms were reported at Shepparton, Violet Town, Rutherglen and Urangeline on the 18th. Egg-sized hail and winds caused extensive damage, 53 ibis were killed, vineyards and crops were stripped, trees uprooted and buildings damaged by the hail and winds. Vineyards near Rutherglen reported hail to 2.5cm and tornado like winds. Damage to crops, property and stock is estimated to be 2 million dollars.

South Australia

A band of thunderstorms on the 17th produced local severe winds and 25-35mm of rain at Kokatha (Northwest Pastoral) and near Kimba, Caralue, Kielpa and Mangalo on Eastern Eyre Peninsula.

Thunderstorms on 27th produced wind gusts of 80-100 km/h at a number of places across northern South Australia, including Woomera, Port Augusta, Oodnadatta and Moomba. Further thunderstorms affected the far north of South Australia on the 28th. Severe winds, hail 1cm in diameter and torrential rain occurred near Amata and a communications tower was blown over at Lambina Station.

Western Australia

Hail estimated to be 2.5cm in diameter was reported in the Lyons River area, approximately 200 kilometres east of Carnarvon, on the 15th. No property damage was reported, although local minor flooding affected some roads and creeks as 15mm of rain fell in 20 minutes.

Wind gusts of 109 km/h were recorded at Esperance airport on the 15th during thunderstorms that occurred in parts of the Eastern Wheatbelt.

Severe thunderstorms in the northern and eastern Goldfields region on the 16th/17th produced hail to 4cm in diameter and very strong wind gusts. A vehicle was dented and some vegetation was damaged in the Laverton and Mount Keith areas. Local roads were flooded as 50mm of rain fell in 10 minutes. Hail was also observed at Cue on the 16th.

Winds

South Australia

Early on the 26th, very localised severe winds associated with a thunderstorm blew down a fence and uprooted a large pine tree at Klemzig in Adelaide.

Tasmania

In the period of the 7th to the 10th of November, gale force winds affected the State. The yachts in the Melbourne to Burnie race met with 74 to 93km/h winds. One yacht was rolled over by a huge wave. On the 7th the Spirit of Tasmania encountered 5 to 6 metre southerly swells en route to Devonport. Other damage in the north of the State included boats dragging their moorings at Beauty Point and power disruptions due to tree debris on power lines.

Northern Territory

On the 13th at Noonamah (35 km south of Darwin) estimated gusts of more than 93 km/h caused roof damage to the Noonamah pub complex.

On the 22nd at Borroloola gusts between 95 - 146 km/h were recorded which resulted in some tree and minor property damage.

Flooding

Queensland

The rain which fell around the middle of the month caused widespread flooding in southern Queensland from the Bulloo River in the far south west to the Bremer River in the south east corner of the State.

In the Dawson River, moderate flooding occurred in the upper reaches around Taroom on the 21st and minor to moderate flooding extended downstream until the 24th. Moderate flooding developed in the Weir and Moonie Rivers which extended into early December. Moderate floods also occurred in the Paroo and Bulloo Rivers.

The November floods in the Condamine-Balonne Rivers were the highest recorded for several years and widespread moderate to major flooding occurred from Warwick to St George. The Beardmore Dam on the Balonne River filled during this event, which extended into early December in the lower Balonne River.

Victoria

In the first half of the month there was substantial flooding in West Gippsland and the West Central Regions. Major flooding was experienced in Traralgon Creek, Barwon and Werribee River catchments with minor to moderate flooding in some adjoining catchments. Many extreme rainfall totals were reported, the highest 380mm in three days at Mt. Tassie in the Traralgon Creek catchment.

At Geelong the Barwon River peaked at 5.23m early morning on the 8th of November. This peak was the second highest on record and 0.24m below the flood of June 1952. Residences were inundated and a hotel was damaged in part by floodwater. A total of 80 people were evacuated from their homes and 300 from caravan parks.

The small township of Barwon Heads was affected by the combined effects of a tide and very large flows in the Barwon River. The Princes Highway was reduced to one lane at Little River (between Geelong and Melbourne) on the 7th when Little River broke its banks. A number of other roads in flood affected areas were also closed including the Great Ocean Road.

Major flooding was experienced in the Werribee catchment downstream of Lake Melton with levels being the highest since 1983. Upstream of Lake Melton moderate flooding was experienced with sandbagging of some houses required. It was reported that floodwaters entered two houses at Bacchus Marsh but no other significant reports of damage were received from the area.

In Traralgon, the flood peak was the second highest on record (5.63m) and was only 11cm lower than the September 1993 peak. At Traralgon, 400 people were evacuated and 150 houses affected by the flood.

Minor to moderate flooding was experienced in the Thomson River, and moderate flooding in the Latrobe River downstream from Lake Narracan. Flooding was also reported from south Gippsland (south of the Strezlecki Ranges) and Seaspray. The South Gippsland Highway was reported closed in a number of places on the 6th by up to 1.5m of water at Yarram and at Sale the next day. One of the Sale caravan parks was evacuated for the second time in as many weeks. Water entered a small number of houses at Stratford, the result of locally heavy rain and overwhelmed drainage systems.