Storm Australian Severe Weather Forum

Severe Weather Discussion => Tropical Cyclones, Typhoons and Hurricanes Worldwide => Topic started by: Mathew Townsend on 28 January 2011, 09:33:43 AM

Title: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Mathew Townsend on 28 January 2011, 09:33:43 AM
Theres a new tropical low formed near Fiji.

Tropical Disturbance Summary For area Equator to 25S, 160E to 120W
ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI Jan 27/0002 UTC 2011 UTC.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE WILMA CENTRE 930HPA CATEGORY 4 WAS LOCATED
NEAR 24.9S 173.7E AT 262100 UTC. POSITION GOOD. CYCLONE MOVING
WEST-SOUTHWEST AT 11 KNOTS. SST AROUND 27 DEGREES CELCIUS.

TC WILMA HAS MOVED OUT OF RSMC NADI AREA OF RESPONSIBILTY AND THERE
WOULD BE NO MORE FORECAST FOR THIS SYSTEM.

TROPICAL DISTURBANCE TD09F CENTRE 1005HPA WAS LOCATED NEAR 14.5S
176.8W AT 262100 UTC SLOW MOVING. POSITION POOR BASED ON IR/VIS
IMAGERY WITH ANIMATION AND PERIPHERAL SURFACE OBSERVATIONS. SST
AROUND 30 DEGREE CELCIUS.

ORGANISATION HAS NOT INCREASED IN THE LAST 12 HOURS. CONVECTION HAS
BEEN PERSISTENT IN THE PAST 24 HOURS WITH LLCC DIFFICULT TO LOCATE.
SYSTEM LIES ALONG A SURFACE TROUGH AND UNDER AN UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENT
REGION, IN A LOW TO MODERATE SHEARED ENVIRONMENT. CYCLONIC
CIRCULATION EXTENDS TO 500HPA.

GLOBAL MODELS HAVE PICKED UP THE SYSTEM AND SLOWLY MOVE IT
SOUTHWESTWARDS WITH SOME INTENSIFICATION.

THE POTENTIAL FOR TD09F TO DEVELOP INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE IN THE
NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS IS LOW TO MODERATE.

NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL DISTURBANCE ANALYSED OR FORECAST IN THE
AREA.
Title: RE: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 31 January 2011, 11:38:30 AM
Gale warning from RSMC Nadi. TC Yasi category 1 and intensifying. 30/01/2011                                                                                                                                                   
IDQ20080   
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland


GALE WARNING 086 ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI Jan 30/0457 UTC 2011.

TROPICAL CYCLONE YASI CENTRE 995HPA CATEGORY 1 WAS LOCATED NEAR 13.4
SOUTH 169.9 EAST AT 300300 UTC.
POSITION POOR.
REPEAT POSITION 13.4S 169.9E at 300300 UTC.
CYCLONE MOVING WEST AT 7 KNOTS. CYCLONE INTENSIFYING.
EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 KNOTS CLOSE TO THE CENTRE INCREASING TO
45 KNOTS BY 301500 UTC.

EXPECT WINDS OVER 33 KNOTS WITHIN 150 NAUTICAL MILES IN NE QUADRANT
  AND WITHIN 150 NAUTICAL MILES IN SE QUADRANT
  AND WITHIN 100 NAUTICAL MILES IN SW QUADRANT
  AND WITHIN 100 NAUTICAL MILES IN NW QUADRANT

FORECAST POSITION NEAR 13.3S 167.7E AT 301500 UTC
              AND NEAR 13.3S 165.2E AT 310300 UTC.

ALL VESSELS WITHIN 300 NAUTICAL MILES OF CENTRE ARE REQUESTED TO SEND
REPORTS EVERY THREE HOURS TO RSMC NADI. VOS REPORTING SHIPS USE
NORMAL CHANNELS. OTHER VESSELS FAX PLUS 679 6720190 OR EMAIL NADITCC
AT MET DOT GOV DOT FJ

THIS WARNING CANCELS AND REPLACES WARNING 085. 

RE-ISSUED BY THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY, BRISBANE.

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Title: RE: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Ursula on 31 January 2011, 03:44:36 PM
it looks like the system is organising itself, the latest sat has it S 12.5/ W 168 the moisture levels are interesting and might point to eventual landfall in a day
Title: RE: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Paul D on 01 February 2011, 06:58:23 AM
Current predictions seem to be pointing to a more severe system for TC Yasi over the coming days as it nears the Central/Nth QLD coast..
Latest Track map for TC Yasi from the Fiji Met (RSMC Nadi Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre)
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:33:45 PM
Hi everyone. I've been keeping a eye on this monster for the last few days,as quite a few other people are also. Currently at severe category 3 and BoM predicting to reach severe category 4,with the slight chance of reaching a 5 ! Current tracking has it to hit somewhere between Cooktown and Yeppoon either late wednesday or thursday,and the state government and emergency services are in the process of evacuating people from hospitals and aged care homes now and several island resorts are evacuating people today or tomorrow. Also urging people in low lying areas to evacuate by wednesday,because of storm surges. As with a storm of this size and intensifying,predicted wind speeds near the eye could be up to 200 kms per hour and a category 4 up to 250 kms per hour,with predicted rainfall around 1 metre !!! Included are some satellite images and track maps from the last couple of days,courtesy from and copyright of Fiji Meteorological Service (RSMC Nadi TCWC.)
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:34:44 PM
Images continued-
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:35:57 PM
Images continued-
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:37:04 PM
Forecast track maps-
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:37:52 PM
Forecast track maps-
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:38:47 PM
IDQP0005
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre

 

PRIORITY
TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 2
Issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, Brisbane
Issued at 5:02pm EST on Monday the 31st of January 2011

A Cyclone WATCH has been declared for coastal and island communities from
Cooktown to Yeppoon.

At 4:00 pm EST Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, Category 3 was estimated to be
1780 kilometres east northeast of Townsville and 1630 kilometres east northeast
of Mackay moving west at 30 kilometres per hour.

The cyclone is expected to intensify as it moves west over the Coral Sea.

Damaging winds are expected to develop about coastal and island communities
between Cooktown and Yeppoon Wednesday morning.

People between Cooktown and Yeppoon should consider what action they will need
to take if the cyclone threat increases.

- Information is available from your local government
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster
Management Services website [www.disaster.qld.gov.au]
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service [SES] on
132 500 [for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on
buildings or roof damage].

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi at 4:00 pm EST:
.Centre located near...... 13.8 degrees South 162.5 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 35 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the west at 30 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 185 kilometres per hour and INTENSIFYING
.Severity category........ 3
.Central pressure......... 970 hectoPascals


Please ensure that neighbours have heard and understood this message,
particularly new arrivals or those who may not fully understand English.

The next advice will be issued by 11:00 pm EST Monday 31 January.

This warning is also available through TV and Radio Broadcasts; the Bureau's
website at www.bom.gov.au (http://www.bom.gov.au) or call 1300 659 212.  The Bureau and the State
Emergency Service would appreciate this warning being broadcast regularly.

Home | About Us | Contacts | Careers | Search | Site Map | Help | Feedback
Weather & Warnings | Climate Information | Water Information | Radar | RSS | Learn About Meteorology
© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2011, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532)
Please note the Copyright Notice and Disclaimer statements relating to the use of the information on this site and our site Privacy and Accessibility statements. Users of these web pages are deemed to have read and accepted the conditions described in the Copyright, Disclaimer, and Privacy statements. Please also note the Acknowledgement notice relating to the use of information on this site. No unsolicited commercial email.
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:40:51 PM
BoM Brisbane TCWC track map                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 01 February 2011, 01:44:53 PM
Sure is a beast,check out THAT core! Image courtesy of US National Environment Satellite,Data Information Service.
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Simon McCombe on 02 February 2011, 01:07:12 AM
Latest image for TC Yasi. Courtesy US national Environment Satellite,Data Information Service and Japan Meteorological Agency MT SAT
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Colin Maitland on 03 February 2011, 02:20:07 AM
Severe TC Yasi is now a Cat 5 System and heading towards FNQ coast. It is expected to cross later tonight and the early hours of tomorrow morning. At 4:00 Yasi was estimated to be 650 kilometres east northeast of Cairns and 650 kilometres northeast of Townsville moving west southwest at 30 kilometres per hour.

TC Yasi is expected to cross the coast later this evening/ early tomorrow morning between Cairns and Innisfail

(http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad115/colmait/yasi71420211.gif)

The Stats on Yasi from BoM

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi at 4:00 am EST:
.Centre located near...... 15.7 degrees South 151.7 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 20 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the west southwest at 30 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 295 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 5
.Central pressure......... 924 hectoPascals

This is one of the most deadliest cyclones is Australia recorded history. 

Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Colin Maitland on 03 February 2011, 02:21:04 AM
Some info on TC Yasi and comparison to TC Tracy from the Sydney Morning Herald

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weathe...tml?from=smh_sb (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weathe...tml?from=smh_sb)


Category five Cyclone Yasi's size and power will dwarf Cyclone Tracy, the most devastating storm in Australian history, and could cause even more widespread destruction.

Tracy struck Darwin in the early hours of Christmas Day in 1974, killing 71 people including 49 in the city and a further 22 at sea.

The majority of buildings in the Northern Territory capital were destroyed and a mass exodus saw the population plummet from about 48,000 to 10,500.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Flood map


Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said Cyclone Yasi was the largest cyclone he had ever observed in Australian waters on satellite images.

Overnight, Yasi was upgraded to a category five cyclone.

"The area that it's covering is massive and to see it so close to Australia, even 1000 kilometres away, is a bit haunting," Mr Dutschke said.

"It's definitely something I've not seen before."

And Yasi made Cyclone Tracy - the storm that destroyed Darwin in 1974 - pale in comparison.

"It's a huge contrast to Tracy. Tracy was a much smaller cyclone, a lot more compact and it just happened to pass directly over a major populated area," Mr Dutschke said.

"[Tracy] was a similar intensity to this one, but Yasi is much larger so it probably only has to get within a few hundred kilometres of a populated area and it could cause similar damage.

"It doesn't have to be as choosy as Tracy with its accuracy."

Mr Dutschke said such a severe cyclone was "always on the cards" during the La Nina weather pattern, because ocean surface temperatures were warmer than normal.

And Cyclone Yasi was so powerful, it could remain a cyclone even after it had reached the outback.

"The more intense they are when they make landfall, the further they need to go [inland] before they are no longer a cyclone," Mr Dutschke said.

"It's probably going to have to go 500 kilometres inland before it's no longer of a cyclone intensity.

"It can effectively be desert that far inland."

Once it reaches landfall, Yasi is expected to follow Cyclone Anthony's lead and head southwest.

Mr Dutschke said the effects of Yasi could be felt as far away as Adelaide.

"It will bring a lot of moisture and there's a reasonable chance for flooding along the Murray [River]," he said.

By comparison Cyclone Larry, which caused $1.5 billion worth of damage to Innisfail and surrounds, was a mid-level category four system when it hit in 2006.

"This of course is not only a system now tracking as more intense than Cyclone Larry, it is significantly larger than Cyclone Larry," Premier Anna Bligh said yesterday
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Paul D on 03 February 2011, 03:36:26 AM
Yasi is tracking almost directly towards Willis Island and has regestered gusts so far to 180km/h be interesting to see how long the obs last.
Bom Weather Observations for Willis Island - http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60801/IDQ60801.94299.shtml (http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60801/IDQ60801.94299.shtml)
Latest obs to 5-30am to 8-05am
                      AppTemp°C     RelHum%       Wind Dir Wind Wind  Wind  Wind   Press  Press  Rain since
Date/Time   Temp°C        Dew P           Delta-T°C Spdkm/hGustkm/h kts  kts   QNH hPa MSL hPa 9ammm
02/08:05am   25.6     7.2     25.6    100    0.0    N    133    180    72    97    957.9     -    28.0
02/08:00am    25.6    6.8    25.6    100    0.0    N    135    172    73    93    960.0    -    26.0
02/07:59am    25.6    7.2    25.6    100    0.0    N    133    172    72    93    960.2    -    25.8
02/07:52am    25.4    8.2    25.4    100    0.0    N    126    165    68    89    962.5    -    23.0
02/07:46am    25.5    8.0    25.5    100    0.0    N    128    169    69    91    964.7    -    21.4
02/07:38am    25.4    9.3    25.4    100    0.0    N    120    169    65    91    967.0    -    19.4
02/07:37am    25.5    9.6    25.4    99    0.1    N    119    150    64    81    967.4    -    19.2
02/07:30am    25.3    8.8    25.3    100    0.0    N    122    158    66    85    969.4    -    18.0
02/07:21am    25.2    10.7    25.2    100    0.0    N    111    154    60    83    971.5    -    17.2
02/07:10am    25.2    11.1    25.2    100    0.0    N    109    145    59    78    973.5    -    15.8
02/07:00am    25.2    11.4    25.1    99    0.1    N    107    139    58    75    975.7    -    14.8
02/06:49am    25.2    11.8    24.9    98    0.2    NNW    104    139    56    75    977.1    -    13.8
02/06:30am    25.2    12.7    25.1    99    0.1    N    100    133    54    72    979.3    -    11.8
02/06:15am    25.6    12.5    24.7    95    0.6    NNW    102    139    55    75    981.4    -    10.8
02/06:00am    25.6    12.4    24.6    94    0.7    S    102    137    55    74    983.2    983.1    10.6
02/05:56am    25.5    13.0    24.4    94    0.8    S    98    137    53    74    983.4    -    10.4
02/05:30am    26.2    14.1    24.2    89    1.4    S    95    124    51    67    985.4    -    10.2
02/05:27am    26.3    14.3    24.3    89    1.4    S    95    124    51    67    985.6    -    10.0
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Steven on 03 February 2011, 05:00:50 AM
Now down to 937.6 hPa at Willis Island with the eyewall surrounding it.

Radar is definitely down, with no update since 8am and the anemometer is broken. Although no word yet about the meteorological station (supposedly it's Cat 5 rated). The whole island could be under water by the storm surge...

A very unwieldy beast on our hands. I hope everybody up in Cairns to Townsville has evacuated or found adequate shelter. Almost nothing is going to stand in the way of Yasi when she makes landfall!
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Jimmy Deguara on 03 February 2011, 06:07:16 AM
At first, I was wandering what the fuss was all about but with category 5 status and perhaps conditions adequate for a continued intensification, that makes for concern.

Very intense with impressive structure and given its size, one of the larger intense tropical cyclones you can expect along the Queensland coastline.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Michael Kelly on 03 February 2011, 01:42:52 PM
Its certainly been interesting watching the coverage. I guess people are finally getting the message about natures fury. I think the storm surge will cause the most damage. Although 300 kilometer an hour winds are not to be sneezed at.
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Paul D on 03 February 2011, 04:23:19 PM
Yasi appears to have slowed slightly over the last couple of hours,
at 9pm
IDQP0005
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre
Media: Transmitters serving the area from Cape Flattery to Sarina and inland to
the Northern Territory border are requested to USE the Standard Emergency
Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.

TOP PRIORITY
TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 21
Issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, Brisbane
Issued at 8:50pm EST on Wednesday the 2nd of February 2011

A Cyclone WARNING is current for coastal and island communities from Cape
Flattery to Sarina, extending west across the tropical interior to the Northern
Territory border.

At 9:00 pm EST Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, Category 5 was estimated to be 145
kilometres east southeast of Cairns and 110 kilometres east of Innisfail and
moving west southwest at 25 kilometres per hour.

THE VERY DESTRUCTIVE CORE OF CYCLONE YASI WILL CROSS THE COAST NEAR INNISFAIL
CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT, WITH A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE AND BATTERING WAVES SOUTH OF THE
CYCLONE CENTRE.

Tropical Cyclone Yasi, CATEGORY 5, will continue to move in a west-southwesterly
direction and is expected to cross the coast near Innisfail close to midnight.

Coastal residents between Cairns and Ayr are specifically warned of an EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS SEA LEVEL RISE [i.e. storm tide] as the cyclone approaches, crosses
the coast and moves inland.

Higher than normal tides will exceed the high water mark with damaging waves and
flooding in low lying areas in remaining warning areas to the south of Ayr.  

VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts up to 290 km/h are expected to develop between
Cairns and Ingham during the next few hours as the cyclone approaches. These
VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds will extend inland to the nearby ranges including the
Atherton Tablelands.  

Due to the large size of the cyclone, people in the path of the VERY DESTRUCTIVE
WINDS are likely to experience these conditions for about 3 to 4 hours.

DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts in excess of 125 km/h between Cape Tribulation and
Ayr are expected to spread inland overnight.

DAMAGING WINDS with gusts to 90 km/hr are occurring in remaining coastal areas
between Cape Flattery and Sarina, and are forecast to spread inland and west to
Mt Isa during Thursday.

Winds are forecast to gradually ease about the east coast during Thursday
morning as the cyclone moves inland.

FLOODING RAINS will develop from Cooktown to Sarina tonight and gradually extend
inland.

People in the path of the very dangerous cyclone should stay calm and remain in
a secure shelter, above the expected water level, while the very destructive
winds continue.
- Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone; very
destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time.
- Follow the evacuation advice or directions of Police, Emergency Services
personnel and local authorities.

People in remaining areas between Cape Flattery and Sarina and extending west
across the tropical interior to the Northern Territory border, should complete
preparations quickly and be prepared to shelter in a safe place.
- Boats and outside property should be secured.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster
Management Services website [www.disaster.qld.gov.au]
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service [SES] on
132 500 [for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on
buildings or roof damage].

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi at 9:00 pm EST:
.Centre located near...... 17.4 degrees South 147.1 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 20 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the west southwest at 25 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 285 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 5
.Central pressure......... 930 hectoPascals


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Flinders Reef recorded sustained wind speed of 130km/h at 3pm and max recorded gusts of 167km/h at around 2pm
Flinders Reef was app 45-60km from the eye wall area as Yasi past to the North.
below
Latest BOM track Map
also Cairns 256km radar at 8.30pm showning clear eye.
and also from Willis Island the last 128km radar image at 8am this morning
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Paul D on 03 February 2011, 06:19:28 PM
As of 11pm QLD time
BOM position in - TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 23
Issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, Brisbane
Issued at 10:56pm EST on Wednesday the 2nd of February 2011
. . . . .
At 11:00 pm EST Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, Category 5 was estimated to be 125
kilometres southeast of Cairns and 65 kilometres east southeast of Innisfail and
moving west southwest at 25 kilometres per hour.
Tropical Cyclone Yasi, CATEGORY 5, will continue to move in a west-southwesterly
direction and is expected to cross the coast near Mission Beach close to
midnight.
. . . . .
Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi at 11:00 pm EST:
.Centre located near...... 17.7 degrees South 146.6 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 20 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the west southwest at 25 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 285 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 5
.Central pressure......... 930 hectoPascals

- - - - - - -

Below latest BOM track map 11pm
and Cairns radar 128km at 11pm
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Harley Pearman on 06 February 2011, 02:40:37 AM
Wind observations for Tropical Cyclone Yasi from Lucinda Point

I was watching Tropical Cyclone Yasi make landfall and switching between Weather Stations South Johnstone and Lucinda Point. The South Johnstone Station appears to have been damaged and I was unable to continue monitoring wind speeds here. However Lucinda Point Weather Station (Station ID 032141) Latitude 18.52 degrees and Longitude 146.39 degrees (Height 10 metres) provides some of the better wind records that can be obtained from Landfall close to the eye.

The station site shows peak wind gusts of 185 km/h being sustained over 5 minutes from 11.27 pm until 11.31 pm switching from the east to the north with wind speed from 107 to 115 km/h. The eye passed to the north of this weather station.

Wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h started to occur at this site from 3.30 pm 2/2/11 and were still continuing at 4.30 am 3/2/11. The strongest wind speed occurred at 2.14 am (137 km/h) and more peak gusts of 183 km/h occurred at 12.16 am to 12.17 am and a gust to 180 km/h occurred at 2.30 am - 3/2/11. The strongest winds at Lucinda Point were being recorded from 11.21 pm until 2.30 am over a three hour period at the time landfall was occurring.


Harley Pearman
Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Michael Bath on 06 February 2011, 09:41:50 AM
This combined satellite and radar animation of cyclone Yasi is impressive:

http://www.theweatherchaser.com/videos/201101-tropical-cyclone-yasi (http://www.theweatherchaser.com/videos/201101-tropical-cyclone-yasi)

Title: Re: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi : from 30 January
Post by: Lightning Chaser on 07 February 2011, 06:43:34 AM
With the prospect of TC Yasi going down as a memorable weather event for QLD, i figured it would be a great opportunity for me to experience my first tropical cyclone. Leaving southern NSW monday evening i managed to make my way to northern QLD via the Bruce Highway, arriving in the Cyclone Warned region by early wednesday morning, about 12-18 hours ahead of the expected crossing. Along the way i had filled the car with supplies such as water, food, fuel, torches etc to ensure i could survive in my car for several days should the need arise.

Weighing up factors including the low lying and flat terrain through which the highway runs, the threat of a large storm surge and the prospects of innundation by floodwaters as well as extended power outages - i decided i needed to find a location that would allow me to ride out the cyclose in a reasonably safe area while still having a chance of escape southwards once it passed. Townsville seemed a good compromise between being close enough to the cyclone for some damaging winds but not being too far into what would surely become a disaster zone. Sure i would have liked to experince the strongest winds but the inconvenience didn't seem worth it. I checked into a motel just west of townsville, at the motel were several families that had evacuated from regions closer to the impact.

Throughout the morning and early afternoon winds gradually increased from about 40km/hr up to gale force however there was little if any rain until about midday when it suddenly became quite heavy. During the afternoon i watched the cricket while keeping an eye on the winds and warning messages on the tv. I certainly was quite excited by what may unfold that evening, however was beggining to get quite frustrated when the winds seemed to be struggling to exceed 80km/hr by about 6-7pm. Luckily it was not long after this when the first gusts began to top 100km/hr, then 120 shortly afterwards. It was about this stage that the power blacked out. Gales continued throughout the night peaking at 140km/hr, however it was difficult to get footage with very limited lighting so i found myself sleeping from about 1am till about 6am. I awoke to find the winds had eased slightly but were still perhaps 80-90km/hr with some rain periods.

The motel i stayed in did not sustain major structural damage however much of the lattice work was broken and the shade cloth covering a pool had ripped off and was flapping around. I chose not to drive around townsville to assess the damage however judging by radio reports it was a similar story throughout the city with massive numbers of trees down but minimal structural damage. Cabin Fever was well and truly setting in by late morning with no TV or Air Conditioning, realising that the winds had eased and rainfall had not been excessively heavy i began to make enquiries as to whether the highway to the south would be passable. No one could give me a definite no so i figured i would try my luck. Unfortunately i only made it about 10km before a fallen powerline held up traffic for 1 hour. Once this was cleared i travelled another 40 km only to find a flooded river that local were saying would not be passable for 2 days at least (i later heard that massive traffic jams developed south of this river).

With radio updates indicating that the road west of townsville to charters towers was still passable i figured this would be my only option other than an extended stay in townsville, which at that time was still without power and at threat of having no water. En route to charters towers the tree damge became steadily less as i headed west, the only real concern was the Burdekin River which i had heard was approching the bridge and rising rapidly. It was indeed an impressive sight with water thundering downstream but was still a couple of feet below road level so i was able to cross. 2-3 hours later water was 1 metre above this bridge so it was lucky i got across when i did.

There was little evidence of cyclonic activity south of charters towers and the rest of the long drive home was fairly uneventful. I opted to drive inland through emerald dalby toowomba and then the new england highway. The highlights of the drive home were seeing 2 large feral pigs splashing around in a creek (where's a rifle when you need it?)and then sighting a dingo about 50 km later - both on the road between charters towers and claremont.

Anyway here is the footage i captured in townsville during the cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Yasi strikes Queensland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxitzPi5jx8#ws)