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SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - JANUARY 2002
Queensland Ex-tropical Cyclone Bernie produced significant flash flooding and road closures in Queensland. Severe thunderstorms occurred in all states during the month with a possible tornado sighted in Western Australia. Major bushfires continued to burn into January in New South Wales causing extensive damage. Bushfires were also reported in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Northern Territory/Queensland On the 1st, a weak tropical low formed northeast of Nhulunbuy in the southeastern Arafura Sea and drifted slowly south into the Gulf of Carpentaria. The low became slow-moving and intensified into Tropical Cyclone Bernie on the 3rd. The cyclone peaked at category 2 intensity early on the 4th before weakening as it moved southwest towards the coast. Tropical Cyclone Bernie crossed the coast near the Northern Territory/Queensland border early on the 5th as a category 1 cyclone then weakened into a rain depression and moved into the northeastern Barkly district on the 6th. Heavy rain from ex-tropical cyclone Bernie produced flooding and road closures throughout the Gulf country.
Queensland An area of storms moving north along the Central Coast produced torrential rain and flash flooding in the Mackay harbour area during mid-morning on the 1st, including a cafe being innundated with water. Mackay recorded 99.8 mm of rainfall in 68 minutes. A group of near stationary embedded storm cells in the Emerald/Rolleston area produced huge rainfall totals during the evening of the 4th. One storm remained in the Gindie (20 km south of Emerald) area for around 3 hours and produced significant flash flooding, with roads cut and several crops completely submerged. Unofficial rainfall totals as high as 347.5mm were recorded. Some damage to fences and railway lines was also reported. On the 8th wind gusts associated with two separate storms brought down trees in areas just to the west and south of Gympie during the mid-afternoon. A thunderstorm in the Mount Morgan/ Rockhampton area on the 12th closed
the Burnett Highway and other roads for more than 4 hours between 7pm
and 12am. Damage included fallen trees, fallen rocks, mudslides and rising
creeks. On the 16th a line of severe storms associated with a vigorous southeasterly
surge moved up the northern New South Wales coast into southern Queensland.
The town of Kingscliff, south of Tweed Heads in New South Wales was battered
by giant hail. The strongest storms in this line did not affect Queensland,
however storms in Queensland produced some severe weather including 10
cent piece sized hail at Lowood and a 105 km/h wind gust at Bundaberg.
A notable storm developed well ahead of the line and affected the Gympie
and Cooloola areas, uprooting or snapping off many trees and unroofing
several houses and sheds near Kadanga. On the 31st scattered thunderstorms developed on and east of a trough across central and western Queensland aided by an upper thermal trough over the inland tropics. An evening thunderstorm produced hail and a 107 km/h wind gust at Julia Creek. New South Wales The Nowra area recorded 32mm of rain in 34 minutes and flash flooding was reported at Kiama on the 15th. Hail 3cm in diameter was reported in Taralga on the same day. On the 16th a severe thunderstorm developed to the south of Grafton and continued to intensify as it tracked in a northeasterly direction finally crossing the coast. Hail and very heavy rain were reported at Grafton. Damaging winds, flash flooding and golf ball sized hail were reported at Lismore. The storm was the most intense as it crossed the coast at Kingscliff with 7cm hail, torrential rain and damaging winds being reported there. On the 24th torrential rainfall, 2cm hail and strong winds were reported from Narromine and Springwood. Victoria On the 1st thunderstorms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne produced heavy rain and strong wind. Some tree damage was reported. On the 2nd funnel clouds were sighted near Portarlington. On the 23rd at Genoa in East Gippsland 42mm of rain was recorded in 30 minutes. On the 25th thunderstorms in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne produced heavy rain and damaging wind. Local flooding was reported at Dandenong, heavy rain at Kew (12mm in 20 minutes) and roof damage at Parkmore Shopping Centre. Tasmania On the 7th thunderstorm rainfall caused flash flooding in parts of Hobart's central business district. On the 28th thunderstorms brought down trees and caused blackouts around
the Burnie/Devonport area and led to flash flooding in the Kingston/Blackmans
Bay area. Rain with embedded bursts of much heavier rain affected parts of the Mid North, southern Flinders and northern Yorke Peninsula during the afternoon and evening of the 21st causing some localised flooding. Totals up to 82mm over six to seven hours occurred with 31mm recorded in two 20 minute bursts within the one hour at Penwortham, (Mid North), 29mm recorded in an hour at Freeling (Mid North) and 24mm in 50 minutes at Wallaroo (Yorke Peninsula). Western Australia On the 14th severe storms caused hail, strong winds and heavy rain in the Lower West District including Perth. Hail the size of 20 cent pieces struck Regans Ford near Gin Gin north of Perth. A severe storm caused heavy rain in Perth's northern coastal suburbs before heading out to sea only to return to damage the southern suburb of Kwinana. Strong winds, estimated to 180 km/h in a 200 metre wide swathe caused a tanker to shift 40 metres from its moorings and dented tanks at the refinery causing damage of over one million dollars. Quairading, about 150 kilometres east of Perth recorded 48mm of rain during the storms. On the 16th severe thunderstorms occurred through the Lower West including
Perth. Hail was reported through the eastern suburbs. On the 18th severe thunderstorms occurred in the Goldfields. Norseman recorded wind gusts of up to 110 km/h. On the 19th a thunderstorm produced 26mm of rain in 15 minutes and small hail at Wiluna in the northern Goldfields. On the 22nd two houses lost part of their roofs and three carports were
blown away when a severe thunderstorm struck Wittenoom in the inland Pilbara
just before 2pm. Estimated wind gusts of 150 km/h were reported. Northern Territory On the 21st lightning associated with an evening squall line caused power interruptions in the Darwin suburbs of Nightcliff and Larrakeyah. On the 22nd an afternoon storm produced flash flooding in the Darwin suburb of Ludmilla. A rainfall rate of 111mm was recorded at Darwin Airport in one hour and 91mm was recorded at Gunn Point in the same storm. Also on the 22nd lightning in intense evening thunderstorms caused a power interruption in the Katherine region. On the 31st an early morning squall line produced intense lightning activity over Darwin, 5,000 lightning strikes were recorded within 60 km of Darwin Airport. Damage to electrical installations were reported.
Tasmania Windy conditions caused cancellation of the Devil Cat Ferry across Bass Strait on the 1st, 2nd and 7th. On the 7th winds caused power blackouts around the Tamar region. South Australia A dust devil partially unroofed a building and shed at a caravan park in Arkaroola on the 11th. No other damage was reported.
Queensland Warrego River Heavy rainfall on the 6th and 7th in the Charleville area caused fast rises and minor flooding at Charleville with a peak recorded on the 8th. The same rainfall caused moderate to major flooding in the Langlo River at Warilda. As the flood waters travelled downstream to the New South Wales border moderate flood peaks were recorded at Bakers Bend, Murweh, Wyandra and Wallen. Further downstream at Cunnamulla a major flood peak was recorded on the 14th. Bulloo River The heavy rainfall on the 6th and 7th also fell in the headwaters of the Bulloo river and caused moderate to major flooding at Quilpie on the 9th. Moderate flooding extended downstream to Thargomindah where a peak was recorded on the 19th. Paroo River Major flooding developed in the upper reaches of the Paroo River around
Humeburn as a result of heavy rainfall on the 6th and 7th. This caused
moderate flooding downstream with the peak reaching Hungerford on the
19th. Western Australia Slow-moving storms caused flash flooding in the Murchison and Central
West districts on the 29th.
Queensland On the 12th a day of extreme fire danger was experienced throughout the Downs and in some parts of the Wide Bay/Burnett district and also the Southeast Coast. A fire in the Blackbutt area burnt to within 100metres of a home, but no damage was reported. On the 16th a fire in the Cambooya area in the ranges burnt out around 400 hectares. There were no reports of damage. A lightning strike on the 30th was the cause of a small fire in the Hughenden area which burned out around 0.3 hectares. New South Wales Major bushfires were reported along the coast, the Blue Mountains (Central Tablelands) and around Canberra (Southern Tablelands). On the 24th of December fire weather warnings were issued for 12 out of the 17 forecast districts. With over 30 days of fire activity, this was one of the longest and most severe bushfire periods ever recorded in New South Wales with the crisis not declared until the 2nd week of January 2002. Over 100 houses and 400 other buildings were destroyed along with 222 vehicles and over 7,000 head of livestock. Fire destroyed 754,000 hectares of forest and grassland with a total fire front of 4,360 kilometres. The damage bill is estimated in the millions of dollars. Bushfires continued on the Illawarra and South Coast during early January. The worst fires were in Huskisson/Sussex Inlet area near Jervis Bay (Illawarra) and the Deua National Park west of Moruya (South Coast). Thick smoke from fires at Jervis Bay reduced visibility to 100 metres on the 4th of January. The fires caused thick smoke haze along the coast for a 2 week period from the 25th of December. Sydney's worst ever air pollution was recorded by the Environmental Protection Authority on the 28th of December. Victoria A grass fire near Maryborough started on or about the 30th and burnt approximately 850 hectares. Tasmania On the 26th two fires burnt about 200 hectares of scrub near Zeehan. Western Australia On the 16th/17th lightning strikes in Western Australia's south-west ignited 23 bushfires with firefighters working through the night to contain the blazes. The most serious fire in the southern Perth suburb of Munster, threatened five homes before being brought under control. Fires were also reported in Collie, Manjimup and Dwellingup. Northern Territory On the 17th a fire which had been burning in the Western Desert since early December threatened the Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon). A 60 km fire front passed within 13 kilometres of the park. Many fires were deliberately lit closer to Alice Springs during the last week of the month. Larger fires affected the Owen Springs and Jessie Gap areas west of the town and the Ilparpa Valley, south of Alice Springs.
Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.
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