So much for drought!

[Mad Aussie]

We had a single day last week that wasn't wet. We don't usually get so much rain around here of course and have been in drought conditions for years now. That ended with good rain earlier in the year and the past few weeks have drenched us.

We thought it was clearing up with only a couple of showers per day lately ... and now a cyclone.

Cyclone (Hurricane) Ului is bearing down on Queensland now and is a Cat 5 with winds up to 290 kph or more. This is a big storm and we are feeling the effects of the unstable weather again with showers becoming more prevalent.

So far Ului is heading more for the northern parts of Qld they tell us. It's likely to hit land as early as Wednesday.

We've wanted lots of rain for so long now (about 5 years) that I can't bring myself to complain.

Like Billy Connolly says ... "There's no such thing as 'bad' weather ... just bad clothing!"

Powerful cyclone charges towards Queensland coast | News.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/national/powerful-cyclone-charges-towards-queensland-coast/story-e6frfkvr-1225840595536)

[casil403]

I guess it's a classic case of "Be careful what you wish for":rolleyes:
I hope the hurricane doesn't do too much damage or come near Brisbane. :fingerscr

[Bambi]

hoping that you stay safe!!! I guess that there's no bike riding in a hurricane (or cyclone)? ;)

HOLY CRAP I just read the article. Category 5??! Katrina was a 3! I hope that it doesn't hit a populated area.:fingerscr:fingerscr


Keep us posted.

[Mad Aussie]

Today is beautiful! Just crawled out of bed (6.30am) and the skies are clear blue! That should change.

The cyclone is predicted for now to head towards the Cairns area where Chantelle has been recently. But you know these things ... they can change and this one is big so it will affect a lot of the coastline for sure.

No riding in cyclones for sure! I was riding in 40 kph winds the other day by the time we'd finished our 80 k ride and that was tough enough. I've stood in a Cat 2 cyclone and being blown over because the wind got into the hood of my jacket so don't particularly want this one to come down here.

Might be time to take up swimming ;)

[Michaelaw]

I don't know but I'm getting bad vibes globally of late but if we've spent any time in the "Off Topic" forum we have a good idea on the color of my brainwaves :laughing: I have a nagging feeling that the weather patterns are changing, perhaps the next hurdle will be global food shortages. Might be a good idea MA to stock up on a few weeks supply of bottled water and check your first aid kit. :thumbup:

[Mad Aussie]

I got first aid kits coming out of my ... places! We have one in the house, one in the car, one each in our camelbaks for riding, and I have another in my big toolbox for work. Even a small selection in my lunchbag for work too.

Water ... well I live about 2 k's that won't get flooded out from the local water resource ;)

[Michaelaw]

I got first aid kits coming out of my ... places! We have one in the house, one in the car, one each in our camelbaks for riding, and I have another in my big toolbox for work. Even a small selection in my lunchbag for work too.

Water ... well I live about 2 k's that won't get flooded out from the local water resource ;)

:laughing: I think I have a band aid around here somewhere but if someone offered me a million bucks to find it...I'd still be a pauper :D

[casil403]

My parents live on the coast and they always talked about how they "should" have an earthquake survival kit if the big one hits. So one year I made them one for their Christmas present. I Googled what they would need and gave it to them...every now and again I add to it when I'm out of gift ideas....can never have too much dried food, water purification or first aid supplies, flashlights and silver blankets. :)

[Mad Aussie]

I think this cyclone will hit somewhere around Mackay - Townsville and therefore not cause us too much grief down here. It's very rare for cyclones to make it this far down. We'll get some decent wind and rain for a week or more out it most likely though.

[casil403]

I think this cyclone will hit somewhere around Mackay - Townsville and therefore not cause us too much grief down here. It's very rare for cyclones to make it this far down. We'll get some decent wind and rain for a week or more out it most likely though.

:eek: One of my flickr contacts is from Townsville so I hope she is okay. Hope it doesn't kill the pier either because that one is pretty! :fingerscr

[Mad Aussie]

You can track it's progress here Tropical Cyclone Threat Map Page (1) (http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml)

It's still a long way from Ausie yet ... no way it will be here on Wed like they predicted earlier. At this rate we'll be 'lucky' if it makes it here by the weekend.

[Bambi]

so MA did it happen? was there much damage or did it blow out to sea?:shrug:

[Mad Aussie]

We've had nice weather apart from being a bit windy. The cyclone is still out there but last I heard (yesterday) had dropped to only a Cat 2. Of course even a Cat 1 cyclone is dangerous. AT this point it's still well north of us.

Most likely scenario is it will leave behind a large low that will bring a lot of unneeded rain over the next week or so after it hits land.

[Mad Aussie]

That link I put in above shows you where it is.

[Bambi]

well I am glad that it's staying away and that our southern hemisphere friends are safe!:thumbup:

[Mad Aussie]

well I am glad that it's staying away and that our southern hemisphere friends are safe!:thumbup:
There might be friends you haven't met yet in danger up there though :shrug:

[Bambi]

There might be friends you haven't met yet in danger up there though :shrug:

sorry I got excited and assumed that it would stay out to sea or be downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it hits land. :sad:

[ericmark]

It's all relative. When in the Falklands (Called windy islands in Spanish) we had 100 MPH winds on regular basis and 120 MPH was not un-know so when we heard on news about 80 MPH winds in UK we could not understand what was the big deal. Until we got home and saw how many trees it had felled.

The weather here has been a lot colder than for many years and snowmen with signs "Climate Sceptic" were made. However when I was a child the snow was worse and in Charles Dickens time the rivers would freeze over and in London fairs were held on frozen river.

Go further back and I could not see anyone today walking Hadrian's wall dressed as the Romans were so must have been warmer then?

However are you prepared? Want to see some good photos of flying trees! I have all my pictures for Christmas Cards now just have to take them while goings bad?

[Mad Aussie]

:) we always tend to be happy that people we know are not in the path of something like a cyclone of course. It may well not do more than bring rain to the areas it affects. Hopefully anyhow :)

[ericmark]

Yes I hope you are all OK. Even rain can be a problem. Either way not enough or too much. Some areas here flooded out this year and last. Not been a hose pipe ban in ages.

[Mad Aussie]

Even with our dams full they still keep watering restrictions in place here.

[Mad Aussie]

The cyclone toughed down ...

http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDQ65001.gif?1269114991199

Too far north to be a real bother to us at all. But it did get back to Cat 3 before hitting land.
Proserpine is where we had our 25th Wedding Anniversary recently .... beautiful spot .... or it was. I imagine it will be a bit flat now.
I wouldn't be wandering around in any water up there if I was around ... the Proserpine river has a HUGE amount of salt water crocs in it and flooding encourages them to wander sometimes.

Unless the low this forms travel a long way south I don't think we will get much from it here in Brisbane.

Too early to know how much damage has been done.