SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - SEPTEMBER 2003
Gale force winds were reported in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. In New South Wales gale force winds swept across parts of the southeast bringing down trees, damaging roofs and causing power failures. Strong winds brought down power lines across Tasmania and caused power cuts to thousands of people. In Queensland the combination of dry conditions, low rainfall, high temperature and strong wind exacerbated the effect of drought to produce an early start to the bushfire season. New South Wales On the 12th a severe thunderstorm with 3cm hail was reported between Batlow and Tumbarumba. A thunderstorm with 2cm hail was reported at Canberra Airport. New South Wales Gales in southeastern New South Wales on the 4th brought down power lines, damaged roofs and trees and ripped boats from moorings on Twofold Bay. On the 5th a huge swell occurred along the Sydney coastline. The Manly ferry broke its lines at Manly wharf after a 2 metre swell on Sydney harbour, causing the suspension of the ferry service. On the 14th in western Sydney (Blue Mountain and lower Hunter) trees were brought down on houses and roads. Gusts reached 89 km/h at Richmond and 96 km/h at Newcastle. On the 19th gales swept across the Sydney area in the evening, starting near Campbelltown about 6pm. Trees and power lines were brought down. Houses were damaged in Sydney due to strong winds and trees were blown over in Ryde. In Canberra that night, lightning strikes cut power supplies. On the 22nd at Bowral (Illawarra) several people were injured by structures being blown over. On the 25th strong winds at Cooma broke windows and damaged roofs. Wind gusts greater than 100 km/h were reported on several days: 3rd Green Cape 120km/h; Victoria On the 3rd gusts to 110 km/h were reported at Genoa. Damage occurred in the Genoa and Mallacoota area. Severe gusts on the 13th were recorded at South Channel Island 107 km/h, Swan Hill 102 km/h, Portland and Laverton 96 km/h, Pt Wilson 94 km/h, Mt Gellibrand and Dunns Hill 93 km/h, Mt Buller 98 km/h, Falls Creek and Cape Nelson 91 km/h. On the 14th severe gusts were recorded at Wilsons Promontory 102 km/h and Cape Otway 90 km/h. Hail, some to 2cm in diameter, was reported at Sandown Raceway. Severe gusts on the 15th were recorded at Wilsons Promontory 120 km/h, East Sale 90 km/h and Cape Otway 98 km/h. On the 16th severe gusts were recorded at Wilsons Promontory 131 km/h and Mt Gellibrand 91 km/h. Severe gusts on the 17th were recorded at Cape Otway 90 km/h, Mt Gellibrand 100 km/h, Mt Hotham, Port Fairy 91 km/h and Wilsons Promontory 128 km/h. On the 19th severe gusts were recorded: Wilsons Promontory 126 km/h, Orbost and Avalon 104 km/h, Mt Hotham 109 km/h, Mt Gellibrand 117 km/h, Mt Buller and Mortlake 113 km/h, Moorabbin, Fawkner Beacon and Falls Creek 102 km/h, Bairnsdale Airport 105 km/h. Damage occurred in southern and outer Melbourne. Widespread moderate tree damage was reported in the Knoxfield, Scoresby, and Ferntree Gully areas. The animal sanctuary at Healesville was damaged. A light aircraft at Moorabbin Airport was overturned due to the strong winds. At Genoa, gusts to 110 km/h occurred during the morning. Trees were blown over in the Drouin area. On the 21st severe gusts were recorded: Wilsons Promontory 105 km/h, Mt Hotham 113 km/h and Mt Gellibrand 109 km/h also wind damage in some Metropolitan suburbs. Tree and building damage occurred in the Dandenongs and at Healesville. At Genoa, gusts to 100 km/h occurred during the afternoon. Wind damage was reported at Badger Creek where gusts were estimated at around 90km/h. On the 22nd severe gusts were recorded at Dunns Hill 91 km/h, Mortlake 90 km/h, Mt Buller and Mt Hotham 120 km/h Mt Gellibrand 96 km/h, Portland 90 km/h, Walpeup 93 km/h Swan Hill and Wilsons Promontory 98 km/h. At Culgoa, severe winds caused tree damage. On the 23rd severe gusts were recorded: Mt Buller 130 km/h and Mt Hotham 124 km/h. On the 24th severe gusts were recorded: Aireys Inlet and Wilsons Promontory 105 km/h, Lookout Hill 113 km/h, Mt Buller 100 km/h, Mt Gellibrand 107 km/h, Mt Hotham 120 km/h. In the Geelong East area late in the evening, wind was reported gusting to in excess of 100 km/h. On the 25th severe gusts were recorded: Gelantipy 107 km/h, Mt Buller 120 km/h, Mt Gellibrand 118 km/h and Wilsons Promontory 113 km/h. Severe gusts on the 28th were recorded at Wilsons Promontory 104 km/h. On the 29th severe gusts were recorded at Mt Buller 94 km/h and Wilsons
Promontory 118 km/h. Tasmania Gale to storm force winds occurred a number of times during the month and many stations reported wind gusts in excess of 100 km/h. The highest gust recorded was 161 km/h at Tasman Island on the 3rd. On the 3rd trees and powerlines were brought down causing scattered blackouts across the state, particularly in the south and northwest. Near Cygnet, in the south, a house was unroofed and there was other property damage. Elizabeth College in North Hobart had part of its roof removed. On the 16th there were more power cuts in the north and northwest from fallen trees and powerlines. On the 17th blackouts were experienced as trees and powerlines were brought down in various parts of the state. Worst affected was the east. A house and football club at Triabunna were unroofed, while a church at Falmouth was destroyed. Many boats slipped their moorings. On the 19th fallen trees and powerlines led to further blackouts in the northwest and north. On the 24th blackouts affected about 20,000 homes in the northwest and
north as a result of trees and powerlines down. Houses were unroofed at
Devonport, Kindred, Latrobe, Norwood and St Leonards. South Australia Early on the 14th a wind gust to 104 km/h occurred at Mount Crawford in the Mount Lofty Ranges with a frontal passage. Later the same day, Edithburgh on Yorke Peninsula recorded a gust of 91 km/h with a shower. From the 22nd to 24th there were windy conditions across much of southern South Australia, with several fronts crossing the state embedded in a vigorous northwest to westerly airstream. On the 22nd, the Mount Lofty Ranges and Riverland reported severe westerly wind squalls and isolated tree damage. The highest recorded wind gust was 104 km/h at Mount Crawford. During the afternoon of the 23rd severe west-northwest winds averaging 60-70 km/h affected lower parts of Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula and Adelaide. On the 24th widespread near gale force northwest winds affected all southern districts for much of the day and night causing some minor tree related damage. On the 30th gale force northeast winds and severe squalls ahead of a
deepening low-pressure trough affected parts of the Pastoral districts,
including Coober Pedy and Leigh Creek. Tasmania Moderate flooding was reported on the lower reaches of the Derwent from the 17th to 22nd, with peaks of 6.6 metres below Meadowbank on the 20th and 5.5 metres at Macquarie Plains.
New South Wales Broken Hill reported widespread dust and visibility of 500 metres on the 22nd.
New South Wales From the 14th to the 17th heavy snow and blizzards occurred in the Snowy Mountains, with nearly 1 metre of snow recorded during the 4 days. Light snow extended to Taralga and Oberon (Central Tablelands) and Jindabyne (Southern Tablelands). New South Wales On the 28th frosts caused damage to crops in the upper Hunter. Record low temperatures for September occurred in parts of the Riverina.
Queensland On the 3rd the bushfire season started at Gatton, with two fires burning
in creek beds in the area. The larger fire burned along the Lockyer Creek
bed for approximately 4 kilometres and caused the evacuation of numerous
homes. Flames came within 10 metres of houses but none were damaged. On the 7th another fire occurred in the Lockyer Creek bed near Gatton to the north of the town, 4 kilometres of creek bed was burned out causing over $100,000 of damage on a property. The house was saved but a large farm shed (30 metres x 9 metres) was destroyed. On the 10th a fire started in the vicinity of Cunningham's Gap. This fire caused multiple closures of the Cunningham Highway at Cunningham's Gap due to the threat of trees weakened by the fire falling onto the road. An additional threat was posed by the loosening of rocks with the potential to fall, including one with an estimated weight of 70 tonnes. Over 8,000 hectares of bushland was burned in the first week of the month. On the 12th fires near Ipswich threatened Amberley RAAF base, forcing
the closure of the Cunningham Highway and Walloon Road. About 200 hectares
were burned but no property was damaged. One hundred and nineteen campers
were evacuated from the Ewan Maddock Recreation Centre at Landsborough
on the Sunshine Coast. The fire also threatened a nearby petrol station
and homes, but no property was damaged. Thirty hectares of bushland were
burned out. On the 15th the worst fire of the season to date started on North Stradbroke Island. Seven homes were damaged on the 15th and by the 17th the fire was raging on an 8 kilometre front that destroyed over 1,200 hectares of bushland. Parts of the North Stradbroke Island golf course were destroyed with flames coming to within 100 metres of the clubhouse. Numerous spot fires broke out adding to the destruction. On the 18th a total fire ban for North Stradbroke Island was declared. The fire flared again and jumped containment lines on the 20th under the influence of 46-56 km/h south easterlies, threatening homes in Myora. Several cars were destroyed, but no homes. Over 3,000 hectares of bushland had been burned out. Another fire started in the Cawarral area (about 20 kilometres north east of Rockhampton) on the 15th. At least a dozen homes were directly threatened as the fire spread on several fronts. Several dozen homes were evacuated but none were lost. The fire had burned out 700 hectares of bushland by late on the 16th. On the 16th at Morayfield a fire caused the local primary school to be evacuated. Flames reached the fences of the school but no property damage was reported. At Deagon, 20 people were evacuated from their homes and 200 hectares of bushland was burned out. No property damage was reported. The fire necessitated the closure of the Howard/Burrum Heads road due to thick smoke and fallen trees later that afternoon. Flames came to within 20 metres of horse enclosures in the area. Two other large fires were burning in the area, one on the north western side of the Cherwell river and the other heading for Pacific Haven. The latter fire was burning just 4 kilometres north of the Howard railway station, having crossed the main northern railway line. There were three fronts, the main one 6 kilometres wide. All three fires were contained in an area near Howard. A large fire in the Wondecla/Flaggy Creek area near Herberton had burned out 500 hectares by late on the 16th. Several properties were threatened and there were concerns for Herberton itself. A fire on the 17th near Koah about 10 kilometres west of Kuranda threatened a number of farms and houses. Flames came within a metre of one house, but it was able to be saved. In another fire in the Atherton Tablelands, 85 hectares of sugar cane was burnt near Mareeba. Four homes were also threatened before the fire was contained. A very large cane fire at Toobanna (near Ingham) threatened a home, farm sheds and machinery. One farm worker was badly burned while fighting the fire. On the 19th a large fire at Paluma drained so much of the town's water supply that water restrictions are now in place. The fire was travelling on a 10 kilometre front when it was brought under control during the early hours of the 20th. On the 21st 1,200 hectares of bushland was burnt out near Kensington (near Bundaberg). No property damage was reported. Fires that had been burning for over a week in the Gaeta district (north
of Gin Gin) were brought under control. Over 500 hectares of bushland
was burnt out. No property was damaged or lost. On the 28th three fires in the Beerburrum area necessitated aerial water
bombing to protect homes and service stations. At Ingham a fire which
burned out 80 hectares of scrub and sugar cane also threatened an industrial
area. New South Wales On the 14th/15th about 45 bushfires in the northeast of the state were reported including 15 fires in Northern Rivers (Casino-Lismore area), 17 on the Northern Tablelands and 6 in the Hastings district with over 20,000 hectares burnt. On the 25th 67 bushfires were reported in New South Wales along the
entire coast from Kyogle (North Coast) to Bega (South Coast). Houses were
evacuated on the Central Coast (Gosford Area) and some property destroyed.
New South Wales Sydney's longest September hot spell of five consecutive days from the 22nd-26th was experienced when the temperature exceeded 27 °C. The previous longest was four consecutive days greater than 27 °C in 1928.
Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated. |
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