SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - JANUARY 1997

INTRODUCTION

TROPICAL CYCLONES

Western Australia

Tropical cyclone RACHEL commenced as a low to the north of Darwin on the 3rd. Following a path close to the northern Western Australian coastline RACHEL produced very heavy rainfall in parts of the North and West Kimberley and Pilbara districts over the next several days, passing over Port Hedland on the 7th. The maximum wind speed recorded at Port Hedland was 120 km/h with a maximum gust of 169 km/h, trees were blown down and power was disrupted. RACHEL began to weaken into a rain-bearing depression on the 8th when the system was located approximately 100 kilometres to the north-west of Newman bringing heavy rainfall to parts of the Interior and Southeast. Notable rainfall amounts include: 48 hour total to the 7th at Bidyadanga (246 mm), Broome (194mm) and daily totals of 136mm at Pardoo on the 8th Yarrie (170 kms to the south-east of Port Hedland, 196mm), Wittenoom (170mm), Newman (85mm) and Port Hedland (75mm) on the 8th, Lorna Glen (150 kms to the east-north-eat of Wiluna, 122mm) and Leinster (59mm) on the 9th and Yundamindra (200 kms to the north of Kalgoorlie, 79mm) and Laverton (70mm) on the 10th.

Tropical cyclone PANCHO was named on the 19th while located approximately 300 kilometres to the north of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and moved south for the next two days. On the 21st Cocos experienced gales and a wind gust of 96 km/h as the category 4 cyclone approached to within 120 kilometres of the atoll. PANCHO then followed a general west-southwesterly path before dissipating into a rain bearing depression on the 4th of February.

THUNDERSTORMS

New South Wales

On the 7th at Bungendore and Braidwood (Southern Tablelands) 5cm hail was reported. In the Australian Capital Territory hail to 2cm was reported in different areas. At Attunga (North West Slopes) estimated wind gusts of 111 km/h uprooted two trees.

Victoria

On the 15th severe thunderstorms occurred in the Northeast district. Heavy rainfall was reported at Tallangatta and Harrietville and damaging wind at Harrietville.

On the 25th heavy rain associated with thunderstorms was reported in the Central district and East Gippsland. At Wonthaggi, 5cm hail and 41mm of rain in 25 minutes was reported. At Cabbage Tree Creek 31mm of rain fell in 20 minutes.

On the 27th severe thunderstorms producing heavy rain and hail were reported in the Northern Country, Northeast, Western and Wimmera districts. Large hail 2.5cm in diameter occurred at Ararat and Halls Gap. A small tornado was sighted at Benambra. Two people were killed by lightning at Geelong.

South Australia

On the 14th severe thunderstorms caused wind and flash flood damage in central and eastern districts. Streets homes and businesses were flooded on Port Pirie and Whyalla. Both cities received about 50mm of rain in under an hour. Severe winds also damaged several roofs and brought down dozens of trees and power lines in Port Pirie.

Heavy rain also caused flash flooding in a number of Yorke Peninsula centres, including Maitland, Moonta, Yorketown, Edithburgh and Coobowie. In Maitland, falls of between 35 and 65mm were recorded in about 40 minutes. Other areas to experience wind damage included Wirrabara, Murray Town (Flinders), Mt Pleasant (Mt Lofty Ranges) Karoonda and Geranium (Murraylands). The highest recorded wind gust was 120 km/h at Woomera Airport where two hangars were extensively damaged.

Tasmania

Thunderstorms caused power disruptions to many area in the north of Tasmania on the 6th. Some property damage was reported in Launceston early on the 21st as a result of thunderstorm activity.

Northern Territory

On the 14th a thunderstorm at Rabbit Flat produced a wind gust of 113 km/h. On the 18th a tornado at Charlotte Waters with a funnel about 500 metres wide caused some damage. On the 26th a tornado/dust storm caused some damage at Erldunda (160 km south of Alice Springs).

WIND

South Australia

A dust devil on the 19th was responsible for lifting a large section of roof from a Murray Bridge poultry shed housing 15,000 chickens. On the 26th a dust devil unroofed a newly installed shed on a property near Wirrabara (Flinders).

Tasmania

On the 7th, a garden shed near Winkleigh in northern Tasmania was lifted as a result of a willy- willy.

BUSHFIRES

Victoria

Major wildfires developed in several areas of Victoria on the 21st of January. The most significant fires occurred in the Dandenong Ranges 35 km east of Melbourne where there were three confirmed fatalities and an estimated 40 houses destroyed. Other large fires occurred at Arthur's Seat on the Mornington Peninsula, Heathcote, Creswick, Dutson Downs and near Eildon.

Tasmania

Various parts of the state were affected by bushfires throughout the month, including approximately 3000 hectares of State forests and 500 hectares of National Parks. Amongst many areas affected was the Fingal Valley on the 5th/6th and 20th/21st and Strahan on the 20 and 21st.

South Australia

Strong northerly winds and high temperatures resulted in extreme fire damaged across almost the whole state on the 20th. The largest fire was at Tooperang (Mt Lofty Ranges) where 800 hectares was burnt and several farm shed and some livestock destroyed. A grass and scrub fire east of Robe (Lower Southeast) burnt about 600 hectares destroyed hay bales, fencing and killed one cow.

Western Australia

Destructive bushfires were reported in parts of the south-west of the state early in January as several days of extremely hot weather were experienced. On the 1st a large fire in the Greenough area south of Geraldton burnt more than 9000 hectares of land and destroyed livestock and crops. On the 2nd about 700 hecatres of forest and private land and an estimated 1 million dollars worth of machinery were destroyed by a bushfire to the east of Collie. On the 3rd parts of the Bakers Hill/Wundowie area about 60 kilometres to the east of Perth were razed by a very large bushfire. The blaze destroyed at least 12 homes approximately 10,500 hecatres of land and numerous livestock. Some buildings at the Wooroloo Prison farm were also damaged and the Great Eastern Highway was closed by emergency services personnel. On the same day, more than 6,500 hecatres of forest was burnt in the Stirling National Park, to the north of Albany. Several fires in the Esperance area burnt out approximately 2,500 hecatres of land and threatened some houses.

FLOODING

Queensland

During the last week of January widespread rain fell over south western Queensland. Significant flooding commenced in the Bulloo, Paroo, Warrego, lower Weir, Maranoa, Barcoo and Thomson river systems from the 29th. Western Australia

A slow-moving low associated with an active phase of a monsoon produced very heavy rainfall in parts of the West Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne areas during late January and early February. Broome registered a phenomenal 476.6mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 30th of which 415.4mm fell in the 5 hours with wind gusts of 96km/h recorded during the thunderstorms. The town suffered some localised flooding and communications were disrupted. The pearling facility at Cygnet Bay, approximately 150 kms to the north-north-east of Broome registered 470mm of rain in 4 days. Numerous other localities in the affected areas recorded daily totals in excess of 100mm. Other localities in the Pilbara and Gascoyne received further rains resulting in the flooding of the Ashburton River.

TEMPERATURE

Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for Any Month

  
                             Previous             Years of
Station      Actual    Date   Highest    Year      Record
               C                 C                   
Tasmania

St Helens     21.2      6       21.0     1982        36

                             Previous             Years of
Station      Actual    Date   Highest    Year      Record
               C                 C             
Tasmania

Hobart        22.4      21      22.0      1973       113

                             Previous             Years of
Station    Actual    Date     Lowest      Year     Record
             C                  C
Queensland

Barcaldine   22.1      30      22.6        1981       35
Blackall     21.1      30      23.2        1981       40

                             Previous             Years of
Station    Actual    Date     Lowest      Year     Record
             C                   C
Queensland

Gladstone     12.8    22      17.4        1966        38
Amberley      11.6    15      12.3       1989/93      56
Brisbane A/P  15.7    16      16.1        1965        48
Surat         11.5     9      11.8        1964        33

RAINFALL

                       Pevious              Years of
Station    Actual      Highest    Year       Record
            mm           mm

Western Australia

Broome      913.0        824.9     1974         57
Cygnet Bay  757.0        680.4     1974         34

                             Previous          Years of
Station             Actual   Highest   Year     Record
                      mm       mm
Tasmania

Woodbridge           124.0   115.5     1938       45
King Is (Harwell)    100.0    92.9     1952       55
King Is (Naracoopa)  130.6   104.9     1937       85
King Is (Yambacoona) 124.0   108.6     1946       94

Northern Territory

Beatrice Hill        886.6     613.8     1980       33
Darwin River Dam     761.4     640.0     1974       27
Howard Springs       863.2     846.1     1991       29
Katherine Farm       532.9     470.0     1984       29
Middle Point         865.8     589.2     1995       39
Maningrida           415.4     357.0     1966       36
Elliot               373.7     306.4     1993       36

                         Previous               Years of
Station         Actual     Lowest   Year         Record
                 mm          mm
Queensland

Bell             9.2       10.4     1932           88
Dunmore         10.4       19.1     1960           58
Passchendaele   12.8       20.2     1981           58
Wallangarra      6.8       16.8     1909          110
Warahgai         8.8       20.3     1959           39
Ballandean      18.2       22.7     1981           31
Karara          17.2       26.1     1985           30

                             Previous             Years of
Station    Actual    Date     Highest    Year      Record
             mm                 mm

Western Australia

Broome       476.6      30       350.8     1974       57

Northern Territory

Darwin A/P   311.0       3       277.0     1974       55

                             Previous             Years of
Station    Actual    Date     Highest    Year      Record
             mm                 mm

Queensland

Mt Isa      85.0      28        82.4     1978       32
Augathella 114.6      30       108.0     1891      109

Tasmania

Dover       84.0      22        83.3     1970      57
Hobart A/P  54.0      22        47.8     1970      38
Taroona     76.0      22        71.9     1970      33
Woodbridge  78.6      22        57.2     1935      45
Bushy Park  60.0      22        50.0     1985     123

                                  Previous             Years of
Station         Actual    Date     Highest    Year      Record
                  mm                 mm
Northern Territory

Beatrice Hill    149.6      3       133.0     1980        33
Botanical Gdns   313.6      4       236.2     1981        45
Darwin A/P       311.0      3       214.2     1991        55
Darwin River Dam 168.0      4       139.2     1973        27
Howard Springs   245.0      3       169.0     1991        29
MiddlePoint      147.0      3       124.0     1989        39
Maningrida       107.0      3        94.2     1989        36
Warramunga       129.4     16       117.8     1981        25
Santa Teresa      74.8     22        63.2     1976        28

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