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

On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 12:33:00 GMT, Phred wrote:

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.

Check the totals on the Aus BoM site..
http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/central.shtml
...see table below the map, select 24hr in the last row to see the daily
totals for the last 7 days.
There is also a moderate change of a tropical cyclone forming off the Qld
north tropical coast on Tuesday.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ10810.shtml

Ven wrote:
On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 12:33:00 GMT, Phred wrote:

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.

Check the totals on the Aus BoM site..
http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/central.shtml
..see table below the map, select 24hr in the last row to see the daily
totals for the last 7 days.
There is also a moderate change of a tropical cyclone forming off the Qld
north tropical coast on Tuesday.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ10810.shtml



Atlanta, Georgia (Lake Lanier) could use a slow moving tropical storm.

"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.

Phred wrote:
Quoting from The Weatherzone 15 Feb 2008
Weather News: Torrential rain creates flooding havoc in Mackay


yes, it's called the Wet Season which runs for 6 months and then it's
the Dry Season, and you want all the rain you can get.

there is no disaster, it's all normal and how it should be.

the only tragedy is that people continue to build in the wrong places.

There is also a moderate change of a tropical cyclone forming off the Qld
north tropical coast on Tuesday.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ10810.shtml


note that the probability of a TC has been downgraded....
TROPICAL CYCLONE OUTLOOK
for the Coral Sea West of Longitude 160 East
Issued at 2:30pm on Sunday the 17th of February 2008

An active monsoon trough extends across the Coral Sea roughly from Cardwell
to New Caledonia. A low is forecast to develop on this trough around 155E
on Monday and deepen while moving south as it interacts with an upper
trough on Tuesday.
This system has a low probability of developing into a tropical cyclone
within the outlook period.

The likelihood for tropical cyclone development during the next few days
is:
Monday - Low
Tuesday - Low
Wednesday - Low

z1 wrote:
Phred wrote:
Quoting from The Weatherzone 15 Feb 2008
Weather News: Torrential rain creates flooding havoc in Mackay


yes, it's called the Wet Season which runs for 6 months and then it's
the Dry Season, and you want all the rain you can get.

there is no disaster, it's all normal and how it should be.

the only tragedy is that people continue to build in the wrong places.
http://business.theage.com.au/pilbar...0217-1snq.html

dave wrote:
z1 wrote:
Phred wrote:
Quoting from The Weatherzone 15 Feb 2008
Weather News: Torrential rain creates flooding havoc in Mackay


yes, it's called the Wet Season which runs for 6 months and then it's
the Dry Season, and you want all the rain you can get.

there is no disaster, it's all normal and how it should be.

the only tragedy is that people continue to build in the wrong places.
http://business.theage.com.au/pilbar...0217-1snq.html


so what?
it's the geographical region of australia where we get cyclones.
if you really want to argue with the climate then be a fool.

In article , z1
wrote:
Phred wrote:
Quoting from The Weatherzone 15 Feb 2008
Weather News: Torrential rain creates flooding havoc in Mackay

yes, it's called the Wet Season which runs for 6 months and then it's
the Dry Season, and you want all the rain you can get.

You're a bit optimistic, mate. Once off the coast here in the deep
north of the deep south, the wet season barely lasts four months
(December to March). We get about 83% of our annual rain during that
period. Further north that rises to over 90%; and as you go south
things gradually get a bit more uniform *on average*, but more
unreliable year to year.

there is no disaster, it's all normal and how it should be.

Recent rainfall events are a bit beyond "normal". I think you might
have to go back to the 1950s to find a comparable wet season in Qld.

the only tragedy is that people continue to build in the wrong places.

They didn't actually start to do that in many places until farmers
realised subdivision was more profitable than agriculture and local
councils were keen to grab the rates money so they permitted some
pretty shonky residential developments.

According to a mate of mine who used to live down there, there's a
good example in the Brisbane valley -- the old farm houses are up on
the sandstone slopes; the new pony club "estates" are on the river
flats. And, of course, we know how that "rich alluvial soil" beloved
of real estate agents, got there!

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

In article , Ven
wrote:
[snip]
Check the totals on the Aus BoM site..
http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/central.shtml
...see table below the map, select 24hr in the last row to see the daily
totals for the last 7 days.

Thanks for that link Ven. I've been relying on the Daily Rainfall
Bulletin and the 3-day full weather data for Queensland:

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ60129.html
and
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60606.shtml

That 7-day rainfall chart will be very interesting to watch during
some events. (Dunno how I missed it -- I think I assumed that
"24hr" was just that and didn't think to investigate further. 8-)

There is also a moderate change of a tropical cyclone forming off the Qld
north tropical coast on Tuesday.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ10810.shtml

It's ****ing down here at the moment, and looks like it might go on
for a couple of hours yet:

http://mirror.bom.gov.au/products/IDR193.loop.shtml

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID