Cyclone Helen
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Cyclone Helen
Anyone in Darwin at the moment with an update on the cyclone? I heard they are closing the airport, but can't find anything on the news yet. (I'm ex DN ATC, so just being nosy). Don't want to call the TWR as I imagine they may be busy with wx diversions if anything is flying.
Helen went Category 2 (gusts to 130 km/h) just before landfall around Channel Point a short time ago, heading in an easterly direction.
Expected to weaken now its over land.
We're getting a bit of wet and windy weather at the moment. Shelters were opened and employers advised to send staff home around 1800 local. Haven't heard anything about the airport.
Expect some gales around midnight but looks like a repeat of all our cyclone warnings post-Tracy - plenty of suburban panicking but ultimately no big deal.
Flooding? Now that's another question.
A good night to be on the ground and indoors, nontheless.
Expected to weaken now its over land.
We're getting a bit of wet and windy weather at the moment. Shelters were opened and employers advised to send staff home around 1800 local. Haven't heard anything about the airport.
Expect some gales around midnight but looks like a repeat of all our cyclone warnings post-Tracy - plenty of suburban panicking but ultimately no big deal.
Flooding? Now that's another question.
A good night to be on the ground and indoors, nontheless.
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Virgin, Jetstar and Tiger have all cancelled their flights tonight. QFA from Sydney made it to DN but won't depart until 8am. Some of the Redeye flights will be coming in about lunch time tomorrow, at this stage.
The tower is still open at this stage. Doesn't look like it will get severe and close enough to close the tower and airport completely.
The tower is still open at this stage. Doesn't look like it will get severe and close enough to close the tower and airport completely.
QFA from Sydney made it to DN but won't depart until 8am.
Gee they must have extra machines lying around or a good insurance policy, or maybe they're just plain dumb.
Silly Old Git
27 years here now and that was as good as yer get for yer money 
The bugger of a thing didnt brreak down over land just kept coming at force 2.
Hate to be in the sights of a force 5 you could kiss yer arse goodbye absolutely convinced of that.
Some trees (palms) down at chez tin and a 10inch dia. treated pine log support post for a shade sail snapped orf like a carrot....
Wadda bloody mess....
The bugger of a thing didnt brreak down over land just kept coming at force 2.
Hate to be in the sights of a force 5 you could kiss yer arse goodbye absolutely convinced of that.
Some trees (palms) down at chez tin and a 10inch dia. treated pine log support post for a shade sail snapped orf like a carrot....
Wadda bloody mess....
I thought the thread was going to be about the Kiwi prime minister from the title!
Hope you guys in the path of it don't cop too much. We got Larry through here nearly 2 years ago now, not much fun.
Hope you guys in the path of it don't cop too much. We got Larry through here nearly 2 years ago now, not much fun.
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eek Tinny ..
the bloke and I are swimming in the torrents down here on the not so Gold Coast, ain't much fun here either!!
Any pics?
I can't even begin to imagine what our home's going to look like when we get back next week!!
yay
the bloke and I are swimming in the torrents down here on the not so Gold Coast, ain't much fun here either!!
Any pics?
I can't even begin to imagine what our home's going to look like when we get back next week!!
yay
Sorry to hear that tinny.
Nil damage to report from cooda mansions out at Parmy.
Seems to be more trees/branches down the closer you get to Darwin.
BOM now suggesting she may reform in the Gulf of Carpentaria and do a 180 back this way.
If so, that's a potential Cat 3 or 4 by the time she returns.
Hope they're wrong.
Nil damage to report from cooda mansions out at Parmy.
Seems to be more trees/branches down the closer you get to Darwin.
BOM now suggesting she may reform in the Gulf of Carpentaria and do a 180 back this way.
If so, that's a potential Cat 3 or 4 by the time she returns.
Hope they're wrong.
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ACMS:
"A QF A/C made it in to DN and they left the aircraft there all night with a Cyclone approaching?
Gee they must have extra machines lying around or a good insurance policy, or maybe they're just plain dumb."
There was a fair bit of rain and wind but it was not that bad to send the aircraft somewhere else, certainly not as bad as the typhoons you see in HKG.
"A QF A/C made it in to DN and they left the aircraft there all night with a Cyclone approaching?
Gee they must have extra machines lying around or a good insurance policy, or maybe they're just plain dumb."
There was a fair bit of rain and wind but it was not that bad to send the aircraft somewhere else, certainly not as bad as the typhoons you see in HKG.
Last edited by Offchocks; 5th Jan 2008 at 00:13.
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Tinpis, Glad you and all others there OK! I wonder how the old 'tree house' in Henry St. took it?
It withstood Max back in 1980 (?) ok and that one had me worried a bit for a while!!
It withstood Max back in 1980 (?) ok and that one had me worried a bit for a while!!
Silly Old Git
Pinky I was in town for MAX in 81
Darwhine was only half the size them days and there was no Palmerston
I dont recall it being as nearly as persistent as this bugger was.
Darwhine was only half the size them days and there was no Palmerston
I dont recall it being as nearly as persistent as this bugger was.
Offchock: Maybe but Virgin, Tiger and Jetstar apparently cancelled their flights?
So either they are wimps or QF are cowboys?
They can't both be right.
I can understand why they might decide to fly in to Dn and take a look, but to leave an expensive machine sitting on a tarmac where blowing debri could quite easily cause expensive damage is a bit irresponsible.
So either they are wimps or QF are cowboys?
They can't both be right.
I can understand why they might decide to fly in to Dn and take a look, but to leave an expensive machine sitting on a tarmac where blowing debri could quite easily cause expensive damage is a bit irresponsible.
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Understand from a colleague in Darwin that Airnorth operated normal schedule to Bali last night with a ETA DN 1.30 am local. Also QF flight was
stranded due no refuellers - all having being sent home. All public transport and taxi's ceased running after 11 pm. Understand that Tiger operated as well, although a couple of hours behind schedule.
stranded due no refuellers - all having being sent home. All public transport and taxi's ceased running after 11 pm. Understand that Tiger operated as well, although a couple of hours behind schedule.
Well in that case QF are lucky there was no damage to their Jet.
The news showed a lot of up rooted ( big ) trees in DN and a lot of flooding.
Must have been quite a wind blowing.
The news showed a lot of up rooted ( big ) trees in DN and a lot of flooding.
Must have been quite a wind blowing.
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The news...
ACMS
Maybe it was a case of Journo's being journo's and exaggerating? (been known to happen)
There WERE some trees uprooted, but the damage wasn't that bad. Some blackouts but it was pretty much business as usual in Darwin by 10:00am.
Although some GA companies evacuated, the GA apron was pretty full overnight (all a/c tied down, of course). AFAIK there wasn't any aircraft damage.
DIVOSH!
Well in that case QF are lucky there was no damage to their Jet.
The news showed a lot of up rooted ( big ) trees in DN and a lot of flooding.
Must have been quite a wind blowing.
The news showed a lot of up rooted ( big ) trees in DN and a lot of flooding.
Must have been quite a wind blowing.
There WERE some trees uprooted, but the damage wasn't that bad. Some blackouts but it was pretty much business as usual in Darwin by 10:00am.
Although some GA companies evacuated, the GA apron was pretty full overnight (all a/c tied down, of course). AFAIK there wasn't any aircraft damage.
DIVOSH!