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La Nina brews destructive cyclones off Australia 03 Jan 2008 04:15:30 GMT
Source: Reuters


By Michael Perry

SYDNEY, Jan 3 (Reuters) - A mature La Nina now exists over the Pacific and could produce up to 13 cyclones in Australia's current storm season, along with increased rainfall over the drought-hit nation, weather officials said on Thursday.

Every 30 years Australia's cyclone season, from November to April, reaches a peak and some forecasters say 2008 may become a peak storm season due to La Nina, which produces colder than average seas along the equator forcing warmer waters around Australia's northern coastline and fuelling cyclones.

Australia's northeast coast has been hit by one cyclone and is currently being battered by a severe storm with cyclonic winds, generating huge waves which closed scores of beaches, and caused coastal flooding and the evacuation of tourists.

A second cyclone is expected to form in the next few days in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia. Only two cyclones developed off the northeast coast last season.

Australia's northwest coast was last week buffeted by a cyclone, temporarily halting offshore oil and gas production.

"Now that La Nina is fully established one would think an above average cyclone season would probably occur," said Jim Davidson, regional director with the government's Bureau of Meteorology in the tropical Australian state of Queensland.

"Probably 12 or 13 (cyclones) in the Australian region," Davidson told Reuters on Thursday.

Australia's National Climate Centre said a weak La Nina over the Pacific had strengthened and was now a "mature event".

"A La Nina event is firmly established in the Pacific, strengthening over the past month and contributing to the enhanced eastern Australian rainfall since November," said the Centre's latest La Nina report released on Wednesday.

bron

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Cyclone Helen due to hit NT coast
Email Print Normal font Large font January 4, 2008 - 7:24PM

Territorians were preparing for a night of fierce winds and violent rain across the Top End, as tropical cyclone Helen edges closer to the coast.

Gale force winds are expected to hit the Darwin region about 9pm (CST) on Friday night, with police calling on locals to make final preparations to their homes and stay indoors.

A cyclone warning has been declared for the capital and the Tiwi Islands, as well as all coastal communities between the remote Aboriginal community of Wadeye - otherwise known as Port Keats - and Cape Hotham.

Residents have been told to expect winds of up to 130km/h.

Meteorologist Gordon Jackson, from the Darwin Forecast Centre, said the cyclone would touch land - the point when winds are at their most intense - about 100km south-west of Darwin late on Friday night or early on Saturday.

As of 3.30pm, he said Helen was 225km west south-west of Darwin tracking at 16km/h.

"It is a Category 1 right now but we expect it to turn into a Category 2 over the next six hours," he told AAP.

"It's extremely unlikely it will reach a Category 3 before it crosses the coast."

Darwin has not been affected by a cyclone for a number of years although the infamous Cyclone Tracy devastated the city and killed 49 people on Christmas Eve in 1974.

There are concerns of major flooding across the Top End, including Wadeye, Daly River, Katherine and Adelaide River, 100km south of Darwin.

"There is going to be a lot of rainfall associated with the cyclone crossing the coast and there is a very good chance that there will be flooding in the low-lying areas and streams rising," said Todd Smith, duty forecaster at Darwin's cyclone warning centre.

Schools and day care centres within a 50km radius of Darwin were shut earlier on Friday. The cyclone warning also prompted the immediate closure of the Botanic Gardens, the Territory Wildlife Park and The Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre on the Adelaide River floodplain.

Compass Resources has halted construction of a new mine at Batchelor, south of Darwin.

NT Police Commissioner Paul White urged people who intended to leave Darwin to escape the cyclone to do so immediately, although he added it was not a call to evacuate the city.

"I'm pleased with the level of preparations so far and urge all people in the areas likely to be affected to continue preparations," Comm White said in a statement.

"Those members of the public who as part of their cyclone plan would be leaving Darwin should start their journeys out of Darwin as soon as possible."

Nightcliff Jetty was closed, while Darwin's harbour has locked down containers and floating pontoons, with commercial ships asked to leave the port.

Public shelters will be opened in and around Darwin from 6pm (CST).

Cyclone Helen is expected to weaken to below cyclone intensity over land on Friday, but it may redevelop in the Gulf of Carpentaria on Sunday.

A cyclone warning was cancelled for Kalumburu in Western Australia late on Friday, and a cyclone watch was declared for coastal and island communities from Elcho Island to Numbulwar.

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At 6:30 pm CST Tropical Cyclone Helen, Category 2 was estimated to be
95 kilometres west of Daly River Mouth and
185 kilometres west southwest of Darwin and
moving east at 15 kilometres per hour.

The cyclone is expected to cross the coast near Daly River Mouth in the next few
hours. Tropical Cyclone Helen is expected to weaken below cyclone intensity over
land tomorrow, but may continue to move east and redevelop in the Gulf of
Carpentaria on Sunday.

DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 130 kilometres per hour are expected to affect
coastal and island communities between Darwin and Daly River Mouth in the next
few hours.

GALES with gusts to 100 kilometres per hour are currently being experienced on
parts of the coast between Darwin and Port Keats, and may extend to Cape Hotham
and the Tiwi Islands later tonight. These conditions are expected to continue
for the next 6 to 12 hours.

GALES with gusts to 100 kilometers per hour may affect coastal and island
communities between Elcho Island and Numbulwar, including Nhulunbuy and Groote
Eylandt, on Sunday if the system redevelops in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Heavy rain is expected to cause flooding over the Top End.

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The Bureau of Meteorology says Tropical Cyclone Helen has not weakened, despite being over land for a few hours.

A cyclone warning is current for coastal and island communities from Port Keats to Cape Hotham, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands.

A cyclone watch is current for coastal and island communities from Elcho Island to Numbulwar, including Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt.

The category two system is estimated to be 100 kilometres south-south-west of Darwin and moving east at 18 kilometres per hour.

Cyclone Helen crossed the coast near Channel Point about 11:00pm (ACDT) and is currently situated between Channel Point and Adelaide River.

The bureau says because the cyclone kept its structure so well, the strong winds might extend through Adelaide River over the next few hours.

Power out, gale force winds as Cyclone Helen batters NT

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Op maandag 7 januari 2008 20:34 schreef Frutsel het volgende:
Waar haalde je die foto's ook alweer vandaan Aloa?

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Op maandag 7 januari 2008 21:30 schreef aloa het volgende:

[..]

van deze site http://www.fvalk.com/day_image.htm

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Op maandag 7 januari 2008 21:32 schreef Frutsel het volgende:

[..]

Hmm... komt me niet bekend voor Thx