Cyclone Monica, one of biggest ever

One of the biggest ever to threaten Australia's north

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDD65011.shtml

Monica started east of Australia's north cape York peninsula. Fortunately it passed over Far North Queensland in sparsely populated areas.
Reformed in the Gulf of Carpentaria and headed towards Groote Eylandt.
Then changed course and headed towards Nhulunbuy (where I lived and worked for 15 years, and my 2 sons were born).
Changed course again and moved north of the Northen Territory coast off eastern Arnhem Land and is now paralleling the northen coast, headed towards Darwin (capital of the Northen Territory).
Oldies will remember Cyclone Tracy that devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve in 1974. Tracy was "only a 4", out of 5.

Monica is a full "5" with estimated winds at it's centre of over 350 kilometers per hour.
That is around 220 miles per hour. Probably the strongest cyclone ever in Australia.

Those of you that pray, please pray for the residents of the Islands north of Darwin and for Darwin itself.

Me, if I lived in Darwin, I would pack all that was dear to me and drive as far south to Katherine, or better still, Alice Springs.

Bazza

 

Geez the north has been copping it for a while.

I've never seen it like this, ever.

 

Apparently there are 100 year cycles. Scientists have been researching stalagmites (the ones from the floor) and have researched cyclones going back 800 years. They hope to go back to the birth of Christ period. Apparently the frequency and intensity of cyclones can be traced from the sediment in stalagmites (also stalagtites, but easier in stalagmites). They can't predict the future yet but can throw light on cyclone history. Monica is apparently the worst since around 1820, from stalagmite research. Bazza

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I was thinking of one day selling up and moving to the far north.

This has certainly changed my mind.

Mid NSW north coast will do nicely I think.

 

Prefer cyclones to floods and bushfires. At least you usually get plenty of warning and can make the necessary preparations. Once you have lived in the Tropics, as I have for over 30 years, you would never move to colder climes. Bazza

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The weather is one of the things that made me consider it.

Especially now the weather is starting to get cold. I hate cold weather.


BTW, I've never had to endure a bushfire or flood either thankfully.

 

Cyclone Monica now downgraded to a tropical low but expected to intensify again and this time travel down the Western Australian coast. Frightened hell out of the Darwin residents but missed Darwin, fortunately.

Although Monica was rated as one of the strongest ever, it has managed to miss all the heavily populated towns / cities, in its travels.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDD65011.shtml

shows it off to Western Australia. Bazza

 

Over in Canada and especially the US, they are saying this year will be worse than last, Dreadfully, I presume it will be planitary.
I sure hope not!!
Good luck citizens of earth!