CYCLONE "YASI".....Nth QLD

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

G'Day Guys and Gals,

So where are you moving your aircraft to...??

Floods to the South, 'about to be' floods to the North, and NOW being called 'Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi' classed as a 'Cat.4' and being compared to 'Larry' as it approaches.....depending on the curve that 'Yasi' takes after crossing the coast,....:ooh:

Alice Springs might be safe...... :cool:

GOOD LUCK to ALL..!!:ok::ok:

MTSAT Infrared Colorized Image Loop - Satellite Services Division - Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution (http://www.goes.noaa.gov/sohemi/sohemiloops/shirgmscol.html)

[KRUSTY 34]

REX are moving 4 SAAB's and 3 Metros (Pelair) out of Townsville tonight. 2 SAABs to ISA and 2 down to Brisbane, with the three Metro's going to Brisbane as well. Crews are going to layover with the aircraft and REX are hoping to have them return around Friday?

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

The Forktailed Dr Killer is tucked up nice and snug in the hangar. Should be OK as long as the storm surge doesn't get it.

The Dr is back from fishing and tucked up nice and snug with Mrs Dr in the concrete monolith.

Was gonna morph into the StrutlessRetractable172onSteroidsDrKiller tomorrow - but that is on hold.

Dr :8

[Mick.B]

From another forum, up to 11 C-130s in tonight taking hospital patients to Brisbane.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

HOPE 'that' hangar is a well built good one Doc.......

I know most of the older hangars are - otherwise they would not still be upright..!!

This one has what appears to be a 800nm diam. about to affect the coast and MOST inland regions from almost the top @ Princess Charlotte Bay, to Fraser Is.

Hope its all 'bluff' for yas....... as "Bianca" turned out to be for us in the West.....

Cheers:ok:

[PyroTek]

The FTDK's hangar looks pretty sturdy, lots of expensive equipment in it, you'd hope so!:ok:
Best of luck up there, Nth QLD'ers!

[Jamair]

TAF CAIRNS 011031Z 0112/0212FM021100 160100G140KT...........:eek:

[waren9]

All the best to those of you unavoidably tangled up with it.

The current TAF looks pretty rugged.

[NZScion]

Cairns is closed from 0001Z according to NOTAM C45/11

More than happy to not be in the region right now!

[b_sta]

Re. that TAF, rugged is an understatement. 140kt gusts :ooh:

Best of luck up there, guys.

[How's it Hanging]

Willis Island weather station where the eye is at the moment makes interestin reading. QNH 937.9 :eek:

Latest Weather Observations Willis Island (http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60801/IDQ60801.94299.shtml)

[nig&nog]

From the wx observation at Willis Is they are currently in the eye or the wx equipment has blown away with no wind. Good luck to all

[tiger19]

Forecaster on radio national saying they believe the station is blown away on willis Island.

CAIRNS YBCS
TAF AMD YBCS 012329Z 0200/0224
FM021100 250100G140KT 2000 RA BKN010 OVC015
FM021800 35050G80KT 6000 RA BKN015

[PPRuNeUser0182]

ATIS YBCS Z 012353
CAIRNS ATS NOT AVBL.
CAIRNS AD CLOSED DUE TO PASSAGE
OF TROPICAL CYCLONE.
REFER TO NOTAM FOR SERVICE RESUMPTION
:eek:

[MyNameIsIs]

BOM Warning #12, my bolding.


SEVERE TC YASI IS A LARGE AND VERY POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE AND POSES AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN CAIRNS AND TOWNSVILLE.

THIS IMPACT IS LIKELY TO BE MORE LIFE THREATENING THAN ANY EXPERIENCED DURING RECENT GENERATIONS.

TC Yasi, CATEGORY 5, will continue to move in a west-southwesterly direction during the day. The cyclone is expected to cross the coast in the Innisfail area at about midnight.

Coastal residents within the warning area, and particularly 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. The sea is likely to steadily rise up to a level which will be VERY DANGEROUSLY above the normal tide, with EXTREMELY DAMAGING WAVES, STRONG CURRENTS and FLOODING of low-lying areas extending some way inland. 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 follow instructions regarding evacuation of the area if advised to do so by authorities.

DAMAGING WINDS with gusts to 90 km/hr that are currently developing on coastal islands, are forecast to develop about the coast by late morning and about the tropical interior overnight.

Between Cape Tribulation and Ingham these winds will become DESTRUCTIVE with gusts in excess of 125km/hr during the afternoon and early evening and VERY DESTRUCTIVE with gusts up to 300 km/hr between Cairns and Ingham during the evening as the cyclone approaches and crosses the coast. These VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds can also occur on the seaward side of hills to the north of the cyclone and are also forecast to reach the Atherton Tablelands.

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

FLOODING RAINS will develop from Cooktown to Sarina during the afternoon and then extend inland overnight.
People between Cape Melville and Sarina, extending inland to Croydon and Richmond 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 (Welcome to Queensland's Disaster Management Services (http://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).

People about the remaining tropical interior east of Camooweal and north of Winton 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 (Welcome to Queensland's Disaster Management Services (http://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).





Be safe all. If you can get out before it hits, do so.
Got a few mates that will be in CNS for it, little bit worried about em myself...

[lurker999]

US Military have the following

gusts to 160Kts, striking between Cairns and Innisfail with significant wave height of 38ft:eek:

so add the wave height to the storm surge. Fork hope your hangar is high if the surge comes in.

Naval Research Laboratory Monterey (http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil) if you want to look at their info

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Fork hope your hangar is high if the surge comes in.Nothing I can do about the aeroplane. Whatever happens, happens.

Remember, its just stuff! Stuff can be replaced - loved-ones can't.

Above all else keep yourselves and those dear to you safe.

We are going to ride it out. Can't say I have any concerns for my safety, even if the house gets wrecked around us. We are not currently in the direct path, but if we had kids at home, particularly little ones, we would "get out of Dodge". I think this is my sixth or seventh cyclone - but this thing is just not worth messing with!

Dr :8

[Cool banana]

I see here at the old Brisbane International terminal are 4 Skytrans Dash8 and Alliance F-100 are parked.

And this in from yahoo,Planes seek cyclone refuge on Sun Coast
Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:04 EST
The Sunshine Coast Airport in south-east Queensland has become a shelter for aircraft escaping the pending onslaught of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi.

Four Dash 8 planes arrived on the Sunshine Coast from north Queensland last night to take shelter from the category five system.

Several more light planes are expected to fly in today.

Sunshine Coast Airport manager Peter Pallot says the planes do not have adequate shelter elsewhere.

"There are a number of medium to light aircraft evacuating the affected areas of the cyclone and relocating to airports such as the Sunshine Coast," he said.

"It's moving the aircraft out of danger, those that can't be hangered (sic) up in that, that very wide area affected by the cyclone."

Mr Pallot says the airport will serve as a shelter until it is safe for the aircraft to return to north Queensland.

"Obviously with the weather up north, aircraft are seeking a safer haven away from the ... destructive winds," he said.

"Sunshine Coast Airport is able to provide that to them and we're happy to accommodate them for as long as we need."

*
Read More

[Worrals in the wilds]

That could be the aircraft used to evacuate the patients from the two Cairns hospitals. I'm not sure which operators were doing it, but I know they were coming in today.

[Hornet306]

Best wishes for all those riding out the storm in FNQ. It certainly looks like the worst one I've ever seen on Radar in my 40 years in Oz. :ooh:

[morno]

I spent all of last night flying up and down the coast from Cairns to Brisbane and the feeling was quite strange hearing all those extra flights (Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar, Skytrans, Alliance, RFDS, Careflight, RAAF) flying around even in the middle of the night helping evacuate Cairns and Townsville. Hat's go off to all those who pitched in, some called in on their days off, to help in a time of need.

Good luck to all those still in the firing line. I have no doubt many more will also come out to help with the clean up and any further flights required after the cyclone passes.

morno

[OZBUSDRIVER]

Cyclone has( EDIT-Had..site went offline at about 0800 this morning) passed directly over the Willis Island radar site. Eye measures 46km across....biggest I have ever seen on these sites since I have had access.EDIT- looks like enough to blow out a pretty tough radar site built for this purpose.

Just hope W48 is strong enough to withstand this monster.

[nitpicker330]

I must say I'm a bit surprised the wind readings are not higher.

Just look at the BOM CNS radar wind updated at 0827 UTC at Flinders Reef ( just about 100 km SSE of the eye ) it's only 102km/h? I would have thought it would be much higher than that considering it's close to the eye.

The 0800 Metar in CNS still shows only 180/6, slowed by the land I guess?

0800 TSV Metar shows 140 27/39

Just thought south of the eye would be more than 102km/h over open water.?

[megle2]

Hamo island has had the most wind all day 40 - 50 kts

[multime]

Evacuated South Goulbourn Island a few years ago. (before the sky turned to black) then ran to Katherine. That cyclone predicted to hit Darwan at cat 4. It slipped sideways, Maningrida,Oenpelli. 4 mtr tidal surge.
Power outages for 3 weeks.
Think i had it easy.
Goodluck QLD.
M

[PyroTek]

"Unconfirmed reports that TC Yasi has blown the hat off Bob Katter"

In all seriousness, watching a video feed, looks pretty nasty. Hope the damage bill isn't too bad, and more importantly, hoping for minimal fatalities:sad:

[404 Titan]

Does anyone know if the 3-4 weather observers that usually man the weather station on Willis Island got off the island before the eye of Yasi passed over it earlier yesterday?

[Flying Binghi]

Does anyone know if the 3-4 weather observers that usually man the weather station on Willis Island got off the island before the eye of Yasi passed over it earlier yesterday?


Read in another thread that the Willis crew got away alright.





.

[404 Titan]

Flying Binghi

Many thanks for that.:ok:

[tinpis]

From another source

EMQ sent a chopper out yesterday to retrieve the 3 observes + 1 tech from Willis. I'm told the a/c refuelled from diesel stored on the island. The bureau's feeling is that a bird has taken out the weather vane and quite possibly the anemometor - they're co-sited. The wx radar is being buffeted - it can't be commanded to turn -so most likely the radome has gone wokabut. As at dusk this evening the station was still accepting stallite phone calls so the generator was still running. Satellite pics will be taken on Friday to look for the exhaust of the generator. If no exhaust then the station will need to be resupplied with food as well as all the other stuff.

[nitpicker330]

Can anyone post the Metars for YBCS TBTL for the period the Cyclone went through. All the Metars I saw up to 0100 DST weren't that bad.


Some of the reporting on this Cyclone from CH 9 CH 7 and Sky News has been absolute media hype bs. Some of the crap that has been said is amazing and just shows how dumb most reporters are. Just sitting at home watching the BOM CNS 250 km Radar feed last night I could see clearly the eye moving over Dunk Island but the media were saying something else. I rang Sky and suggested they show the BOM Radar feed but was brushed off rudely!!

Late last night The reporters in CNS and Hamilton island hotels were crapping on about the gale force cyclonic wind and it's eery noises!! I was checking the CNS Metars every 30 mins and saw nothing much above 30 kts. TSV had constant 40 to 50 kt winds but that was about the worst I saw all night. For gods sake Mel has stronger winds on a bad northerly day than CNS/HMI had at the time they reported.
I'm sure that the winds were bad and damage was caused in the Mission beach area however.

After all the crap they write on Aviation incidents I shouldn't be surprised.

[NZScion]

Metars for Cairns and Townsville (http://www.mediafire.com/?c490n72z83rx7ws)

[nitpicker330]

CH 7 Sunrise host in CNS just reported from her hotel window that the winds in CNS are still strong and gusty and the dangers not over.
However the view behind her looked calm and the CNS Metar says 330/10.!!

They are still trying to hype it up in CNS.:D

TSV still looks a bit windy..Lots of trees down it seems.


I'll cut and paste the metars here:- thanks


METAR YBTL 020030Z 15019KT 9999 SCT035 BKN050 BKN064 31/21 Q1005 RMK DIST SHOWERS
SPECI YBTL 020100Z 14018G28KT 9999 VCSH SCT035 BKN055 BKN070 31/20 Q1004
SPECI YBTL 020109Z 14017KT 2000 -SHRA SCT035 BKN055 BKN072 31/21 Q1005
SPECI YBTL 020111Z 10025KT 2000 SHRA SCT019 BKN055 BKN057 26/23 Q1006
SPECI YBTL 020119Z 11023G33KT 4000 -SHRA SCT017 BKN045 BKN056 26/24 Q1006
SPECI YBTL 020123Z 14019KT 1000 SHRA SCT017 BKN045 BKN056 26/24 Q1006
SPECI YBTL 020126Z 14023G33KT 1000 SHRA SCT017 BKN045 BKN056 25/24 Q1007
SPECI YBTL 020147Z AUTO 16014KT 9999 // SCT012 BKN037 BKN072 25/24 Q1005
METAR YBTL 020200Z AUTO 16015KT 9999 // SCT024 SCT030 BKN046 26/24 Q1005
METAR YBTL 020230Z AUTO 17016KT 9999 // SCT039 BKN048 BKN065 27/24 Q1004
METAR YBTL 020300Z AUTO 17017KT 9999 // SCT035 BKN041 BKN049 28/23 Q1003
SPECI YBTL 020307Z AUTO 17019G29KT //// // SCT033 BKN042 OVC049 27/23 Q1003
SPECI YBTL 020331Z AUTO 17018G28KT //// // SCT033 BKN040 OVC048 27/24 Q1003
SPECI YBTL 020343Z AUTO 14021KT //// // SCT034 BKN040 OVC057 27/23 Q1003
SPECI YBTL 020348Z AUTO 15020G30KT //// // SCT034 BKN040 OVC046 27/23 Q1003
SPECI YBTL 020401Z AUTO 15020G30KT //// // SCT033 BKN041 OVC054 27/23 Q1002
SPECI YBTL 020430Z AUTO 15020G31KT //// // SCT026 BKN043 OVC079 27/22 Q1002
SPECI YBTL 020500Z AUTO 15024G34KT //// // ////// 26/22 Q1001
SPECI YBTL 020530Z AUTO 15025G35KT //// // ////// 26/22 Q1001
SPECI YBTL 020530Z 15025G35KT //// // ////// 26/22 Q1001 RMK CLD:////// VIS://// FM0800 11045G75KT 5000 RA SCT010 BKN016
SPECI YBTL 020601Z AUTO 15028G38KT //// // ////// 25/22 Q1000
METAR YBTL 020601Z AUTO 15028G38KT //// // ////// 25/22 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 020630Z AUTO 16022G35KT //// // ////// 24/23 Q0999
SPECI YBTL 020700Z AUTO 16026G40KT //// // ////// 24/23 Q0999
SPECI YBTL 020730Z AUTO 15029G44KT //// // ////// 24/23 Q0999
SPECI YBTL 020800Z AUTO 15026G40KT //// // ////// 25/23 Q0999
SPECI YBTL 020830Z AUTO 14027G39KT //// // ////// 24/23 Q0998
SPECI YBTL 020900Z AUTO 15029G48KT //// // ////// 24/23 Q0998
SPECI YBTL 020930Z AUTO 14027G40KT //// // ////// 24/23 Q0998
SPECI YBTL 020959Z AUTO 15029G53KT //// // ////// 24/23 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021000Z AUTO 15030G53KT //// // ////// 23/23 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021030Z AUTO 13031G46KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021046Z AUTO 12036G56KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021100Z AUTO 12035G54KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021130Z AUTO 12038G54KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0996
SPECI YBTL 021200Z AUTO 12039G56KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0996
SPECI YBTL 021230Z AUTO 12039G56KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0995
SPECI YBTL 021300Z AUTO 12041G65KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021330Z AUTO 12046G61KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021400Z AUTO 11042G56KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0993
SPECI YBTL 021430Z AUTO 09043G63KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021500Z AUTO 09043G58KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021523Z AUTO 10045G73KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0993
SPECI YBTL 021528Z AUTO 09057G73KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0993
SPECI YBTL 021530Z AUTO 09053G73KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0993
SPECI YBTL 021600Z AUTO 10048G65KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0993
METAR YBTL 021600Z AUTO 10048G65KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0993
SPECI YBTL 021630Z AUTO 09042G62KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0993
SPECI YBTL 021652Z AUTO 09047G59KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021700Z AUTO 08043G61KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021730Z AUTO 09048G64KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021730Z AUTO 09048G64KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021730Z AUTO 09048G64KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0994
SPECI YBTL 021800Z AUTO 08047G60KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0995
SPECI YBTL 021830Z AUTO 08044G58KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q0996
SPECI YBTL 021830Z AUTO 08044G58KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q0996
SPECI YBTL 021830Z AUTO 08044G58KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q0996
SPECI YBTL 021900Z AUTO 08045G62KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021928Z AUTO 07031G53KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021928Z AUTO 07031G53KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021928Z AUTO 07031G53KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021930Z AUTO 07033G53KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021930Z AUTO 07033G53KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021930Z AUTO 07033G53KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021932Z AUTO 07043G55KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021932Z AUTO 07043G55KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021932Z AUTO 07043G55KT //// // ////// 25/25 Q0997
SPECI YBTL 021952Z AUTO 07039G55KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q0999
SPECI YBTL 021952Z AUTO 07039G55KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q0999
SPECI YBTL 021952Z AUTO 07039G55KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q0999
SPECI YBTL 022000Z AUTO 06040G54KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 022014Z AUTO 07029G48KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 022014Z AUTO 07029G48KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 022015Z AUTO 07033G48KT //// // ////// 26/25 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 022030Z AUTO 06034G48KT //// // ////// 27/25 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 022030Z AUTO 06034G48KT //// // ////// 27/25 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 022030Z AUTO 06034G48KT //// // ////// 27/25 Q1000
SPECI YBTL 022100Z AUTO 07034G46KT //// // ////// 27/25 Q1001


METAR YBCS 020130Z AUTO 17012KT //// // BKN049 BKN056 BKN070 31/21 Q////
METAR YBCS 020200Z AUTO 17011KT //// // SCT047 BKN056 BKN066 31/21 Q////
METAR YBCS 020230Z AUTO 17012KT //// // ////// 31/21 Q////
SPECI YBCS 020249Z AUTO 15018G29KT //// // ////// 28/23 Q////
SPECI YBCS 020250Z AUTO 15020G39KT //// // ////// 27/24 Q////
SPECI YBCS 020300Z AUTO 17020G31KT //// // ////// 25/23 Q////
SPECI YBCS 020324Z AUTO 24007KT //// // ////// 26/24 Q0999
METAR YBCS 020330Z AUTO 26006G16KT //// // ////// 27/24 Q0999
METAR YBCS 020400Z AUTO 19008KT //// // ////// 29/21 Q0998
SPECI YBCS 020435Z AUTO 15015G29KT //// // ////// 26/23 Q0998
METAR YBCS 020500Z AUTO 19007G17KT //// // ////// 26/23 Q0998
METAR YBCS 020530Z AUTO 22005KT //// // ////// 27/22 Q0996
METAR YBCS 020600Z AUTO 26007KT //// // ////// 27/22 Q0996
METAR YBCS 020630Z AUTO 18007KT //// // ////// 26/22 Q0995
METAR YBCS 020700Z AUTO 21004KT //// // ////// 25/23 Q0995
METAR YBCS 020730Z AUTO 19006KT //// // ////// 26/21 Q0993
METAR YBCS 020800Z AUTO 18006KT //// // ////// 28/21 Q0992
METAR YBCS 020830Z AUTO 20008KT //// // ////// 29/20 Q0992
METAR YBCS 020900Z AUTO 25009G23KT //// // ////// 29/20 Q0991
METAR YBCS 020930Z AUTO 25012G25KT //// // ////// 29/20 Q0989
METAR YBCS 021000Z AUTO 28013G28KT //// // ////// 29/20 Q0988
METAR YBCS 021030Z AUTO 25012G26KT //// // ////// 28/21 Q0988
SPECI YBCS 021056Z AUTO 25015G26KT //// // ////// 28/21 Q0987
SPECI YBCS 021100Z AUTO 25016G26KT //// // ////// 28/20 Q0987
SPECI YBCS 021130Z AUTO 26018G29KT //// // ////// 27/21 Q0986
SPECI YBCS 021200Z AUTO 25017G32KT //// // ////// 29/20 Q0985
SPECI YBCS 021231Z AUTO 26016G30KT //// // ////// 27/21 Q0983
SPECI YBCS 021300Z AUTO 26019G31KT //// // ////// 27/21 Q0984
SPECI YBCS 021321Z AUTO 27020G44KT //// // ////// 27/21 Q0983
SPECI YBCS 021330Z AUTO 27033G46KT //// // ////// 27/21 Q0983
SPECI YBCS 021400Z AUTO 30020G33KT //// // ////// 26/21 Q0983
SPECI YBCS 021430Z AUTO 32017G33KT //// // ////// 26/21 Q0983
SPECI YBCS 021443Z AUTO 32020G50KT //// // ////// 26/21 Q0983
SPECI YBCS 021500Z AUTO 32024G43KT //// // ////// 25/21 Q0983
SPECI YBCS 021530Z AUTO 33022G37KT //// // ////// 26/21 Q0984
SPECI YBCS 021600Z AUTO 33024G35KT //// // ////// 26/21 Q0986
METAR YBCS 021600Z AUTO 33024G35KT //// // ////// 26/21 Q0986
SPECI YBCS 021630Z AUTO 34024G40KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0987
SPECI YBCS 021700Z AUTO 34026G42KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0989
SPECI YBCS 021730Z AUTO 34025G39KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0991
SPECI YBCS 021800Z AUTO 34025G41KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0992
SPECI YBCS 021831Z AUTO 34022G32KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0993
SPECI YBCS 021900Z AUTO 33015G25KT //// // ////// 25/23 Q0995
METAR YBCS 021930Z AUTO 33014KT //// // ////// 24/24 Q0996
SPECI YBCS 021949Z AUTO 33015G27KT //// // ////// 25/23 Q0997
METAR YBCS 022000Z AUTO 33014KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0997
METAR YBCS 022030Z AUTO 32012KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0998
METAR YBCS 022100Z AUTO 31010KT //// // ////// 25/24 Q0999

[tinpis]

For gods sake Mel has stronger winds on a bad northerly day than CNS/HMI had at the time they reported.

80kts? ppffft..They'd laff at ya in Willingtin, Inzud.

Glad its over. The Jim the Mower man businesses will do good :ok:

[frigatebird]

If the rainforest hasn't been reduced to mere sticks and trunks with all the foliage blown away, then it hasn't been too bad..
I'll second morno's 'hatsoff'.

[nitpicker330]

Thanks for that.

So there was 1 gust in CNS to 50 kts.
TSV had up to 73 for a while, quite breezy there!!

I think CNS and TSV have dodged a bullet.:ok:

Still say the media hyped it up with sensationalistic reporting.

[Critical Reynolds No]

Agree with that Nitpicker. All the sell Newspapers and TV commercials.

[nitpicker330]

MEL had winds of 350/35G42 a while back. Avalon had 45 kts and the houses in MEL aren't built for CAT 3 storms either. Did ya see Mel and Koshy Live from Brighton that night!!

I sure as hell thought my roof was going to come off that night in MEL.

Not to mention Windy Wellington, 40 kts is a slight breeze for them.

[Capn Bloggs]

Hey Tinpis,
I'm told the a/c refuelled from diesel stored on the island.
I hope they also chucked in a bit of petrol to thin it out a bit. :}

[Skynews]

The strongest gust I can find in the area is a Lucinda 100 kts, 50kts the highest at Cairns airport. Unfortunately it doesn't appear Tully has a BOM site so no info available from there.

It will be interesting to hear what did happen at the centre.

Tracy which has been the bench mark for cyclones recorded the following "prior" top the BOM instruments being made U/S. In reality the wind was stronger, How much stronger?
217km/h wind gust
950 hectopascals
255 rainfall within 12 hours overnight
death toll-71 people
injuries-145 major, over 500 minor
70-80% houses destroyed.

Wind speeds of 217 km/h registered at Darwin Airport before the equipment was itself blown away and there are estimates of maximum speeds of up to 300 km/h.
Seeing this destruction also brings home another matter - Darwin is a very new city simply because there was almost nothing left standing when Tracy had finished her work.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Hmmm, that was an interesting experience! I have been through about seven cyclones - this one had attitude.

Castle Fork, which is built like a brick sh*thouse, came through unscathed and none of the houses around us appear to be damaged but there are lots of trees down etc.

There will be lots of damage elsewhere and my thoughts are with those who have been belted.

The storm surge was not as high as predicted so I suspect the FTDK will be OK.

Dr :8

[nitpicker330]

Yes I was in Tracy and that WAS scary ****!!

I'm not trying to downplay the Cyclone but I'm starting to suspect ( as I mentioned yesterday ) that this storm was hyped up a bit too much.

Especially by the TV Media in their rooms in CNS!! "The winds were lashing the town, strange eery noises followed by silence, are we in the eye now?"
Come on get your hand off it for goodness sake, 40 odd kts with the occasional 50 kt gust is nothing for a town built like CNS in 2011.

hype hype hype

Ratings Bonanza

I guess they'll be looking for a Pulitzer next!!

[Ando1Bar]

The coverage on Sunrise this morning made me want to vomit. I think I'll be a Today viewer from now on.

[Capn Bloggs]

I could have barefooted on the "crashing waves and huge seas" Mel was waffling on about over her shoulder (as she struggled to think of something sensational to say).

[Worrals in the wilds]

Glad you're okay, FTDK.

I don't know about overhyping the actual storm (cat 5 must be scary in anyone's book) but there was certainly a lot of waffle before it came. Why they couldn't just do an hourly update instead of rolling emotional, overexcited crap with journos in raincoats, pollies pretending to be weathergirls and enough 'experts' to fill a Sunday supplement is beyond me.

I got sick of it all after an hour or so and stuck with PPRuNe and the BOM site. That said, the ABC was less drivelly than the others.

[Bluey Snuttzov]

I don't know about overhyping the actual storm (cat 5 must be scary in anyone's book) but there was certainly a lot of waffle before it came. Why they couldn't just do an hourly update instead of rolling emotional, overexcited crap with journos in raincoats, pollies pretending to be weathergirls and enough 'experts' to fill a Sunday supplement is beyond me.

I got sick of it all after an hour or soAFAIK continuous watching was not compulsory WITW.

But no doubt any information at all was eagerly sought by those in affected areas.

Missed MKR did you? :}

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Well!

Have been for a bit of a drive around the place - to work and to the aerodrome. There appears to be relatively little structural damage to homes etc - but lots and lots of timber down. The structural damage I saw was all caused by trees coming down or shedding branches. A bit of tree trimming prior to cyclone season would not go astray.

FTDK is all OK - didn't move at all in the hangar and there was no flooding. A Lance that was not tied down did a bit of sightseeing around the aerodrome but doesn't seem to have hit anything and appears to have remainded upright. An Aerobat that was tied down outside looks a little the worse for wear. One tie down appears to have broken and various bits of the aerodrome are missing.

Dr :8

[DaisyDuck]

Keep in mind that the wind readings at YBCS are seriously skewed by the fact there is a mountain to the west of the airfield that blocks any significant wind readings from the South West and West, which is the wind direction Cairns copped last night. The suburbs to the west of the said hill copped a battering last night, take it from me, I was there. :ouch:
Nothing, however, compared to our poor friends to the south of us in YIFL and Cardwell.:{

[Bluey Snuttzov]

Still say the media hyped it up with sensationalistic reporting.Agree with that Nitpicker. All the sell Newspapers and TV commercials.I'm starting to suspect ( as I mentioned yesterday ) that this storm was hyped up a bit too much.

hype hype hype

Ratings Bonanza

I guess they'll be looking for a Pulitzer next!!Yeah - definitely just another media beatup!

And all too obviously that crew who faked the moon landing video were still around to dummy up those satellite images.

Just as well we've got you and Critical here then to keep us all on an even keel eh Picker?


Especially when they managed to sucker in the BOM folk as well -
SEVERE TC YASI IS A LARGE AND VERY POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE AND POSES AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA,OTOH I'd doubt that there's too many FNQ residents who spent last night in areas beyond the airport boundary fence (http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/cyclone-yasi-pictures/) who'd agree with you blokes.:ugh:



http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2011/02/03/1225999/492946-tully.jpg


http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2011/02/03/1225999/493982-tully.jpg


http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2011/02/03/1225999/494040-tully.jpg

[Worrals in the wilds]

But no doubt any information at all was eagerly sought by those in affected areas.

It was the lack of information and ensuing padding that I didn't like, and it often happens with these 24hr news broadcasts. They don't always have 24 hours worth of news. It was similar in Brisbane recently, for all the rolling coverage a lot of the time the radio had more up to date information than the tv.

Of course it wasn't compulsory, that's why I turned it off. By that logic, no-one should ever criticise a television broadcast because they're optional viewing.

Missed MKR did you? http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/badteeth.gif

Huh? :confused:

[nitpicker330]

Mate I have no doubt where the Cyclone hit was devastated. Although those pictures dont show houses flattened like I saw in Darwin Christmas 1974. A Few flat Banana trees doesn't mean much either ( Banana trees are not built to withstand much wind anyway )

Re-read my posts again and you'll see my main complaint was the Jernos hyping it up in CNS and Hamo Island where the winds weren't too bad, certainly nothing much more than we see in Melbourne ( a city not built to withstand Cyclones )

Especially by the TV Media in their rooms in CNS!!

CH 9's Karl had views behind him this am of downtown and it certainly looked 100% normal for CNS, no trees ripped up or downed power lines as the reporters said was happening last night "Cairns is being ripped apart"

Mission Bay, Dunk Island are quite another thing and any Jerno reporting from there would have had good reason to be a bit worried!!

[neville_nobody]

It was interesting to hear the ABC interview a electrician at one of the towns that copped the full force of the cyclone and inspite of the ABC reporter trying to sensationalise the event this bloke threw cold water all over the ABC comments. Essentially if you live in a newer house built to code then you have no problems... It was only the older houses and trees/power lines that sustained any damage. The guy also pointed out that cyclones are normal for this part of the world and that they will just repair what needs to be repaired and move on. Certainly took the wind of the reporters sails that's for sure.

[nitpicker330]

Sky had a jerno straming live pictures from his ground floor hotel room facing south in Bowen. Yes the wind was ripping past quite nicely at what I observed to be 35 to 40 kts but I've lived in QLD by the beach in High Rise buildings and believe me they "funnel" the wind and make it seem a lot worse than it really is.
The studio commentator commented that the wind out his window was 160km/h!!

Another Jerno reporting from CNS around midnight (when the EYE was just crossing the coast around Dunk ) that "when the Eye Passes CNS watch out, there'll be 1 hour of calm before the winds blast back the other way".....

Mel on Sunrise was Twittering all night about the devastating winds whistling around her hotel room in CNS, moments of terror when the noise stopped and she thought they were in the EYE!! If she's bothered to check the BOM CNS WX Radar picture she'd have seen the EYE was way down south of CNS.
If she'd bothered to check the BOM CNS winds she's have known the winds weren't that bad.,

SKY news were repeatedly showing looped SAT images from 20,000 miles away of the Cyclone approaching the coast ( as were CH 7 ) whilst totally ignoring the much better, larger scale more updated BOM CNS Radar. The storm had crossed the coast at 1200, around 5 minutes before they knew. I rang them and suggested they might like to show the Radar as was told to Fark off......we know what were doing!! Yeah I'm sure you do young lady.:ok:


Maybe if they were really interested in keeping people up to date they would have shown the CNS Radar live with an expert there to tell them exactly where the EYE is and where its going........Now that might have been useful.:D

[Bluey Snuttzov]

my main complaint was the Jernos hyping it up in CNS and Hamo Island where the winds weren't too bad,

Fair nuff :ok:

I don't watch much TV - especially rolling crisis coverage since (as obviously here) so much of it tends to be repetitive, boring and aggravating.

BTW Worrals - MKR =My Kitchen Rules - and yes, I admit watching that one :\

[RENURPP]

Bluey

Are your pics of Cairns or further south? I can't imagine 50Kts (BOM figures not mine) doing that damage, if there not Cairns, you have missed the point.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Well this should now 'flush out' the Darling River system, and all others in the associated catchment areas, as it degrades into a 'rain bearing depression'.....and moves.....(?)...

Sholud 'fix' all of those water allocation arguments for a while, and those saved $'s could be used for.....

Australia 4km enhir (MTSAT-1R) (http://realtime2.bsch.au.com/enhir_sat.html)

Cheers:ok:

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Or this 'animated' version is probably a better appreciation....

http://realtime2.bsch.au.com/enhir_sat.html?region=aus&loop=yes&images=20&allday=&start=&stop=

Cheers:ok:

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Yes, once it was clear that Yasi was gonna hit somewhere between Cairns and Townsville, then interviewing the bloke at Hammo Is was a bit ridiculous.

The problem is the rolling coverage which Channel 7 seems to love. Its hard to keep it up to a high standard so they soon resort to bullsh*t.

If you chose to live in NQ, then you must accept the possibility that you will get belted by a cylcone at some point.

However there are lots of things you can do to keep safe, and if you have any doubts then "get outta Dodge" quick.

NQ is a great place to live.

Dr :8

[nitpicker330]

Daisy Duck.........Glad you're ok:ok:

The worst wind came from 320 deg. There is no hill that direction from the Airport, if there was then the runway would have to be re aligned!! The hill you refer to ( Mt Lumley ) is WSW of the RWY,the plane spotters love it and it wouldn't have shielded the airport anemometer :ok:

The whole of Cairns is protected a little by the Barren Gorge National Park Mountain Ranges to the West, Mt Kahipahlim and Chujeba peak being two of them.:ok:

[185skywagon]

Griffo,
Most runoff will end up in the gulf or the Georgina system, by the looks.
To get to the darling the system would have to be a lot further south. Still early days I guess.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

TKS '185',

You're right.

I was looking at the last swirl on the animation that's about level with Fraser Is - around 26deg S or so, and hoping that it may drop more that way as well as to the north into the Gulf....but the 'swirl' is fairly well inland.
So maybe Birdsville & the Centre etc will cop some more as well...

Whatever - it will be good for some and not so good for others...

Cheers :ok:

[frigatebird]

Ex-FSO
The last flood was down the Condamine for the Darling. How much more do you want? We actually share things around in Queensland. (But I won't name some of them..) The Flinders should get a bit of water in it, most times it is just a sandy bed.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

G'Day 'FB',

Enuf to divert some of our hard-earned$$'s from that 'water buy back scheme' into real benefits for those who need it NOW..!!

And to give the ole Lake Alexandrina a 'Royal Flush'....and see how that gets rid of some of the 'acid water'....

Only my thoughts of course...others may differ...
(In life, I have found they usually do.....why is it so..??):confused:

Cheers:confused: :ok:

[Worrals in the wilds]

So Lake Eyre will be worth a look later in the year, if there are any roads left to get there.
Hopefully Mt Isa will be okay, do they build to cyclone standards there? IIRC a lot of its buildings are a bit shaky. You've got to wonder if corrugated iron is really the best type of roofing in areas that get high wind, although I realise it's traditional.

BTW Worrals - MKR =My Kitchen Rules - and yes, I admit watching that one http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/wibble.gif

Roger... didn't think of that one. It's quite a good show.

[frigatebird]

why is it so..??)


Professor Julius Sumner Miller would have had the answer ;)

[Peter Fanelli]

So, how has our Queensland contingent fared?
Any major damage?

[Kulwin Park]

So after all this mayham, and seeing all the pics of the suburbs, has there been any damage at the local small and also major airports??? Any Hangar damage? I'm surprised we have not seen pics of damage to helicopters and planes blown over, or hangar roofs blown off??

Pics anyone, or stories?? Cheers, KP

[Blue Sky Baron]

The best view of Yasi that I've seen so far. BSB :eek:
Tropical Cyclone Yasi - Satellite & Radar Timelapse (http://www.theweatherchaser.com/videos/201101-tropical-cyclone-yasi)

[Chimbu chuckles]

So where is AoA (Armageddon or Armageddon?)

Cairns & Townsville are still there but AoA is blown away?

That is not how he said it would happen.

[DaisyDuck]

:{

Dunk Island after the cyclone | Local Cairns Cyclone News | cairns.com.au (http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/02/05/147995_cyclone.html)

[DaisyDuck]

"The whole of Cairns is protected a little by the Barren Gorge National Park Mountain Ranges to the West, Mt Kahipahlim and Chujeba peak being two of them."


...tell that the 60ft gum tree that fell to the East in my back yard and almost on to my neighbours house.

And it's Barron Gorge, not Barren. There is nothing Barren about it!

[Josh Cox]

For info, if you are in the cyclone zone and have gone without services there is a $1000 per adult and $400 per child, one off payments, details and forms on this link:

Tropical Cyclone Yasi - February 2011 (http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/emergency/cyclone_yasi_feb11.htm)


Ka-ching !!!!.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

'Tis a bit 'barren' at times Ducky,

Was up there a couple of years ago just for a 'look see' at Kamerunga Crossing where we used to swim as kids....and catch the occasional perch... and it was as dry as a dead dingo's donger....except for under all those stones in the river bed.

It was 'out in the bush' then of course.....

Prolly not 'dry' today though....(?)

Cheers:ok:

[Flying Binghi]

Where would we be without helicopters ?

The SE QLD floods produced a helicopter spotters paradise for a while, i'll bet its the same up north now..:ok:






.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Where would we be without helicopters ?

Yes, like blowflies around a sheep carcass! :E

Dr :8

[Arm out the window]

We got off real lightly up on the Tablelands; hardly any drama compared to Larry (which wasn't that bad for us anyway), but Tully and Cardwell copped a good caning, poor buggers.

[OZBUSDRIVER]

ahhh, you can turn the tap off, we get it that it was wet up north.

Seriously, rather stout front and trough plus Anthony and now Yasi, still getting some seriously big rain totals in Vic.....and more on the way!

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I wonder if the authorities will learn anything from Yasi, and actually act on it?

Townsville experienced winds that might be associated with a Cat 3 cyclone at best. There is very little structural damage, and where that has occurred it is mostly the result of trees shedding limbs and coming down completely. In parts of Townsville every second or third big tree is down.

In future, will there be any real effort to trim trees or limit their height?

Like all of Australia there is no long-term infrastructure planning, as our pollies focus myopically on the next election only. Where is the long-term plan to put suburban power distribution underground?

We are in out 4th day without power - but that's OK cause apparently Julia is going to send me $1000 for my suffering!

Dr :8

[Josh Cox]

4 th day without power also, have a generator thankfully.

[Jabawocky]

Do you need my little Honda there Doc, or did you crank up your gennie....eventually!

Looking at the charts last night we were discussing the odds of another one brewing being very high, this morning Mrs Jaba says BOM advising another one is brewing and they are keeping an eye on its development.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Got the Honda generator fired up - running fridge/freeze, TV, video, puter - and occassionally dishwasher and washing machine.

Kinda like being back on a cattle station - with the generator running all night in the background!

[travelator]

You buggers and your bloody generators. It's bad enough having no power but having one of those smelly, noisy and surging b@stards parked outside your bedroom when it's 28 and 100% humidity in the middle of the night! If the power hadn't just come back on I think that generator may have mysteriously sustained some serious cricket bat damage.

[Worrals in the wilds]

Sounds like the Innamincka Pub accommodation, the joint's got a genny big enough to power the MCG. I scored the room next to the bloody thing, went timidly into the bar and asked them when they shut it down. 'About once a month' was the reply :ouch:. Wasted sleepless night...

[Flying Binghi]

To the casual reader with no experience of generators - Due to dangerous carbon monoxide the generator is always outside of the building where your camped.





.

[Worrals in the wilds]

Good point. Didn't some poor young bloke asphixiate during the cyclone because they had the genny inside? Hopefully there'll be a bit of a public awareness campaign about that, along with keeping a week's supply of water and tinned food in the house at all times.

[Jabawocky]

travelator

I assume the Dr has one fo the Honda gennies like I have, extremely quiet indeed.:ok:

Most are like a noisy ride on mower :sad:

[Josh Cox]

Mine is a Yanmar 6KVA diesel, very noisey, but will run fridges, tv and aircon.

[travelator]

I'd be glad if the Dr was my neighbor in that case. Probably try and run an extension cord from him too!The one next door was not an environmentally friendly one. Couldn't even run at a constant RPM.

The emergency SMS system thing was used to remind us not to use gennies indoors and there have been several warning messages broadcast on local ABC as well. :rolleyes:

[rioncentu]

YouTube - Aerial footage of Cyclone Yasi devastation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0xyRnrvGM)

Some good aerial footage there.

Looks liek the Runway on Dunk was one on the only things to escape unscathed.