Bureau of Meteorology Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track MapTrial product descriptionWestern AustraliaNOTE THIS IS A TRIAL PRODUCT SUBJECT TO MODIFICATIONS AT SHORT NOTICE |
| The Bureau of Meteorology is introducing a new graphical product for the
2005 / 06 Tropical Cyclone Season. This product will provide a map
displaying the forecast positions of the centre of a tropical cyclone up
to 24 hours ahead - as well as the lastest observed location of the tropical
cyclone and its destructive winds. The product will be similar in style
to the existing tropical cyclone threat map. It will be available
on the Bureau's public web site at http://www.bom.gov.au/
This product will not contain all the information available in the text forecast, particularly important impact information like the often most dangerous threat of storm tide. It should be viewed as an illustration with the text product. There will be some small differences in the product between regions. This page describes the product for Western Australia. Note this is the same as the corresponding product for Northern Territory and all of the Gulf of Carpentaria and slightly different from the east coast of Queensland. 
Description of imageFor the tropical cyclone the product image will shown the following:
The latest observed position is indicated in blue. The number in the circle shows the latest observed intensity category. Next to the circle will be the time and date of the latest observation. Wind ZonesThe solid coloured areas around the observed cyclone position represents the area affected by winds represented by that colour. |
| Wind Categories: | Gusts (km/h) | Typical Impacts (not including rain, flood and storm surge) |
 Gale Force* |
Less than 125 | Negligible house damage. Damage to some crops, trees and caravans. Craft may drag moorings. |
 Destructive |
125 to 170 | Minor house damage. Significant damage to signs, trees and caravans. Heavy damage to some crops. Risk of power failure. Small craft may break moorings. |
 Very Destructive |
More than 170 | Significant damage to structures. Caravans destroyed. Dangerous airborne debris. Power failure likely. |
|
Official Forecast Track This is the forecast track which indicates the most likely path
expected for the cyclone. The 12 hour and 24 hour forecast positions for
the cyclone centre are marked along the path as black circles. The rings represent the forecast outer extent of each category of wind strength, that is assuming the cyclone follows the official forecast track. Ring colours match the wind zone colours described above. The winds are likely to extend beyond these areas as the cyclone will almost certainly not follow the forecast track exactly. The extent of the warning and watch zones reflects this fact. Note that the rings may be omitted for the 12 hour and 24 hour forecast positions to minimise clutter in the image. Grey Zone of Uncertainty
A cyclone is more than its centre, and its impact will almost certainly extend well beyond this zone. Warning / Watch Zones
Note Links |
The grey zone indicates the area within which the cyclone centre
is expected to be in the 24 hours after the latest observed time. This covers most
scenarios but on some occasions the cyclone may move beyond this area.
The dark orange shows the area where a Tropical Cyclone Warning is current; that is land
areas that are expected to experience gales within 24 hours
The light orange shows the area
where a Tropical Cyclone Watch is current; that is land areas that are expected to
experience gales within 48 hours, but not within 24 hours.Latest Version: October 2005