The ink has hardly gone dry on my series about the Brisbane floods which, if you recall, had their roots in the relatively weak Tropical Cyclone Tasha which made landfall on Christmas Day between Cairns and Innisfail.
From that moment on, the heavy rainfalls that Tasha had bought with her seemed to slowly move from North Queensland all the way across the state passing through the south and into New South Wales and Victoria. We all now know how damaging those floods were.
Tropical Cyclone Tasha was only a Category 1.
But what have we got now?
Tropical Cyclone Yasi can only be is described as a beast. According to the very latest reports, in about 3 hours it is going to make landfall somewhere close to Innisfail, a town about 70 km south of Cairns.
Innisfail was host to tropical Cyclone Larry back in March 2006. Larry was a category 4 cyclone and he caused around $800 million worth of damage. Crikey, they must be sick of cyclones up there.
Tropical Cyclone Yasi is a Category 5 cyclone and every bit as big as hurricane Katrina. Yasi is expected to be both catastrophic and destructive. In places the storm surge could well be up to 7 metres above the normal high tide.
Here, in Brisbane, we will hardly feel the effects of this cyclone. Not tonight at midnight anyway. But we have to wonder what happens next. You don’t have to be a weatherman to predict another couple of weeks of very heavy rainfall throughout this state. It sounds very much like “here we go again”.
But now, our thoughts and our prayers, if that’s your thing, should be with all the people currently in North Queensland. They are surely in for a torrid night.
What’s a category 5 like?
Hi Bob, we are looking into emigrating to Australia next year.We have narrowed it down to either Bristbane or Perth….we heard that Bristbane is very humid???…we love the sun but not to keen on humidity. .please advise me
Thanks
Caz
Everybody’s idea on what is and what isn’t humid varies, some people think Brisbane is too humid, others don’t. Personally I only think it gets uncomfortably humid about 4 or 5 weeks each year. I am more than happy to put up with some slightly sticky summer weather on occasions in order to enjoy the wonderful weather we get the rest of the year.
I certainly wouldn’t let stories of humidity in Brisbane put you off.
Cheers, Bob
Thanks Chris, lots of work to be done around the worst areas. More then 80 schools will be shut today because they are either damaged or without power.
That gives you a good idea of the scale of work to be done.
Thinking of you and your family Bob and everyone
who is or may be affected by these freak weather
conditions. kepp your chin up matey i have no doubt
you will.
All the best
Chris and family
Thanks boys, early reports suggest no fatalities, although two men are missing. Lot’s of damage tho’, so more stuff to repair. Brisbane didn’t cop any of it, not even a breeze.
What next? Who knows…
Boy ‘o’ boy.Our thoughts and prayers go to all in N/E Queensland.We spent the last week of our holiday in Cairns (early january) and it is so so sad seeing it get battered.
Wow, what can ya say…….good luck mates…..