SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - JANUARY 1996

Summary Tropical Cyclones Thunderstorms Wind Flooding Bushfires
Rainfall

SUMMARY

Areas of New South Wales suffered numerous storms during the month, many with intense isolated showers and strong gusty winds which resulted in damage to property and vegetation and some local flooding. In Tasmania, Hobart had its coldest start to the year with the first week being the coolest since daily records began in 1944. As a result many outdoor events were cancelled including, for the first time in its history, the Hobart Cup.

TROPICAL CYCLONES

Queensland/Northern Territory
Tropical cyclone BARRY formed as a low in the Gulf of Carpentaria early in the month. The cyclone tracked southeast and crossed the southwest coast of Cape York Peninsula which caused widespread rain and flooding.
Tropical cyclone CELESTE rapidly developed on the 27th causing high winds and widespread rain to Queenslands central coast and adjacent parts.

Western Australia
Tropical cyclone HUBERT began as a tropical low eastnortheast of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands during the 7th. The system tracked westsouthwest and intensified to a cyclone during that night. Cocos experienced gusts of 95 km/h as HUBERT passed about 100 km to the north during the morning of the 8th. The system deepened to about 960 hPa, altering course to a more westerly track and dissipated during the 11th.
Tropical cyclone ISOBEL formed from a cloud cluster that moved westsouthwest off the northern Kimberley coast during the 27th. It reached marginal cyclone intensity during the afternoon of the 29th and finally sheared apart on the 31st, still well off the Pilbara coast. It had no impact on the Western Australian coastal areas.

THUNDERSTORMS

Queensland
On the 26th thunderstorms caused vegetation damage from Sunnybank Hills to Moreton Bay Islands. On the 28th a thunderstorm in the southeast caused widespread power failures. Many homes were affected in Brisbane's western suburbs, Ipswich and Beaudesert.

New South Wales
On the 2nd during storms in the Sydney Metropolitan area, intense rain was recorded, including 71.0mm in 58mins. at Homebush Bay.
On the 3rd in the Central West Coast district, 48.8mm fell in 60mins. at Siding Springs and a car became stuck in a flooded creek crossing.
On the 5th in the Northern Tablelands, 81.0mm fell in 60mins. at Walcha and flash flooding washed away 800m of fencing, and in the Lower West, Cobar had wind gusts to 100km/h.
On the 15th in the Hunter, Putty received 2.2cm hail, and on the Southwest Slopes, Young had wind gusts to 109km/h.
On the 16th on the Northwest Slopes, 53.0mm fell in 60mins. at Tamworth, flooding sheds and paddocks and damaging river banks.
On the 17th in the Central West Plains, Condobolin had wind gusts to 148km/h.
On the 18th 62.0mm fell in 45mins. at Oberon where roads were washed away and a car was submerged for a short period of time, and in the Southern Tablelands 2.5cm hail and 39.0mm of rain fell in 30 mins. at Goulburn.
On the 19th in the Hunter, Mulbring had wind gusts to 102km/h causing damage to trees and plants.
On the 20th 20.0mm fell in 7mins with wind gusts to 167km/h at Goolma. Some roofs were blown off and trees downed. In the Hunter, 45.0mm fell in 20mins. at Gosford, and Swansea had wind gusts to 120km/h. In the Metropolitan Area, Fort Denison had wind gusts to 109km/h, and on the north shore, power lines and trees were blown down and cars and houses were damaged. Storm Spotters in the St. Leonards area reported a funnel cloud/tornado.
On the 21st in the Upper Western district 56.6mm fell in 60mins. at Weilmoringle, and on the Northwest Plains 88.8mm fell in 180mins. at Rocky Glen.
On the 24th in the Hunter region at Murrurundi, 59.0mm fell in 180mins., 25 people were evacuated from the town, flash flooding occurred in the surrounding hills and swept through the town damaging buildings. In the Southwest Slopes region, Cowra the wind gusted to 102km/h, blowing down trees and unroofing homes and the local pub.
On the 31st storms in the Central Tablelands, Metropolitan and Hunter districts with winds gusting between 100 and 111km/h resulted in trees being blown down, buildings being unroofed and other property damage.

Victoria
On the 1st thunderstorms were reported in the Northeast, Northern Country and Central districts. Two people were killed when a large tree branch fell onto a parked car at Cobram. Wind gusts estimated to be in excess of 90 km/h were reported in the Northeast at Bullioh, Benalla and Swanpool. Flash flooding occurred across the Melbourne metropolitan area and power was disrupted due to lightning.

On the 3rd thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall and local flooding in the Numurkah district (Northern Country). Approximately $10,000 damage occurred to stored hay.

On the 6th severe thunderstorms were reported in the Central, North Central, Western and Northeast districts. Hail up to 3.5 cm in diameter was reported at Woodend and 2cm hail at Vite Vite North (Western district). A racecourse grandstand roof was blown off at Wangaratta and 44mm of rain fell in 30 minutes at Benalla.

On the 20th 2cm hail occurred in Melbourne. Power was cut in Gippsland and trees damaged due to strong winds associated with storms. Gusts estimated at 100 km/h were reported at Eldorado (Northeast).
On the 24th at Colac a thunderstorm produced 2cm jagged hail. A thunderstorm at Alexandra (North Central) on the same day produced severe gusts to 104 km/h.

South Australia
Isolated thunderstorms in the Berri area on the 19th caused minor damage to trees.

Tasmania
A low pressure system passing to the south of the State and accompanying cold front caused storm damage and heavy rainfall in most areas of the State from the 25th to the 28th. Storm damage was widespread in the north of the State with power blackouts, lightning strikes, localised flooding and wind damage to property.

Western Australia
On the 6th at Marble Bar a thunderstorm caused minor wind damage and 28mm of rain fell in 10 minutes.

Northern Territory
A severe thunderstorm was reported at Palmerston on the 5th, damaging winds which accompanied the thunderstorm brought down brick walls. Strong winds associated with a severe thunderstorm at Howard Spring on the 16th caused significant tree damage.

WIND

Tasmania
A partially completed house was destroyed by wind at Campbelltown on the 27th.

Western Australia
At Pannawonica wind gusts on the 8th uprooted many trees. On the 9th, wind gusts to 117 km/h at Kununurra airport overturned one aeroplane and spun two others around.

FLOODING

Queensland
The influence of tropical cyclone BARRY spread from the Gulf to the south east corner of Queensland and produced widespread rainfall and flooding. Flood warnings were issued for the Gulf, Thomson, Barcoo, Warrego, Dawson, Burnett, Mary, Condamine, Balonne, Weir, Macintyre and Moonie Rivers.

The flooding in the Condamine-Balonne system was the highest since 1988 with areas between Condamine Town and the New South Wales border remaining above major flood level for nearly two weeks. In the Balonne River, flood levels were the highest on record at Warkon and Surat and the highest since 1990 at St George. There were few reports of houses being inundated but many towns and properties were isolated for nearly two weeks because of the extensive flooding of roads and bridges.

The Macintyre River at Goondiwindi had three major floods in three weeks with the third peak of 12.61 metres on the 25th being the highest level on record. The flood was contained by the town levee but isolated the town for several days. Some properties downstream of Goondiwindi were isolated for nearly three weeks.
Major flooding also occurred along the Moonie and Weir Rivers during the whole of January, isolating many rural properties and smaller towns.

Major flooding was also reported in the Barcoo River at Blackall where the evacuation of several houses was necessary. The flooding extended downstream to Isisford and Retreat and at the end of January was causing moderate flooding on Cooper Creek at Karmona.

During the 9th/10th a line of storms moved down the Queensland coastline and produced very heavy rainfall of up to 240 millimetres in around 6 hours in the Burnett, Burrum and Mary Rivers. This resulted in some localised major flooding in the lower Mary and Burnett Rivers but on the whole, only minor to moderate flooding with little reported damage.

The Dawson River experienced major flooding during the middle of the month but no significant flooding was reported downstream on the Fitzroy River.

Later in the month tropical cyclone CELESTE caused minor flooding on the Don River around Bowen. One fatality was reported when a man drowned trying to cross a fast flowing coastal stream near Bowen.

BUSHFIRES

South Australia
Extremely hot, very dry and windy weather resulted in extreme fire danger across most of South Australia on the 14th and 30th. A large fire near Tarlee (Mid North) on the 14th burnt about 3100 hectares of crops and grazing land. About 100 sheep were killed and several haysheds destroyed. Property losses amounted to 1.5 million dollars.

Cool but extremely windy weather on the 31st fanned a large grass fire in the Tungkillo to Palmer area in the eastern Mt Lofty Ranges. Over 3000 hectares was burnt, 300 stock killed and hundreds of kilometres of fencing destroyed.

RAINFALL

Highest Monthly Rainfall on Record for January

                             Previous           Years of
     Station        Actual   Highest     Year    Record
                      mm       mm

     Goondiwindi     419       289       1962     113
     Riverton North  348       292       1956      42
     Tara            262       243       1956      82
     Texas           368       306       1951     112
     Yelarbon        333       277       1962      69
     Toobeah         263       184       1963      46

New South Wales
     Ashford        318.0     238.0      1978      95
     Yetman         301.0     263.0      1911     111
     Bundarra       371.2     341.7      1910     113
     Glen Innes     303.0     282.8      1984     115
     Guyra          301.0     286.7      1891     110

Tasmania
     Burnie         128.0     102.3      1979      49
     Elliot         161.4     134.2      1937      74
     Erriba         254.6     206.6      1971      38
     Forthside      148.4     109.6      1991      30
     Sheffield      187.0     130.1      1937      88
     Orford         172.4     147.8      1995      43
     York Plains    138.2     127.6      1995      79
     Cape Bruny     150.0     149.1      1905     125

Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.