Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry heading "our" way.

Not sure where or when it will hit as the warning is current for a great slice of NQ coast.
It is a "3" already and has a chance of going to a "4" out of a scale of 5. All is clear and calm here at the moment. We will be OK as we are in a ground floor flat (apartment). Greatest risk should be rain coming in under the front door, when and if it comes to Cairns. Present course looks like hitting well south of Cairns but you can't predict these things so far out.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml if anyone wants to check it out. The next 24 hours will be interesting. Will post more this time tomorrow, I hope. Bazza

 

I know you said you would be ok where you are, but this old "mother hen" is telling you to stay safe.

 

Thanks for the best wishes, but we should be OK. Wouldn't like to be in Cardwell and points south, though. Will log off now (8.30am Sunday) and go and stock up on some vittles that can be eaten cold as the power is usually the first thing that goes off. Bazza

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Stay safe Baz. Do you have solid shutters, or something to cover the windows with?

 

Latest threat map as at a hour ago.

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

Cairns should be OK. It looks as though we will be on the northern side of where the cyclone makes landfall. It is now a Category 4 out of a scale of 5 (maximum). We are only experiencing light rain at present. Things could be different in the next 4-6 hours.

My block of units is composed of 2 lots of 4 units. each lot of 4 (2 upstairs, 2 downstairs) is separated by a common roofed inner walkway. Our unit is on the inner side so we are pretty well protected. All units have heavy guage aluminium security screens on all sliding windows and doors so they offer protection. No shutters though. That seems to be more a USA thing.

It would appear if Larry keeps its current course that the destructive eye will be more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) or more south of us. Very destructive winds of nearly 300 kilometres per hour (180 miles per hour) where it passes over land. Storm surge of around 2 metres in height (6-7 feet) on top of a high tide will flood low lying areas when Larry crosses land.

Cairns may get winds of up to 160 kilometres per hour (100 miles per hour) but nothing like further south. We are in a cyclone prone area and after Cyclone Tracy wiped out Darwin (NT capital city) on Christmas Eve 1974, building codes were strenghened significantly so newer biuldings are supposed to be a lot safer than older ones.

Cyclone Tracy link. Tracy was a high "4", a "5" I reckon, but nothing was left to measure it.

Cyclone Tracy Information
[SIZE=-1]Cyclone Tracy devistated Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974. This web site has images
and audio showing the damage caused.
www.ntlib.nt.gov.au/tracy/[/SIZE]
Thanks for the best wishes guys, but we should be safe. Both my sons are here with me so that is the best news for me. The youngest works on a tourist island NW of Cairns but is on days off fortunately.

Bye for now, more news in about 4 hours if the power stays on.

Bazza

 

Good luck Bazza. Glad your boy's are with you and safe.

Steve

 

Glad it's not going to hit you head on, but looks like you'll still get a good piece of it. I assume you've got your provisions in already. And don't forget water. If the power goes, the water supply may be down as well. Stay safe Baz.

 

Hope you stay out of harms way over there, Bazza. looks like it's going to be a pretty severe cyclone this time around. Glad your son's are with you, at least you know they are safe.

 

Apparently it's almost as powerful as Katrina that devastated New Orleans, and it's more powerful than Tracey that destroyed Darwin.

Innisvale seemed to cop most of it. I'm just glad I don't have to.

 

Back again. We are all OK, thanks folks.

Well "Larry" got to a rating of "5" out of a possible 5.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml for progress of Larry

Poor Bloody Innisfail. 300 kilometre per hour (180mph) winds hit it head on. Half the houses there sustained damage. No fatalities that I have heard. We lost power at 6am today for 12 hours until 6pm tonight. Still lots of Cairns without power. The wind was unbelievable and we were on the extreme edge fortunately. Gusts up to 160 kilometres per hour (100 mph) at times. lots of trees down here across roads, etc. A couple of shopping centres sustained damage to roofs (should that be rooves?) and not too much was open today.

I've been throughlots of cyclones, having lived in the tropics since 1972 but never come across gusts of wind like this one. Fortunately very little rain or flooding here.

No TV dammit. Wanted to watch the Commonwealth games swimming tonight. Only our national broadcaster is working (ABC) and they are showing Ice hockey, would you believe it. Norway versus Canada. Looks like a paralympic version or something.

Would you believe it, there is another cyclone headed our way.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65004.shtml for Wadi, on the way.

Cyclone Wadi, named by Fiji, as it originated in their area. Should be with us by next weekend. Won't try and predict this one at present but it looks like Townsville or Cairns will be in the firing line, depending if it bends left or right..

A lot of people settle in Cairns each year from down South and have never experienced a cyclone. At least Larry is good warning for them for next weekend.
Should be a lot better tomorrow for all of us.

Thanks again for all the kind words. Bazza

 

Glad you're OK Baz. And the lack of deaths is outstanding for a storm that bad. Houses can be replaced, but not lost loved ones.

Hopefully the next one will hit somewhere unpopulated.

 

Glad to hear you're ok.

Take care and I hope the next one coming stays away from you.

 

Wati's on the way.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65004.shtml

Looks like Townsville is in the firing line, this time.

Wati is "only a 2" (out of possible 5) at this stage. They usually increase in strength over water and this is still a long way away, at present. Townsville is 350 kilometres (200 miles) south of Cairns.

Weather Bureau is now changing its focus to Wati, from ex-Cylone Larry as Larry is now over land and rapidly decreasing in strength. Larry could reform if it reaches the Gulf of Carpentaria and tracks over water. Always possible, but unlikely based on its present course. Bazza

 

I was contemplating selling up and moving there one day, but this has certainly changed my mind.

I was scared just watching it on telly.

 

Looks like Larry has destroyed Australia's $300 million banana plantation, not to mention the countless homes and infrastructure.

I'm really glad I live where I do.

 

Damage over AUD$1 billion at first guess. As Insomniac said, the greater part of Australia's banana industry has been wiped out. Avocados, Sugar cane and the Tropical fruit industry ruined as well. Even President Bush rang our PM to offer help. The Armed forces have moved in with manpower, helicopters and generators to start to get lives back to normal. Like New Orleans, it will take many years to get some victims back to some semblance of their previous life. Bazza

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Well, as Australia has a $11-15 Billion surplus, now is a good time to spend a little.

Especially considering we gave Indonesia more than $1 Billion for the Tsunami, and this time it's our own.

 

Good news. Cyclone Wati looks like moving south away from our area, probably this weekend.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65004.shtml

It is now a "3" out of 5, but looks like paralleling the coast and moving south.

The OZ Prime Minister and Queensland premier have promised "the earth". Let's hope they back up their promises. For example sugar cane and bananas can be productive in 12 month's but other crops, tree plantations can take a decade or more to get back. Let us hope that once the cyclone is off the front pages, that the promises will not vanish as well. Bazza

PS: BTW agree totally with Insomniac, time to really help "our lot" Baz

 

Never seen this behaviour in a Cyclone before.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65004.shtml

Stopped heading toward us. Almost a "U" turn, and now paralleling the OZ coast and headed towards New Zealand. It has intensified to a "4" so batten down, you Kiwis. Bazza

 

Wow! Evidently God decided one was enough for now.

 

Cycloe Wati is well way from the OZ coast (Thank God, you might say).

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65004.shtml

Looks like it will pass midway between Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, headed straight for New Zealand. Bazza

 

When I was 13 years old I lived in Jamaica for 18 months. A hurricane hit there and it was devistating. I was young but I remember the tradgity. I remember more how everything was completely closed down. Even more I remeber the franticness of individuals.
Grown up now and looking back I realize the magnitude of what ECONOMY actually means. Though lots may disagree with what I say, I remember clearly the way normal people actted on a day to day basis.
I lived in Negril, on the most west tip, which many people would say is still the most beautifull part of Jamaica. I guess it was about what I would call 3 city blocks from my biggest memory...
Roots Bamboo!
I climed down onto the beach that used to be beautifull now completely covered with weeds, and sand cliffs.....Yes sand cliffs.
I suppose the watter pushed everything around so badly it made cliffs out of it....It used to be a very fat beach... These puppies were over my head.
Though I dont like to talk about drugs here. This is where I learned all about them. This is when Crack became ever more accessible than anything just to keep people happy..Of course it didnt keep anyone happy. All Ganja fields were destroyed..Plus Plus much more. I got to see Jamaica change for somthing that is very saddening.

I have lived in many places. Even here in Nova Scotia CAnada we had a hurricane, They called it Hurricane Wan. I guess it destroyed absolutely everything in its path like hurricanes do....Following that Nova Scotia was hit with White WAN ....One of the worst snow and Ice storms ever recorded.
I Just itt back and throw some energy to all those that need help, and hope victims and to be victoms are saved.
Hopefully everyone can come together and help the people that lose everything in natural disasters. No Matter where it is, or how it happened.
Godd luck Larry Victoms.
May you NONE!

 

we have been having really strange weather. rain, rain and more rain, sheeting down from the sky, dams overflowing, tornados, and HAIL STONES. the end is near.

 

The rescue and renewal operations are now well under way. Floods have receded and trucks bearing supplies can get into Innisfail and environs, from both directions. (Cairns and Townsville are the 2 biggest supply cities, 1 North, 1 South). (Maybe now the governments will get serious about updating the highway to an all weather flood free one. Theyv'e been putting it off for years but public opinion may force it to happen).

Simple things like no Automatic Teller machines operating and no banks opening (no power) mean no cash to people to allow them to buy stuff even if there was stuff to buy.

The Army, State Emergency Services (SES) and lots of volunteers are flowing in. They really need sparkies and chippies (Electricians and carpenters) but they are in short supply due to the decimation of apprenticeships in the past and the fact that Australia is in a new home building boom. Power is gradually being restored, either with generators or trepairs to the power line systems.

Outlying towns around Innisfail are still experiencing lots of troubles and most effort is in getting the bigger population areas going first, to the expense of the smaller ones.

Even In Cairns, which missed most of it, still have around 2000 homes without power after 1 week. Bazza

 

Farewll Wati, EX(love that word)Tropical Cyclone Wati is now dumping lots of needed rain on the North Island of New Zealand. Hope that is the end of cyclones for this season on the East coast of Australia. Still one off the West coast, though, Bazza

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I weakened and bought my first bananas in 7 months, or so, since Cyclone Larry.
Banana prices got to around AUD$14 per kilo (2.2 pounds).

At my favourite Fruit and veg weekend market (Rusty's Bazaar, here in Cairns), prices this weekend were around AUD$6-7 per kilo.

They looked nice enough to eat, not like previous weeks.

Still a far cry from pre-cyclone prices of around $1.50 per kilo, but heading downwards. Bazza

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One year on, today.
Innisfail, and surrounds, are getting back to normal. Around ADU$1 billion damage bill.
Celebrations there today.
Banana growers have crops again and prices are around AUD$2 per kilo.
Great for us, not so good for the growers.
Radio and TV programs have invaded Innisfail and nearby towns to "celebrate?" the anniversary. Bazza

 

I love bananas and those prices were killing me - who'd have thought bananas would be considered a luxury item? I still paid $14 a kilo, I just couldn't live without them.

Towards the end of the banana shortage I was convinced that big chain store food market was ripping us off and prolonging the high price!

 

Yeah, I was paying $13+ a kilo for a while. And they were little, crappy Canarvon ones, too (which, since Canarvon is in W.A, had nothing to do with the cyclone- go figure!).rolleyes

Now Queensland bananas are down to $2-3, or thereabouts per kilo, I"m a lot happier.:drool

My old titile used to be 'Brigadier Banana', for a reason, LoL!

 

kinda makes me glad im in Jolly old England, our extreme weather is just a little snow

 

Geeze, what a shocker seeing the posts from GT took me a sec or two to look at the date.

 

And Summer is 2-3 days long. :major Bazza

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Now, now Bazza, be fair...I've been in England when Summer weather lasted 3 weeks! Deliciously hot too.:cool

 

Thanks, but I'll stick with Cairns where every day is either hot and dry, or hot and wet.

Just now it is really hot and wet. Wish we could export the excess water to the south.
On next Sunday is the documentary, on ABC, on the building of the water pipeline from Perth to Coolgardie (around 400 miles, 600 kilometres) in the 1930's (not sure of the date or distance).

With today's technology, I don't see why we can't build a similar pipeline (greater distance though) from North Queensland to Brisbane to drought proof the South East corner of Queensland. Tully, where they have around 3-4 metres (10-14 feet of rain) per annum would be a prime candidate as a starting point, IMHO. Bazza

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