SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - SEPTEMBER 1996

Summary Thunderstorms Wind Snow Flooding Temperature Rainfall

SUMMARY

September was noteworthy for the high frequency of damaging strong winds and thunderstorms in most states accompanying a series of active low pressure systems and associated fronts. The worst effects were in northeast New South Wales where hail and wind gusts caused $100 million worth of damage. Victoria also saw wide spread flooding.

THUNDERSTORMS

Queensland

On the 15th a dust devil unroofed a house in Rockhampton. On the 19th thunderstorms damaged three house roofs in Quilpie.

On the 20th several dwellings sustained roof damage in the Gold Coast area due to severe storms.

On the 21st severe thunderstorms unroofed two homes, trees and power poles were brought down in the Rockhampton area. Numerous water spouts were sighted in this area.

On the 30th severe storms damaged numerous homes near Bundaberg. A house and two sheds were unroofed near Mt Larcom by thunderstorms. Extensive hail damage was experienced to crops between St George, Goondiwindi and Mungindi.

New South Wales
A series of severe thunderstorms moved across the western slopes and tablelands and down the coast on the 29th:

• Mudgee (Central Tablelands) gusts to 148 km/h.
  
• Wollar (Central Tablelands) 2cm hail.
  
• Dubbo (Cental West Slopes) 2.5cm hail, gusts to 104km/h.
  
• Bathurst (Central Tablelands) gusts to 95 km/h.
  
• Sydney (Metropolitan) gusts to 109 km/h at Fort Denison.
  
• Gilgandra (Central West Slopes) A tornado was reported at Woodside. Trees and fences were destroyed and cars were moved 200 metres. A full oat silo was moved off its foundations.
  
• Elong Elong (Central West Slopes) A tornado was reported with 4cm hail. Trees 600mm in diameter were broken or uprooted. Several sheds were destroyed and extensive damage was caused to fences and a truck.
  
• Muswellbrook (Hunter) 4cm hail.
  
• Hawks Nest (Hunter) 3cm hail and roof damage was reported.
  
• Hinton (Hunter) 6cm hail caused minor damage. -Armidale (Northern Tablelands) 7cm hail and gusts to 156 km/h were recorded. Several hundred homes, buildings and vehicles were damaged causing an estimated 100 million dollars worth of damage. Car damage was estimated at 30 million dollars.
  
• Bundella (North West Slopes) A tornado uprooted trees and damaged a woolshed and other buildings.
  
• Siding Springs (Central West Slopes) 3cm hail. -Moree (North West Plains) 6cm hail.
  
• Taree (MNC) gusts to 111km/h were recorded and some structural damage occurred.
  
• Macksville (MNC) 6cm hail was reported 17km west of Macksville. One house reported window damage.
  
  Victoria

On the 18th severe thunderstorms were reported in the Wimmera, Western and Central Districts. Hail to 2cm occurred at Edenhope and Balmoral and 4cm hail at Little River. Severe wind gusts at Horsham were estimated at 111km/h, Hamilton 93 km/h, Fawkner Beacon 109 km/h, Frankston 102 km/h, Melbourne Harbour Control 102 km/h, Laverton 109 km/h and Moorabbin 104 km/h. In the Frankston area trees were uprooted and some fell on houses and buildings.

South Australia

Thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of the 18th produced hail to 2.5cm in diameter in northern suburbs of Adelaide and in Naracoorte in the Southeast. No major damage was reported.

On the 28th a thunderstorm and probable tornado at Arkaroola overturned caravans and uprooted large trees within a narrow damage path.

Western Australia

On the 26th a waterspout was seen near Harvey Estuary. Thunderstorms caused 106km/h gusts at Rottnest Island.

WIND

Victoria

On the 9th severe wind gusts with thunderstorms were reported in the Central district. The maximum gust at Leopold was estimated at 100 km/h. Strong wind was reported at Woolami and sparse hail to 2cm was reported at Harrietville.

On the 11th gales and severe wind gusts occurred in the Central and Western districts. More than 50,000 homes were without power due to damaged power lines. Houses were damaged by fallen trees and a school at Ararat lost a roof. The highest recorded wind gusts were 94 km/h at Hamilton, 96 km/h at Mortlake, 107 km/h at Ballarat, 100 km/h at Kilmore Gap and 106 km/h at Melbourne Airport.

On the 12th hail and severe wind gusts occurred in the Central, Western and Alpine districts. The highest gusts recorded were 113 km/h at Melbourne Harbour, 106 km/h at Fawkner Beacon, Point Wilson and Avalon, 102 km/h at Lookout Hill, 98 km/h at Laverton, 96 km/h at Mt Buller, 93 km/h at Portland and 91 km/h at Redesdale and Cape Otway.

On the 13th severe wind gusts of 95 km/h were recorded at Cape Otway and 91 km/h at Point Wilson.

On the 14th severe wind gusts were recorded in the Alpine area. Mt Hotham recorded 91 km/h, Falls Creek 100 km/h and Mt Buller 91 km/h.

On the 15th severe wind gusts were recorded in Central and Alpine area. Mt Buller recorded 113 km/h, Mt Hotham 111 km/h and Dunns Hill 93 km/h.

On the 16th severe wind gusts were recorded in the elevated Western and Central districts and Alpine areas. Mt Buller recorded 122 km/h, Mt Hotham 119 km/h, Dunns Hill 95 km/h Lookout Hill 93 km/h.

On the 19th gale force winds and severe wind gusts were recorded in Gippsland and the Alpine Area. At Bairnsdale, trees were uprooted, power lines brought down, garden sheds and verandahs damaged and buildings were unroofed. At Fernbank, winds caused minor damage. Maximum gusts recorded were Bairnsdale 111 km/h, Mt Nowra 93 km/h, Mt Hotham 150 km/h and Falls Creek 139 km/h.

On the 22nd gales and severe wind gusts were reported in the Central district. Recorded maximum gusts were 115 km/h at Dunns Hill and 106 km/h at Melbourne Airport.

On the 30th at Halls Gap strong to gale force wind and severe gusts to 140 km/h caused tree and fence damage.

Tasmania

A low pressure system moved close to the west coast during the 29th and 30th. During this period there were power blackouts throughout the north of the State. In the north of the state a number of roofs were blown off and trees were blown down. A flash flood was reported at St Marys and a caravan park at Stanley was flooded by a tidal surge.

South Australia

On the 11th severe northwest to west winds associated with a deep depression and associated cold front affected most of the state. Many localities recorded wind gusts in excess of 90 km/h. The highest recorded gust was 100 km/h from a convective downburst at Ceduna. Scattered minor damage was reported.

On the 12th severe west to southwesterly winds associated with a low pressure system affected southern parts of the state. Many localities reported wind gusts exceeding 90 km/h and damage in excess of $500,000 was caused in the Adelaide area. Gusts to 113 km/h were recorded at Cape Jaffa, 107 km/h at Mt Gambier and 104 km/h at Mt Crawford.

On the 29th a convective downburst to 93 km/h was recorded at Woomera. No major damage was reported.

Severe westerly winds associated with a very deep depression affected southern parts of the state on the 30th. Wind gusts to 102 km/h were recorded at Mt Crawford and mean winds exceeding 63 km/h affected Cape Jaffa for more than 7 hours. Minor damage was reported.

Western Australia

On the 13th to14th an intense low south of the state caused near gale force winds along the west coast. Part of one roof was ripped off in Perth, with damage to one house in Bunbury. Trees were downed along a 150 km stretch of the Albany Highway between Arthur River and Mount Barker.

SNOW

Tasmania

A cold snap occurred on the morning of the 13th. Snow settled to 200 metres in the south of the State. Many elevated roads were closed due to snow and ice.

FLOODING

Victoria
Persistent rain over the State through September saw all rivers north of the Divide along with the Wimmera, Glenelg, Wannon, Barwon, Leigh, Mooabool, Macalister and Mitchell rivers as well as streams in the Yarra and Latrobe valleys in flood.

Flood activity started in the Latrobe Valley on the 12th and had extended to the Yarra Valley and Barwon, Leigh and Moorabool rivers by the 13th.

On the 14th, flood warnings were also issued for the Macalister river. Further rain on the 19th saw a renewal of flooding in these streams. As a result of additional rain, flooding was again experienced in these streams, in the Glenelg, Wannon, Mitchell and Wimmera rivers and in all rivers north of the Divide from the 28th onwards.

During the month the major flooding occurred along the Loddon and Goulburn rivers and moderate flooding in the Barwon, Leigh, Yarra, Ovens, King, Buffalo, Wimmera, Avoca, Glenelg and Wannon rivers.

TEMPERATURE

Highest Mean Maximum Temperature for September

                            Previous         Years of
Station             Actual   Highest  Year    Record
                      øC       øC

Queensland

Double Island Point   25.3    24.4     1991     54

                      Previous          Years of
Station       Actual   Highest  Year     Record
                øC       øC

Northern Territory

Alice Springs   13.8     13.1    1971      54

                              Previous            Years of
Station     Actual    Date     Highest   Year      Record
              øC                 øC

Queensland

Cape Moreton 30.0      10       27.8      1981       39

                              Previous            Years of
Station     Actual    Date     Highest   Year      Record
              øC                 øC

Queensland

Innisfail     23.9     30        23.8     1986       39
Collinsville  24.5     30        23.0     1992       35
Mackay        23.7     30        23.1     1992       37
St Lawrence   23.6     30        22.8     1992       33
Clermont      22.1     30        21.8     1980/90    34
Tambo         23.3     12        22.0     1983       39
Rockhampton   22.9     30        22.8     1975       57

RAINFALL

Highest Monthly Rainfall on Record for September

                           Previous             Years of
     Station     Actual     Highest     Year     Record
                   mm         mm

Queensland

Jambin            126.4      108.0       1984      70
Bundaberg         146.4       97.0       1992      40

Tasmania

Erriba            265.0      259.6       1974      39
Gowrie Park       221.4      212.4       1964      32
Forthside         167.8      163.9       1974      30
Pyengana          177.8      172.6       1979      34

                                   Previous           Years of
     Station     Actual   Date      Highest   Year     Record
                  mm                  mm

Queensland

Collinsville      44.0     21        32.7      1975       56
Alpha             79.2     30        69.9      1890      108
Arcturus Downs    82.2     30        63.5      1921       81
Bogantungan       63.6     30        62.2      1947      106
Gillespie 
  (Barcoo R)      34.0     29        32.8      1926       87
Fairbairn Dam     38.4     30        36.0      1978       87
Jambin           113.0     30        66.8      1947       68
Bundaberg        125.0     30        73.6      1974       36
Goodna            70.2     30        59.7      1894      102

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