The Week That Was - 2011 Archive
Jan 2nd - Jan8th:
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Heavy tropical rain continued to deluge Queensland on 26th, 27th and 28th December before showing signs of weakening on the 29th.
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Widespread major flooding resulted, some of it to record levels, with evacuations across several rural areas, including those around Dalby, Emerald, Rolleston, Chinchilla, Bundaberg, Jericho, Alpha and Rockhampton.
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Widespread evacuations occurred around Rockhampton during Friday 31st and Saturday 1st January, as a major flood peak travelled down the Fitzroy River.
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A heat wave powered across south-eastern Australia on Friday 31st – temperatures reached 40C plus across parts of South Australia and Victoria with Melbourne itself recording a top of 41C. High temperatures, plus low humidity and strong northerly winds resulted in escalating fire dangers, with parts of South Australia reaching catastrophic levels. No serious fires resulted.
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A tropical low moved out to sea from just north of Broome to form a circulation that had the potential to strengthen into a tropical cyclone.
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Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for parts of WA and NSW during the afternoon and evening of Saturday 1st January. These were for possible damaging winds across the areas indicated.
Jan 16th - Jan 22nd:
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Large ocean swells battered the QLD coast on Sunday the 16th January and the NSW coast on Monday 17th January. These were generated by tropical cyclone “Vania” that moved across the Tasman Sea late in the previous week. Maximum wave heights exceeded 6 metres off the QLD coast and peaked at over 4 metres on wave bouys off the NSW coast.
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Severe thunderstorms erupted across southeast Queensland on the afternoons of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 18th, 19th and 20th January generating bursts of heavy rain, damaging winds and large hail. Widespread damage was reported across this three-day period, including parts of Brisbane, with flash flooding, trees down and power outages reported.
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A severe thunderstorm lashed parts of the Illawarra in NSW on the afternoon of Wednesday 19th January generating totals of more than 100 mm in a three-hour period. Kiama and Gerringong were affected with flash flooding developing across the area.
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A king tide on the morning of Friday 21st January produced rises along the Brisbane river but only minor flooding resulted in the lower lying parts of the CBD.
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Severe thunderstorms lashed southeast NSW, eastern Victoria and northern Tasmania on the afternoon of Friday 21st January, with warnings continuing well into the evening. Two locations on the NSW south coast reported falls above 30 mm in just one hour.
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Feb 6th to Feb 12th
* During Sunday February 6th, raging
bushfires blazed across the foothills around Perth, destroying more than 50 homes and forcing hundreds to evacuate. This event was the culmination of a long dry spell, high temperatures and then a burst of strong easterly winds that fanned the blazes.
* On the morning of 6th February, Sydney experienced its
highest ever minimum temperature at 27.6C – compared to the previous record 26.6C on February 1973. This followed seven consecutive days where maximum temperatures exceeded 30C – also a record.
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remains of tropical cyclone “Yasi”, moving inland on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th February, produced widespread flooding over the Northwest Pastoral district of South Australia with record rain reported from several centres. In the 24 hours ending at 9am on Sunday 6th February, Oodnadatta recorded 85.4 mm and Yongala registered 128.2 mm, an all time 24-hour record.
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Heavy rain during the same weekend, 5th and 6th February, also generated flooding around the Riverina area in NSW, with major inundation across the Billabong Creek closing roads around the Urana and Greater Hume shires. Around 130 mm of rain fell at Hay during the same weekend.
* On the night of Thursday 10th February and into the morning of Friday 11th,
heavy thunderstorms tore across widespread areas of Victoria, including Melbourne, producing damaging wind gusts and flash flooding. The northern township of Tatura experienced damage to several houses and 41 mm of rain fell in around an hour. Shepparton received 42 mm in about the same time period.
* On Thursday 10th February, the western Australian town of Warburton was hit with
flash flooding from severe thunderstorm activity when 83 mm of rain fell in an hour. People were evacuated from homes as more than a metre of floodwaters surged through the town.
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Heavy rainfall, with 24-hour totals in excess of 100 mm fell over the Murchison River catchment on Friday 11th February, triggering flood warnings for the area, including both the Gascoyne and Murchison Rivers.
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Feb 13th to Feb 19th
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severe thunderstorm warning was issued for parts of south-eastern Queensland on the afternoon of Monday 14th February. Flash flooding was considered possible but the storm weakened before producing any major weather.
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Darwin recorded an all time 24-hour rainfall record during Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th February, when 339.6 mm of rain fell across the area. This was the result of a nearby tropical low.
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Severe thunderstorms battered parts of South Australia, including the Barossa Valley, late on Tuesday February 15. Flash flooding and destructive wind gusts produced power outages and downed trees. There were several reports of 70 mm of rain falling in less than an hour.
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low was declared a cyclone during the early afternoon of Wednesday 16th February, and was named “Carlos”. This then weakened and became a tropical low that moved slowly away from Darwin. The three-day rainfall total fro Darwin, including 15th, 16th and 17th February was 644.6 mm – more than the normal annual total for Adelaide or Canberra. Widespread wind and rain damage was reported across Darwin during this period, with mass power outages across the city. Darwin airport was also closed on Wednesday 16th February.
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Tropical cyclone “Diane” was declared on the morning of 17th February, well off the WA coast but was showing signs of moving back towards the coast and intensifying.
* By the morning of Friday 18th February, Darwin had amassed 852 mm for the month – an all time record for February and this will be substantially added to over the next week or so.
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Feb 20th to Feb 26th
* On Monday 21st February,
tropical cyclone “Carlos” was again re-established, and began moving south-westerly along the Pilbara coast of Western Australia. The cyclone moved down along the Pilbara Coast during the week before leaving the mainland area on Thursday 24th February.
* On Monday 21st February
severe thunderstorm activity developed over north-eastern NSW and south-eastern Queensland resulting in the issue of severe thunderstorm warnings across the area. Widespread power outages resulted across Brisbane with areas of flash flooding also developing. Several locations around Brisbane registered falls in excess of 60 mm in three hours.
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A tornado, triggered by a thunderstorm that was part of the Carlos system, struck the town of Karratha on Monday 21st February, producing destruction of several buildings and widespread power outages.
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Heavy rain, with totals in excess of 250 mm in 24 hours lashed the tropical north coast of Queensland on Thursday 24th February. Flash flooding resulted, with Tully, still recovering after tropical cyclone “Yasi”, again suffering from a deluge.
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Feb 27th to Mar 5th
* On the evening of Monday 28th February, a severe thunderstorm tore through Perth’s eastern suburbs, producing destructive wind gusts and flash flooding. Numerous trees were blown down resulting in the loss of power to around 25,000 homes.
* Phenomenal rain fell across Queensland’s Gulf Country during Tuesday 1st March and Wednesday 2nd March. A powerful tropical low in the area dumped a 456 mm across Mornington Island in just 24 hours – an all time record for the area. Widespread flooding resulted in the surrounding districts.
* Cold frontal activity swept across Tasmania on Tuesday 1st March and again on Thursday 3rd March. Strong winds and low temperatures resulted across most areas, with snow also falling across the highlands, including Mount Wellington.
* Heavy rain fell across Queensland’s Channel Country on Friday and Saturday 4th and 5th March with two-day totals in excess of 100 mm in some areas. The outback towns of Windorah and Bedourie were isolated by widespread flooding across the area.
* On Friday 4th March Perth experienced its 27th consecutive day where the maximum temperature exceeded 30C. This is a record for the city. A record for minimum temperatures was also recorded when 17 consecutive days of temperatures above 20C were recorded, with the run finally ending on Thursday 3rd March when temperatures fell to 19.5C.
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Mar 6th to Mar 12th
* Heavy rain persisted across north Queensland for much of the week from Sunday 6th March to Saturday 12th March with widespread flooding and road closures resulting around Tully, Cardwell, Innisfail and Ingham areas. Several localities received over 300 mm in just a 24-hour period during this time. Heavy, flooding rain was also recorded across the Gulf Country during this time.
* Heavy rain fell across the Queensland Channel Country on Saturday 5th and the morning of Sunday 6th producing record falls. Bedourie recorded 319 mm in the 24 hours ending at 9 am on Sunday 6th – easily a record total. A large surge of water then travelled down towards Lake Eyre where it is expected to arrive sometime in May.
* Another burst of rain affected South Australia, western NSW and Victoria during Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the 8th, 9th and 10th March, with some of the notable 24 hour falls during this time being White Cliffs (NSW) 62.4 mm, Arkaroola (SA) 97 mm, and Weeaproinah (Vic) 45 mm. Flood watches were triggered for the Campaspe, Loddon and Wimmera River basins.
* Broken Hill has recorded it wettest ever start to a year with 362 mm falling so far. This eclipses the previous record set in 1974.
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Mar 20th to Mar 26th
* Heavy rain fell across Sydney on Saturday night and Sunday, 19th and 20th March, producing flash flooding around the city and suburbs. The northern beaches and northern suburbs were the hardest hit, with 24-hour totals of over 100 mm recorded.
* This activity migrated southwards on Monday producing phenomenal falls over the Wollongong/Albion Park area where widespread flooding occurred. In the 24 hours ending at 9 am on Tuesday 22nd, Albion Park recorded 249 mm.
* The heavy rain then moved further southwards producing totals in excess of 130 mm around Bega on Monday night, 21st March, producing major flooding along the Bega River.
* Heavy rain fell across south-eastern Victoria on Tuesday, with heavy flooding occurring along parts of the Gippsland coast. Mallacoota received 88.6 mm in the 24 hours ending at 9 am on Wednesday 23rd March. Extensive flooding with road cuts also occurred around Moe and Wilsons Promontory.
* Heavy rain and damaging winds then struck Tasmania Wednesday 23rd and the morning of Thursday 24th March producing 48-hour totals in excess of 400 mm over parts of the northeast. Major flooding was triggered across the South Esk River Basin.
* On Monday night, 21st March, a powerful thunderstorm swept across Toodyay in Western Australia producing flash flooding and damaging winds. Up to 50 mm of rain fell in only 20 minutes at the height of the storm.
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Apr 10th to Apr 16th
* A low pressure cell moving slowly across Bass Strait during Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th April, produced heavy rain across southern and eastern Victoria, including Melbourne, and north-eastern Tasmania. Flood warnings wee triggered for the Latrobe River (Victoria) and the South Esk River (Tasmania). For the 24 hours ending at 9 am on Tuesday 12th April, 47 mm of rain fell in Melbourne – the wettest April day for 34 years.
* Hobart also recorded heavy rain from this event – in the 24 hours to 9am on Wednesday 13th April, 79 mm fell – the highest April daily total in more than 50 years. Several Tasmania locations recorded in excess of 200 mm in 48 hours as part of this event.
* The heavy rain then moved further southwards producing totals in excess of 130 mm around Bega on Monday night, 21st March, producing major flooding along the Bega River.
* Tropical cyclone “Errol” was declared off the north coast of Western Australia’s Kimberly District on Friday 15th April. It moved towards the northwest and intensified into a Category 2 system on the morning of Sunday 17th, moving close to Timor.
* Heavy rain and damaging winds then struck Tasmania Wednesday 23rd and the morning of Thursday 24th March producing 48-hour totals in excess of 400 mm over parts of the northeast. Major flooding was triggered across the South Esk River Basin.
* OHeavy rain fell across Sydney on the night of Friday 15th, and continued through much of Saturday 16th. For the 24-hour period ending at 9 am on Saturday, 56.8 mm fell at Observatory Hill, the wettest April day in 10 years. A further 18 mm fell across the city during the following 24-hour period.
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May 29th to Jun 4th
* A hailstorm tore across the Glasshouse Mountains area of Queensland on the night of Sunday 29th May, causing millions of dollars damage to fruit and vegetable crops in the area.
* A powerful cold front swept through the southwest corner of WA early on the morning of Monday 30th May producing damaging winds and bursts of heavy rain across the area, including Perth. Some useful rain also extended eastwards into the Central Wheat Belt area.
* A low-pressure cell span up off the north coast of NSW on Monday 30th May, producing heavy rain, strong winds and massive seas along much of the NSW north and central coasts. Flash flooding occurred in several areas, including Sydney, where roads were cut around Alexandria and Zetland.
* Heavy fog blanketed Melbourne on the morning of Tuesday May 31, lingering in some suburbs until about mid morning.
* Darwin’s temperature fell to just 14.4C on the morning of Thursday June 2nd, which was the coldest temperature for the city in three years.
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Jun 12th to Jun 18th
* The week’s weather in the east was dominated by the development of an east coast low off northern NSW on Monday 13th June. Over the next three days the system moved slowly southwards producing heavy rain and strong winds over the Mid North Coast and Hunter Districts of NSW.
* Major flooding developed across several river systems with the Macleay River producing inundation across the Kempsey area where there were a large number of evacuations.
* Major flooding also occurred at Bulga in the Hunter Valley as the Wollombi Brook broke its banks.
* The low cell moved away form the coast on Thursday 16th June producing a moderation in conditions although flooding persisted around Kempsey well into Friday.
* A cold front passed across the southwest corner of Western Australia on Tuesday 14th June producing rain over the area, including Perth with 7.4 mm and lighter falls extending out into the Central Wheat-belt area.
* Unusually cold weather extended into the Queensland tropics on Thursday and Friday mornings, 16th and 17th June, with Cairns and Cooktown recording minimum temperatures 8 to 9C below average. Cairns minimum temperature on Thursday morning was 10.1C and Cooktown recorded 8.5C on the morning of Friday 17th June.
* The weekly rainfall for the 7 days ending at 9 am on 17th June is below. Note the area of 300 mm plus rainfall on the Mid North Coast area of NSW.
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