Cyclone Hamish to hit Queensland

[Cycadcenter]

Good luck to everyone up north again, looks as though you're in for a good one.

Cyclone Hamish strengthens, expected to hit Whitsunday

March 06, 2009 11:00pm

HAMISH is expected to hammer the Whitsundays coast tomorrow after being upgraded to a severe category 3 cyclone as it continues down the east coast.

Last night it was dumping heavy rain on coastal centres from Cooktown to just north of Ingham as it travelled roughly parallel to the coast about 250km offshore.

"Our best estimate is that sometime late on Sunday evening it will make a right turn when it is somewhere near the Whitsundays," weather bureau deputy regional director Bruce Gunn said.

"This would put the tourist islands and the sugar-growing area around Proserpine directly in its path.

Emergency Queensland and State Emergency Services scrambled yesterday, putting their resources on red alert after activating the Brisbane-based disaster co-ordination centre.

Three Fire and Rescue Service swift water rescue teams were assembled in Rockhampton, where additional Ambulance Service gear and personnel were deployed.

Disaster management groups in Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone were activated and sandbags were being filled in Cairns after Premier Anna Bligh and Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts were briefed.

"The big focus for many of the groups is the potential for heavy rain along the coast as the system moves south, impacting on major rivers and streams that are well charged after heavy rains in January and February," Ms Bligh said.

"Some communities like Ingham are only now getting back on their feet after flooding last month associated with Tropical Cyclone Ellie. The last thing they need is another drenching."

Mr Gunn said the risk from Cyclone Hamish should not be under-estimated.

'It will be a serious situation if this thing does cross the coast," he said.

"Depending on the timing there is the potential for large amounts of coastal inundation.

"If it comes over at high tide there could be severe flooding and wind damage. I am not downplaying this cyclone by any means at all."

Hamish, Queensland's third cyclone this year, developed from a Coral Sea low which the bureau identified on Wednesday. Since then it has been moving southwest at about 10km/h, with 165km/h winds near its centre.

Mr Gunn said it was too early to predict what the cyclone might do if it crossed the coast.

But its influence should be felt as far south as the Sunshine Coast by Monday and then Brisbane.

As the north faces another battering, Gulf of Carpentaria communities remain isolated . And in the state's far southwest, the record wet season continues to flood the Channel Country around Birdsville.

[Walter John]

DESTRUCTIVE WINDS may affect coastal and island communities between Ayr and

Proserpine, including the Whitsunday islands, early on Sunday morning.

Damaging wind gusts may develop about coastal and island communities between

Mackay and Gladstone [including Heron Island] within 24 to 48 hours.

As the cyclone moves southward and deepens, sea levels are expected to be

elevated above the normal tide along the coastline south of the cyclone. Large

waves may produce minor flooding along the foreshore. People living in areas

likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their

property as much as possible and be prepared to help their neighbours.

Areas of heavy rainfall can be expected about the Herbert and Burdekin, and

northern parts of the Central Coast districts. A Flood Warning is current for

coastal rivers and streams.

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish at 4:00 am EST:

.Centre located near...... 16.2 degrees South 147.7 degrees East

.Location accuracy........ within 19 kilometres

.Recent movement.......... towards the south southeast at 14 kilometres per hour

.Wind gusts near centre... 205 kilometres per hour

.Severity category........ 3

.Central pressure......... 966 hectoPascals

People between Cape Tribulation and Mackay should immediately commence or

continue preparations, especially securing boats and property.

[Tyrone]

All the best to you guys in QLD. Keep in contact as often as practical so we know how you're going.

Best regards

Tyrone

[ariscott]

I think it has more chances to hit central QLD this time, instead of the North QLD. Although, it is a cyclone, so it will do whatever it wants to do. I think it might be cat 4 by the time it makes land... Scott just told me that it has been 15-20 years since the last time a cyclone hit Gladstone. So, it will be interesting to see whether the 'new' houses are built to code.

Regards, Ari

Edited March 6, 2009 by ariscott

[Daryl]

The Bureau predicts it will be a Cat 4 cyclone before it hits land. It would be nice if it just turned into a rain depression and made landfall north of Brisbane, filling up all of the catchments in the process.

Daryl

[Walter John]

Here he comes, with that look in his eye, good luck everyone.

Cyclone Hamish path

[aussiearoids]

What do serious palm nuts do when its pouring rain and a cyclone looming ?

Go visiting other palm growers and walk around in the rain .

Michael Ferrero and Clayton York are in town and down my way , so nothing was going to make me stay indoors .

[ariscott]

You are meeting Michael Ferrero, Michael?? I would love to meet him one day. So much knowledge in one head :). Take photos of whomever garden you are going to.... As far as the cyclone goes... touch wood... you would be out of the danger zone soon.

Regards, Ari

[Cycadcenter]

Here he comes, with that look in his eye, good luck everyone.

Cyclone Hamish path

Wal,

Cat 4 off Rocky/Gladstone is starting to get a bit scarey, Talked to the neighbours at Childers and they are preparing for some pretty heavy rain on Sunday/Monday. They are thinking it may blow out of steam around 1770 and form a low pressure rain system and dump a boat load of rain.

Bruce

[ariscott]

BOM is predicting cat 5 cyclone.... first for the season. I wonder where it is going to make landfall...

Regards, Ari

[Daryl]

Hamish has now gone to CAT 5 with gusts up to 295 km/h, and still strengthening. I'd hate to be in its path now!

Daryl

[palmislandRandy]

Good luck guys (295km/h = 185 MPH )

[ariscott]

Yes... not pretty. They were talking about the possibility of it going straight through to Brisbane, do a massive rain dump.... It doesn't look like it is going to make land fall anytime soon.

Regards, Ari

[Dypsisdean]

Keep in touch guys. Looks like a monster.

[Kim]

Those satellite photos of big storms are really spooky. Batten down the hatches, stay safe!

[Cycadcenter]

Here is the last map

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

Looks as though it is loosing a little steam as it is now a Cat 4. but heading straight towards Bundy and HBay. our place is 30 km inland so we should be OK on the current track. Just talked the neighbor an he said the outer reaches of the storm are just coming now with a pick up in wind and the center is still 700-800km to the north. The sat images show a huge perfectly formed cyclone,

Fraser Island has been evacuated and Bundy is under cyclone watch.

Bruce

[ariscott]

The problem is the houses around Bundaberg is not built to the same code as Rocky and above.. So, hopefully they don't get hit head on.

Regards, Ari

[Tyrone]

This one looks like it will travel a fair way south.

I suppose it's final track will depend on what the high pressure zone over the south of the country will let it do.

Take care everyone in it's path.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Cycadcenter]

This one looks like it will travel a fair way south.

I suppose it's final track will depend on what the high pressure zone over the south of the country will let it do.

Take care everyone in it's path.

Best regards

Tyrone

Tyrone,

Current track has it coming in between Bundy and H/Bay which would put us in a pretty bad spot. As you say it depends on the High pressure , we're hoping it will swing east over Fraser rather than come inland.

The caretaker has the house fixed up but a cat 3 is still pretty strong, I'm worried about the Shade house whch certainly is not cyclone proof.

Maybe a trip to Oz is on the cards next week, we'll wait and see.

Wal, your favorite place of Woodgate Beach will take a real pounding, A decent storm surge would go right through the town.

Bruce

[Tyrone]

They've got it now tracking out east off Fraser Island which is good. Still, these cyclones have minds of there own. It all depends on what the high does. If that high behaves erratically then anything is possible.

Brisbane and the Gold Coast will be getting some interesting cloud formations at the moment. I've just been looking at the sat pic.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Tyrone]

TC Hamish is a fair way south now. Brisbane should be getting some rain from the system. The good news is it's predicted to go out to sea a bit, weaken and turn back on itself and come ashore as a much weaker cyclone. The high is most likely going to strip it of energy.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Walter John]

Fizzling out yet producing great surf for the current contest on the goldie. Only showers here which is fine.

[Mark_NoVA]

I've been following the track since you started posting about it...what a strange path! Glad you guys dodged a category 5 bullet.

[Tyrone]

You guys were lucky..........

It was in firing range for it's whole track and it never did a thing. 295kph winds too. Phewwwww.

Best regards

Tyrone