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SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - DECEMBER 1996 Tropical cyclones in Queensland and Western Australia produced heavy rain mainly in Western Australia, while severe thunderstorms and winds occurred in most states. Bushfires fueled by hot windy conditions were reported in South Australia and Tasmania on the 21st/22nd.
Queensland Tropical cyclone FERGUS formed to the south of the Solomon Islands on the 24th and remained in the area until the 26th before moving steadily southeast and dissipating. Western Australia An intensifying low was named tropical cyclone NICHOLAS while located approximately 450 kilometres north of Derby on the 13th. The storm produced very heavy rains in parts of the North and West Kimberley as it continued on a southerly path crossing the coast approximately 120 kilometres to the north of Derby on the 15th. No damage was reported. Notable 72 hour rainfall totals to 0900 on the 16th included Kalumburu (266mm), Kuri Bay (183mm), Kimberley Downs (176mm) and Derby Aero (113mm). Numerous other sites in the area recorded around 100mm of rain during the same period. Heavy rain continued on the 16th and 17th as the weakening depression moved over the inland Kimberley.
Tropical cyclone OPHELIA was named on the 13th 310 kilometres east of Christmas Island and moved in a south-easterly direction. OPHELIA but did not cross the Western Australian coastline and weakened rapidly into a rain-bearing depression by the 18th while located approximately 800 kms to the northnorthwest of Karratha.
Moving across the Northern Territory and into the Timor Sea tropical cyclone PHIL followed a south-westerly path off the Kimberley coast. Parts of the Kimberley registered heavy local falls in excess of 100mm. At 9am on the 31st tropical cyclone PHIL was located 380 kilometres north of Karratha and moved west at 10 km/h. Continuing on a westerly track, the system dissipated into a rain-bearing depression over the Indian Ocean by the 2nd of January.
Queensland A severe thunderstorm unroofed a house in Gympie on the 3rd.
On the 10th severe storms damaged a house in Rosewood. Golf ball size hail was reported and powerlines were brought down in Brisbane suburbs. A gust to 128 km/h was recorded at Brisbane Airport.
On the 14th two buildings in Roma were damaged by a thunderstorm. New South Wales On the 2nd at Coonamble estimated wind gusts of 120km/h were experienced.
Several houses were unroofed and trees blown down. At Mimiland (Central
West Plains) estimated winds of 111 km/h uprooted trees. Damage was
also reported from Ulamambri and Coonabarabran. At Baradine (North West
Plains) gusts estimated at 120 km/h unroofed several houses and the
local bowling club. On the 4th at Corndale (Northern Rivers) 49mm of rain fell in 45 minutes.
At Dubbo on the 5th 100 km/h winds were recorded.
On the 6th at Mungindi and Coonabarabran hail 2-2.5cm in diameter and 96 km/h wind gusts were experienced.
On the 7th in Sydney flash flooding was reported around the metropolitan areas of Sylvania, Manly, Queenscliff and Granville leading to the closure of some roads.
On the 10th at Kyogle 2cm hail was reported.
On the 11th at Springwood (Central Tablelands) 3.5cm hail caused damage to cars. At Bundanoon (Illawarra) 3cm hail caused roof and car damage. At Singleton (Hunter) 11cm hail caused damage to 40 homes, factories and cars. One man died when his car swerved off the road and hit a tree, and six people were injured from flying debris. At Kyogle (Northern Rivers) 94mm of rain fell in 60 minutes with winds of 102 km/h and 2cm hail. Trees were uprooted and some roofs were blown off.
At Canberra and Condobolin on the 16th wind gusts at 89 km/h were recorded.
On the 28th winds of 102 km/h were recorded at Dubbo. At Mudgee 133 km/h wind gusts brought down trees and blew fruit off trees. At Nullo Mountain (Central Tablelands) 30mm of rain fell in 20 minutes. At Berridale (Southern Tablelands) hail 5.7cm in diameter was reported.
On the 30th At Coonabarabran (Central West Slopes) 2cm hail was reported. At Moree 104 km/h gusts were recorded. Buildings lost their roofs and some other minor damage was reported and 90mm of rain fell in 45 minutes 12 kilometres to the west of Tenterfield.
On the 31st at Knockrow (near Byron Bay) 3cm hail was reported. Victoria On the 22nd, severe wind gusts were reported in the Central and West Gippsland districts.
On the 27th, at Wandiligong large hail which damaged a car windscreen was reported.
On the 28th severe thunderstorms were reported in the Northeast district. Severe wind gusts occurred at Harrietville and large hail to 4cm was reported at Myrtleford damaging a caravan window. South Australia Thunderstorms occurred across the far north of South Australia on the 2nd. At Evelyn Downs Station, a house lost its roof, sheds were demolished and trees uprooted. Damage to sheds, trees and tanks also occurred at Welbourn Hill, Hamilton and Wintinna Stations.
Thunderstorms on the 3rd caused localised wind damage at several centres in the Northeast Pastoral district. At Farina Station, a roof was damaged and some trees lost branches. Damage also occurred at Mulgaria Station. Wind gusts to 106 km/h were recorded at Moomba and 90 km/h at Oodnadatta.
A heavy thunderstorm at Marla (Northwest Pastoral) early on the 5th brought 40mm of rain in 40 minutes causing damage to roads in the area.
Thunderstorms on the 11th caused wind and hail damage on the West Coast between Nullarbor and Eucla. A car and a road train on the Eyre Highway suffered damage from the hail. Western Australia Parts of the Murchison and adjacent areas experienced severe thunderstorm activity on the 23rd. Mount Magnet recorded average wind speeds of 83 km/h with gusts to 109 km/h. While no damage was reported from Mount Magnet, trees were damaged in the Paynes Find by a severe thunderstorm which was accompanied by hail. Notable daily rainfall totals for the 24 hours to 9am on the 24th include: Mount Magnet (3.2mm), Paynes Find (18.4) and a record amount at Sandstone (69.2mm) Northern Territory On the 1st a record highest wind gust of 106 km/h was reported with a severe storm at Tennant Creek. Trees were blown down and there was some damage to property.
On the 2nd a wind gust to 90 km/h was recorded at Alice Springs Airport during a thunderstorm. Some damage was reported.
On the 3rd trees were brought down in a broad swath 1 km wide north of Larrimah town due to a thunderstorm.
On the 5th a gust of 113 km/h associated with a thunderstorm caused some damage to aircraft at Yulara Airport. Property damage was reported from Imanpa, Mt Ebenzezer, Henbury Station and Idracowra Station.
On the 6th a thunderstorm which produced 2.5cm hail and estimated wind gusts to more than 111 km/h caused some damage to property at Alice Springs.
On the 12th 100 km/h winds were recorded at Mt Ringwood.
On the 26th estimated wind gusts of 111 km/h associated with a thunderstorm at Roper Valley caused minor property damage.
On the 29th Giles recorded 91 km/h wind gusts associated with a thunderstorm. South Australia Damaging dust devils which formed along a seabreeze front were reported from northern Adelaide surburbs on the 10th and 11th. On the 10th a carport roof was lifted and roof tiles were dislodged from a house in Salisbury Downs causing damage to a car. On the 11th tiles were lifted from a house roof in Elizabeth Grove.
South Australia About 80 fires were reported in the Flinders, Mid North and Riverland districts of South Australia on the 1st, most ignited by lightning. One fire north of Clare (Mid North) destroyed about $500,000 worth of farm equipment, sheds, fencing and stock. The largest fire, northeast of Carrieton (Flinders) burnt about 25,000 ha of grass and scrub. A large fire in the Mt Brown Conservation Park (east of Port Augusta) continued to burn for two weeks.
On the 15th lightning started a fire in the Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park on the south coast of Kangaroo Island. The fire was fueled by hot windy conditions on the 21st affecting about 30,000 hectares of the park and resulting in property damage to tractors and sheds. Thick smoke from the fire blanketed the Adelaide metropolitan area on the 22nd. Tasmania Scrub and grass fires fanned by strong winds were reported around the state on the 22nd with wind and fire damage to power lines. More fires occurred around the state on the 25th and these persisted until the 27th in the northwest and northeast areas.
Highest Mean Minimum Temperature for December
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
øC øC
Queensland
Georgetown 24.7 24.6 1935/1995 89
Hughenden 24.7 24.2 1987 90
Barcaldine 24.6 24.4 1979 79
Northern Territory
Alice Springs 22.6 22.2 1965 55
Jervois 23.4 22.7 1982 22
Yuendumu 23.2 22.9 1979/1988 22
Lowest Mean Minimum Temperature for December
Previous Years of
Station Actual Lowest Year Record
øC øC
Victoria
Horsham 8.0 8.0 1905 88
Casterton 8.1 8.2 1995 37
Tasmania
Smithton 7.2 8.0 1995 34
St Helens 8.2 8.6 1964 34
Hobart Airport 8.4 9.1 1995 38
Flinders Is. Apt 9.7 10.0 1967 33
Highest Daily Maximum Temperature for December
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
øC øC
Queensland
Georgetown 43.5 2 41.9 1991 40
Hughenden 44.0 1 43.2 1979 32
Clermont 43.3 1 42.9 1979 35
Longreach 46.6 1 45.5 1979 31
Thargomindah 45.6 1 45.3 1981 40
Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for December
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
øC øC
Queensland
Tambo 28.6 2 28.2 1990 40
Barcaldine 30.4 2 28.7 1981 35
Northern Territory
Brunette Downs 30.1 1 29.5 1988/92 32
Jervois 32.4 1 30.6 1987 23
Highest Monthly Rainfall on Record for December
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
mm mm
Western Australia
Kalumburu 572.9 390.0 1988 55
Sandstone 72.8 66.3 1932 93
Warner Glen 60.8 60.5 1945 45
Northern Territory
Channel Island 527.4 489.8 1993 24
Katherine A/P 406.0 323.0 1945 22
Katherine Farm 364.4 340.8 1988 27
Larrakeyah 473.1 442.5 1971 21
Highest Daily Rainfall on Record for December
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
mm mm
Queensland
Tambo 78.0 7 76.2 1965 120
Western Australia
Albany 38.2 12 19.4 1977 34
Bridgetown 62.6 12 31.6 1991 90
Gordon River 39.6 12 23.9 1965 33
Greenbushes 37.6 12 35.8 1921 75
Margaret River 51.2 12 49.3 1956 56
Nannup 56.0 12 33.0 1984 81
Pemberton 46.7 12 42.2 1962 56
Rocky Gully
Town 35.4 12 24.4 1965 42
Sandstone 69.2 24 52.8 1927 85
Warner Glen 42.0 12 38.4 1965 45
Highest Daily Rainfall on Record for Any Month
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
mm mm
Queensland
Chinchilla 151.2 12 151.1 1956 57
Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.
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