Cyclone pushing 'wall of water' to coast

[Gumleaf]

ninemsn staff
7:41am April 11, 2014
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2014/04/11/07/41/cyclone-ita-pushing-wall-of-water-to-coast


April 11, 2014: Category five Cyclone Ita is picking up speed and intensity as it barrels towards far north Queensland, with the monster storm expected to make landfall this afternoon.



Cyclone Ita is pushing a wall of water in front of its 80km-wide core as it closes in on Queensland's far north coast.

At 6am the category 5 cyclone, estimated to be packing 300km/h winds, was about 235km northeast of Cooktown, moving southwest at 11km/h.

Winds of 100km/h could hit the region as early as late morning, with the huge storm surge expected to hit somewhere between Cape Melville and Cape Tribulation around 6pm, with 9000 people directly in its path.

Ita has been likened in destructive force to Typhoon Haiyan, which wiped out parts of South East Asia last year, killing thousands, The Courier-Mail reports.

"It's coming in faster and bigger than we first thought it was going to," Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott said while boarding up windows of his family home yesterday.

A cyclone warning is place from Lockhart River to Innisfail, extending hundreds of kilometres inland, and a cyclone watch alert is current from Innisfail to Cardwell.

Locals and tourists spent last night in the Cooktown cyclone shelter, which opened about 12 hours earlier after the storm was upgraded from category four to five.

"I've heard it's going to intensify and it's going to get really scary," Dottie Bostoch told AAP as she made her makeshift bed in the Cooktown shelter last night.

Ms Bostoch, 77, who took her dog Leo along to the shelter, said she feared her house would cave in when the potentially destructive winds hit.

Bruce Jenkins, 68, also spent the night at the centre with his cat Busta.

"I get all jittery when there's a cyclone and so does my cat," he said.

Others in Cooktown have boarded up their homes, cleared their yards and stocked up on supplies.

The weather bureau says while Ita was intense, it's a smaller system and would move slower than category five Cyclone Yasi in 2011 and category four Cyclone Larry in 2006.


© ninemsn 2014

[Gumleaf]

An update on this Cyclone (Hurricane). Sounds very dangerous.



Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre

Media: Transmitters serving the area between Cape Melville and Cooktown are
requested to USE the Standard Emergency Warning Signal before broadcasting the
following warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 27
Issued at 4:54 pm EST on Friday 11 April 2014

A Cyclone WARNING is current for coastal areas from Coen to Innisfail including
Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns, and extending inland to areas including
Kalinga, Palmerville, Mareeba and Chillagoe.

A Cyclone WATCH is current for coastal areas from Innisfail to Cardwell,
extending to adjacent inland areas.

At 5:00 pm EST Severe Tropical Cyclone Ita, Category 4, was estimated to be
115 kilometres north northeast of Cooktown and
270 kilometres north of Cairns, and
moving south southwest at 13 kilometres per hour.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE ITA, CATEGORY 4, poses a serious threat to communities
along the far north Queensland coast. It is expected to continue to move in a
general south-southwest direction and make landfall near Cape Flattery tonight
with VERY DESTRUCTIVE WINDS to 275 kilometres per hour near the core and GALES
extending out to 185 kilometres from the centre.

DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with wind gusts in excess of 125 kilometres per hour are
currently occurring at Cape Flattery and should develop elsewhere between Cape
Melville and Cooktown this evening, extending south to Cape Tribulation
overnight and possibly to Port Douglas during Saturday morning. GALES are
occurring between Cape Melville and Cooktown and should extend south to Cape
Tribulation this evening and inland to Laura and Palmerville overnight. Gales
may extend south to Cairns and Innisfail and inland to Chillagoe during
Saturday, and possibly to Cardwell later in the evening.
There remains the small possibility that Ita could track south close to the
coast tonight and maintain an intensity capable of generating destructive wind
gusts to 150 kilometres per hour in Cairns during Saturday.

Coastal residents between Cape Melville and Cape Tribulation, including
Cooktown are specifically warned of the dangerous storm tide as the cyclone
crosses the coast tonight. The sea is likely to rise steadily up to a level
which will be significantly above the normal tide, with damaging waves, strong
currents and flooding of low-lying areas extending some way inland. People
living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to
protect their property as much as possible and be prepared to follow
instructions regarding evacuation of the area if advised to do so by the
authorities.

Very heavy rain, which may lead to flash flooding, is developing about parts of
the Peninsula and North Tropical Coast and Tablelands districts and should
gradually contract southwards with the system over the weekend.

- People in the path of the very dangerous cyclone between Cape Melville and
Cooktown should stay calm and remain in a secure shelter - above the expected
water level - while the very destructive winds develop into tonight.
- Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone - very
destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time.
- Follow the evacuation advice or directions of Police, Emergency Services
personnel and local authorities.

People elsewhere between Coen and Innisfail and adjacent inland areas including
Laura, Kalinga, Palmerville, Mareeba and Chillagoe should complete preparations
quickly and be prepared to shelter in a safe place.
- Boats and outside property should be secured using available daylight hours.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster
Management Services website (www.disaster.qld.gov.au)
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) on
132 500 (for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on
buildings or roof damage).
- Follow the evacuation advice or directions of Police, Emergency Services
personnel and local authorities.

People between Innisfail and Cardwell and adjacent inland areas should consider
what action they will need to take if the cyclone threat increases.
- Information is available from your local government
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster
Management Services website (www.disaster.qld.gov.au)
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) on
132 500 (for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on
buildings or roof damage).

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Ita at 5:00 pm EST:
.Centre located near...... 14.5 degrees South 145.4 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 15 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the south southwest at 13 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 275 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 4
.Central pressure......... 940 hectoPascals

The next advice will be issued by 6:00 pm EST Friday 11 April.

[Gamma Male]

Huh. That sucks. I didn't know Australia got Hurricanes/ Cyclones.

Just be glad you don't get tornados too. :D

[Gumleaf]

Huh. That sucks. I didn't know Australia got Hurricanes/ Cyclones.

Just be glad you don't get tornados too. :D

Typically the top 1/3 of the country are subjected to cyclones because it is very tropical. Oh, and we do get tornados, but they are very weak compared to the bad ones in the US.

[Dalcourt]

Uh, I hate that cyclones/ hurricanes...I did never notice that there are those severe storms in Australia...Asian countries yes, but Australia never made it on the news here. Anyway I really hope that people are safe and that damages won't be too severe.

[Gumleaf]

The cyclone hit the North Queensland coast approximately 20 hours ago near a place called Cape Flattery. The cyclone has weakened by is still causing destruction. Here is the latest warning posted 10mins ago.


Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 51
Issued at 5:58 pm EST on Saturday 12 April 2014

A Cyclone WARNING continues for coastal areas from Cape Tribulation to
Proserpine.

At 6:00 pm EST Tropical Cyclone Ita, Category 1, was estimated to be
30 kilometres south of Port Douglas and
40 kilometres west northwest of Cairns, and
moving south southeast at 11 kilometres per hour.

Tropical Cyclone Ita is forecast to move to the southeast during the next 24
hours, most likely close to or just offshore of the southern tropical and
central coast, and is now expected to maintain tropical cyclone intensity.

DAMAGING winds with gusts to 120 kilometres per hour are likely between Port
Douglas and Cairns this afternoon and evening, extending to Innisfail
overnight. GALES with wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour may extend further
down the coast to Townsville and Proserpine during Sunday if the system moves
offshore.

As the cyclone tracks near the coast, a storm tide is expected between Cape
Tribulation and Cairns. Large waves may produce minor flooding along the
foreshore. People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding
should take measures to protect their property as much as possible and be
prepared to help their neighbours.

Heavy rainfall, that may lead to flash flooding, is currently occurring about
the east tropical coast and ranges between about Port Douglas and Ayr, and
should extend south to about Yeppoon during Sunday. Isolated 24 hour totals in
excess of 300mm are likely.

Tropical Cyclone Ita should move further southeast into the Coral Sea and away
from the Queensland coast during Monday and Tuesday. Rainfall will decrease
about the North Tropical Coast during Sunday and Monday as the system moves
away.

People between Cape Tribulation and Proserpine, including Cairns and
Townsville, should take precautions and listen to the next advice.
- Information is available from your local government
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster
Management Services website (www.disaster.qld.gov.au)
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) on
132 500 (for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on
buildings or roof damage).

Details of Tropical Cyclone Ita at 6:00 pm EST:
.Centre located near...... 16.8 degrees South 145.4 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 35 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the south southeast at 11 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 120 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 1
.Central pressure......... 990 hectoPascals

The next advice will be issued by 7:00 pm EST Saturday 12 April.