REVscene Automotive Forum - Cyclone to bring '24 hours of terror'

This looks like hell

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...02/3127394.htm

Quote:

Queenslanders have been told to prepare themselves for a terrifying 24 hours as the "most catastrophic storm ever" takes aim at heavily populated areas of the state's north.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi was upgraded to category five this morning as the weather bureau warned it was likely to be "more life-threatening" than any storm seen in Australia in living memory.

Tens of thousands of people are fleeing their homes ahead of the monster storm, which is expected to hit the coast between Cairns and Innisfail with winds of up to 295 kilometres per hour near the core.

Premier Anna Bligh says the storm's expected landfall at about midnight AEST tonight is the worst possible news for a state which is already reeling from recent flooding.

She says Cyclone Yasi is the "most catastrophic storm to ever hit our coast".

"Frankly, I don't think Australia has ever seen a storm of this intensity in an area as populated as this stretch of our coast," she said.

"Whether it's cyclonic devastating winds, storm surge, or torrential rain further west as a result of this, we are facing an extreme event that will not be over in 24 hours, but will possibly take several days before the full flooding effect is felt across the region as well, potentially right through to Mount Isa.

"We are facing a storm of catastrophic proportions in a highly populated area. You've heard all of the statistics and what it all adds up to is a very, very frightening time for people and their families.

"This is not something that passes over the coast and is over in an hour. This is 24 hours of quite terrifying winds, anywhere up to 300 kilometres per hour, torrential rain, likely loss of electricity and mobile communications. People really need to be preparing themselves mentally as much as anything else."

The weather bureau says Cyclone Yasi poses an "extremely serious threat" to life and property within the warning area, especially between Port Douglas and Townsville.

"This impact is likely to be more life-threatening than any experienced during recent generations," the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.

This morning, Cyclone Yasi was estimated to be 650 kilometres east north-east of Cairns and 650 kilometres north-east of Townsville, moving west south-west at 30 kilometres per hour.

The bureau says the low category five cyclone will continue to move in a west-south-westerly direction today, but could become a high category five before making landfall.

'Horrific' wind

Senior bureau forecaster Gordon Banks says it could take at least 24 hours for Cyclone Yasi to weaken after it crosses the coast.

"There's still potential for it to become stronger ... as a strong category five we could see wind gusts in excess of 320 kilometres an hour, which is just horrific."

He added: "If you're bunkering down in the regions it's going to be quite frightening and it's going to go on and on for quite some time."

The storm's size and power dwarfs Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin in 1974, killing 71 people.

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* In an emergency, call the State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500
* Current weather warnings

A cyclone warning is current for island and coastal areas from Cape Melville and Sarina, extending inland to Croydon and Hughenden.

The bureau says damaging winds with gusts up to 90kph are expected to develop on coastal islands later this morning, then extend onto the coast during the day, and further inland across the northern tropical interior overnight.

Between Cooktown and Ingham these winds will become destructive with gusts in excess of 125kph during the afternoon and very destructive with gusts above 280kph between Port Douglas and Cardwell during the evening as the cyclone approaches.

The very destructive winds can also occur on the seaward side of hills to the north of the cyclone and are also forecast to reach the Atherton Tablelands.

Flooding rains will develop from Cooktown to Sarina during the afternoon and then extend inland overnight.

A cyclone watch is current for coastal areas from the remaining tropical interior east of Camooweal and north of Winton. Read more in link