"Phred" wrote in message
...
Quoting from The Weatherzone 15 Feb 2008
Weather News: Torrential rain creates flooding havoc in Mackay
http://www.weatherzone.com.
au/news/torrential-rain-creates-flooding-havoc-in-mackay/8641
Press Release, Friday February 15, 2008 - 16:55 EDT
East Mackay picked up a phenomenal 625mm of rain in the 24 hours to
9am today, its highest daily rain total since records commenced at the
site in 1999. Mackay North received 610mm in the same time period, its
heaviest daily rainfall since records commenced there in 1995.
Widespread falls in excess of 100mm occurred throughout the Central
Coast district, most of which fell between the hours of midnight and
9am.
"This morning's torrential rain was the result of a very moist
easterly airstream to the south of the monsoon trough, which is
currently situated near Bowen," weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt
Pearce said.
"We also had a small wave of colder air in the upper atmosphere pass
over the region, which just made conditions even more conducive for
very heavy rain."
/quoting
It seems the system is still moving north. We've been getting light
rain inland from the tourist ghetto of Cairns for the past 5 hours
following a storm yielding 44 mm between about 1700 and 1800 this
evening. Could be around for a bit longer tonight too...
http://mirror.bom.gov.au/products/IDR192.loop.shtml
Cheers, Phred.
--
LID
# I'd claim that Australia's weather is becoming somewhat unpredictable,
and the Top End deluge(s) is as much a result of Climate Change as is
Melbourne's virtual total lack of rainfall.
Too much water can be as bad as too little, and farmers rely on a
predictable annual cycle, for sowing of crops, etc.
To cope with unpredictability, water storage is a partial answer, as
water can then be released systematically.
A national pipe system, to convey water from places of excess, to those
of dearth, may be feasible, but unless gravity is used, pumping would be
required. Fortunately, some of current water is going into the
Murray-Darling river system, and irrigation channels will be replaced by
pipes (to stop evaporation).
Meantime, houses, and other structures in flood-prone areas, should
consider being built on stilts or pontoons or having valuables stored in the
attic. A rampart (levee bank) around the house (or town) is an alternative.
Got an empty disused quarry? Could become a reservoir.