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SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - JANUARY 2000
On the 22nd and 23rd, heavy rainfalls over areas of Western Australia resulted in many locations reporting record January monthly rainfall totals. Thunderstorms with hail occurred in several states, particularly Queensland and New South wales. Western Australia Forming approximately 350 km northwest of Darwin a tropical low followed a southwesterly track offshore from the Kimberley and Pilbara coast for 4 days. During the 22nd the low turned towards the southeast and brought isolated heavy rainfall to the Pilbara. Whim Creek (recently battered by tropical cyclone John) reported 200mm of rain and wind damage as storms passed by. A developing low was named tropical Cyclone Kirrily on the 28th while located approximately 550 km northwest of Exmouth. Following a southwesterly track tropical cyclone Kirrily moved away from the coast of Western Australia and didn't have any direct affect on the mainland. By the 1st of February the system had weakened to a tropical low and while located approximately 900 km west of Carnarvon the last warning was issued by the Bureau. The lowest central pressure was estimated to have reached 970 hPa. Queensland On the 1st in Bundaberg a tornado caused a narrow path of damage with trees uprooted and a house losing part of its roof and destroying the garage. Local flooding occurred and other extensive wind damage including many trees felled occurred in other parts of Bundaberg. Hail and strong winds occurred on the same day in areas west of Gympie to Tin Can Bay. Marble to golf ball size hail ruined squash, macadamia and other horticultural plantings. Strong winds destroyed a house boat, damaged many others and caused many to drag anchor in Tin Can Bay. Coastguard equipment measured winds at 124 km/h with gusts over 130 km/h. On the 2nd in the late evening thunderstorms caused local overnight and early morning flooding in Bundaberg. On the 5th trees were blown over and houses partly unroofed in strong winds with 2.5cm sized hail in the south-eastern Brisbane area of Redlands. A funnel cloud was sighted in Annerley. On the 8th trees and powerlines were downed by strong winds and hail to golf ball size was reported at Roma. On the 17th in Warwick, gusts to 83 km/h and small hail was observed. Power lines were down in Warwick and Toowoomba, north Gold Coast and in southern Brisbane suburbs. On the 21st a storm at Mt Morgan partly unroofed 6 houses, overturned a caravan, produced small hail and 30mm of rain in half an hour. On the 22nd trees were stripped of leaves by hail in the Goomboorian/Gympie area. New South Wales On the 1st at Armidale (Northern Tablelands) 4cm hail was reported and 50 homes and hundreds of cars were damaged. Plants and trees were shredded. On the 4th at Bathurst (Central Tablelands) a severe wind gust of 93 km/h was recorded. A large tree was blown down damaging a house. Also on the 4th at Port Macquarie (Mid-North Coast) 93 km/h wind gusts were reported and 5 homes were damaged. On the 5th 4cm hail was reported in the Ballina/Byron Bay (Northern Rivers) area resulting in damage to cars. On the 17th severe wind gusts of 93 km/h were reported at Narrabri (North West Plains). Branches were blown off trees and three sheds were destroyed. On the 19th at Cronulla (Metropolitan) severe wind gusts of 93 km/h were reported. Trees were blown down and roofs were blown off homes. Also on the 19th at Gloucester (Mid-North Coast) 2cm hail and severe wind gusts to 130 km/h were reported. Cattle were killed, powerlines were down and trees snapped, caravans turned over and buildings were unroofed. The damage path was about 1 kilometre wide. On the 19th 15 to 20 homes were damaged by wind gusts of 111km/h at Mirannie (Hunter), 30 km South of Singleton. Victoria On the 8th large hail to 2cm occurred at Great Western in the Wimmera district. On the 9th a possible weak tornado was observed at Paraparap between Geelong and Anglesea. On the 10th at Parkers Corner neat Erica in West Gippsland, a storm produced large hail to 3cm and heavy rain. Windows were broken, some crops were damaged and cars and caravans dented. On the 26th heavy rain and local flash flooding were reported in the North Central and Central districts. At Mia Mia 45mm of rain was recorded in 45 minutes. Local flooding was reported at Warrandyte and Campbelltown recorded 39mm in 30 minutes. South Australia Thunderstorm activity on the 10th and 11th started bushfires in various parts of the state. Western Australia On the 2nd Newman experienced flooding around the town and mine site when 46mm of rain fell in 2 hours. On the 5th Cobra station (290 km eastnortheast of Carnarvon) recorded 16.8mm of rain in 1 hour and 2cm in diameter hail damaged trees. On the 10th flash flooding and some wind damage occurred in the Kalgoorlie area. The meteorological office at the aerodrome recorded 9.8mm of rain in 8 minutes and wind gusts to 78 km/h were experienced. Electricity supplies to the city were interrupted for a number of hours. Also on the same day hail 1.5cm in diameter was reported during a storm about 8 km north of Gnowangerup (southern agricultural district). Localised flooding also occurred when 45mm of rain fell in 75 minutes. At a similar time, approximately 20 km southsouthwest of Gnowangerup, storms produced 3cm in diameter hail. On the 30th tree damage occurred near Cuballing (10km north of Narrogin) during the afternoon. Northern Territory On the 9th an active thunderstorm squall line produced widespread lightning and damaged electrical equipment in Darwin. On the 12th a 98km/h gust was recorded at the Centre Island AWS (southern Gulf of Carpentaria) during a midnight thunderstorm. On the 15th a wind gust of 126 km/h was recorded at the Yulara Airport AWS in a brief afternoon thunderstorm and caused superficial damage to parked aircraft, felled trees and covered the runway with sand. Power supplies and security systems at the airport were also damaged by lightning. On the 17th an active thunderstorm squall line produced widespread power blackouts and damaged electrical equipment in Darwin suburbs and adjacent rural area. During the storm, 1438 lightning strikes were recorded in two hours and a gust of 78 km/h was recorded at Humpty Doo AWS, about 35 km east of Darwin. On the 26th an early evening multicell thunderstorm produced a 30 minute period of strong to gale force winds with storm force gusts at Yulara Airport. The maximum gust recorded was 104 km/h. No damage was reported. Pea-sized hail was reported on the same day in Alice Springs town. On the 31st, a brief afternoon thunderstorm damaged trees and caravan annexes south of Darwin. Wind gusts estimated between 100 and 150 km/h associated with a sustained wet microburst (about 30 minutes duration) produced a damage trail about 500 metres long and 20-100 metres wide along the Stuart Highway. Heavy rain caused localised flash flooding in the caravan park surrounding areas. Tasmania Wind caused some property damage on the 4th in the northeast and power cuts were reported in the Tamar Valley area. Gusts exceeding 90 km/h were reported at Cape Grim on the 4th, 5th, 12th, 20th and 21st; at Eddystone Point on the 4th and 5th; on Hartz Mountain on the 20th and 29th; on Mt Wellington on the 4th, 5th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 29th; at Maatsuyker Island on the 21st and 29th. South Australia January 2000 has been the windiest month recorded since records began at Kent Town in 1977. The average daily wind speed was 14.8 km/h which is 4.3 km/h above the average for January. Tasmania A scrub fire destroyed 5 houses in Gormanston and Linda (West Coast) on the 12th. A forest fire burnt 300 hectares east of George Town on the 3rd and a small grass fire was reported at Burnie on the 16th. South Australia Lightning started a bushfire in the Senior area of the Upper Southeast district on the 10th. A total of 800 hectares was burnt out. A lightning strike started a scrub fire in the Hambridge Conservation park on Eyre Peninsula on the 11th. Temperatures in the mid to high thirties and hot northerly winds caused the fire to spread, eventually destroying two thirds of the 40,000 hectare park by the 17th. Queensland Flooding continued in a number of western Queensland rivers at the beginning of January as a result of rain at the end of December. The most significant flooding occurred on the Thomson, Barcoo Rivers and Cooper Creek on the 1st where the main floodwaters in the Cooper Creek system were downstream of Windorah. However major flooding was still occurring in Cooper Creek at Windorah and moderate flooding in the Thomson River at Jundah. Flood warnings remained current until the 5th by which time flood levels had subsided sufficiently for warnings to be finalised. Tasmania Heavy rainfall in the northeast on the 4th led to flooding for several days, mainly in rural areas. Major flooding was reported at Cullenswood on the Break O'Day River, while moderate flooding was reported at Fingal, Avoca and Llewellyn on the South Esk River and Lewis Hill on the St Pauls River. Land owners were forced to move stock, but no significant losses were reported . Several roads were cut and some bridges damaged. One wooden bridge was destroyed near Scamander (East Coast).
Queensland In Queensland 24 heat related deaths and hundreds of hospital admissions were initiated by hot westerly winds causing thermally stressful conditions in southeast Queensland. The temperatures were well above normal between the 20th and 23rd with Brisbane Aero having a record high January maximum of 39.1oC on the 20th. In the city area a maximum of 40oC was recorded on the 20th and 21st and at Amberley 39.8oC was recorded on the 20th, 40.7oC on the 21st, 39.6oC on the 22nd and 35.4oC on the 23rd.
Western Australia On the 14th widespread showers and storms affected a large area of the Southwest land division. Several sites in eastern agricultural districts recorded more than 60mm of rain. On the 22nd-23rd a surface trough interacting with a mid-level disturbance brought very heavy rains to parts of the Southwest land division. A number of southern agricultural sites reported more than 100mm of rain. The rains caused extensive damage to farming and rural amenities in the Corrigin - Lake Grace area and a number of livestock perished. Perth recorded 104mm of rain.
Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.
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