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Cyclones imminent in North Queensland

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So moXJO if you were to climb into the bathtub with the mattress over the top, how are you going to know that the 'whole thing' might come down?

If in fact the 'whole thing' by which I assume you mean the roof and the house, were to come down, wouldn't you be at least a bit safer confined in e.g. the bathtub or shower recess covered by mattress/quilts/blankets?

Most of the reports on the radio have suggested people are heading for bathrooms with mattresses, torches, candles, water etc. But it's not clear whether the mattresses are destined for lying on or putting over heads.

Wysiwyg said:
I can't find high wind speeds recorded at Cairns (gusting to 48) or Townsville (gusting to 85). I think 200 klm/h winds would be being experienced somewhere by now. Is the + 280 klm/h thing ramped up???
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I very much doubt it. Wysiwyg. Do you really think FNQ would have effectively shut down and the whole country be standing by in fear of what will happen if it were just being "ramped up" ? Why would anyone do that, fergawdsake?

Solly said:
LIVE VIDEO COVERAGE FROM CAIRNS and EDGE HILL

http://networkedblogs.com/dMclq
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Solly, that link took me to some poker game.
 
drsmith said:
The strongest winds will be in the eye wall which at the time of posting, was still off the coast.
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Cairns aerodrome about 100 klm from eye has 30 klm/h wind. Must be a recording glitch.
 
Wysiwyg said:
Cairns aerodrome about 100 klm from eye has 30 klm/h wind. Must be a recording glitch.
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No it's not, and it's highly unwise for anyone to assume so.

The shipping warning for ocean waters will give an idea how rapidly the winds decrease outwards from the eye wall.

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20008.txt

Wind over land can be much lighter than over the ocean in part due to increased friction with objects such as hills, buildings and vegetation. Note though that this effect is much less if the wind itself is blowing away surface objects such as buildings and the vegetation.
 
Yes doc. it has a smaller radius of serious wind than I assumed for a cat. 5. Outside 100 klm nothing much at all.
 
Julia said:
Most of the reports on the radio have suggested people are heading for bathrooms with mattresses, torches, candles, water etc. But it's not clear whether the mattresses are destined for lying on or putting over heads.
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Yeah, the advice I heard was to use the mattresses (coushins and blankets etc) as padding if things start falling in around you.

An interesting misconception is that the older the house the more likely it is to blow down, but from my experience, old homes built pre 1960, are generally more sturdy than those build through the 60's and 70's and some even later homes that were built to minimum standards.

The older homes that hadn't replaced those old GI nails holding the roof iron down, with screws, often lost the roof, but the frame was usually mortise jointed and often held together, whereas later homes, especially built in the 60's and 70's saw a lot of 'stylish looking' but structurally weak buildings (skew nail butt joints etc) where the whole house was likely to crumble or puff up and float away.
 
Looking like the Tully area is going to take the direct hit
 
reports of 9m seas off Towsnville, with winds getting up to 180km per hour now. My thoughts and prayers are with the residents of the north especially those in the direct line in Innisvale, Cardwell and Tully.
 
skivvy said:
reports of 9m seas off Towsnville, with winds getting up to 180km per hour now. My thoughts and prayers are with the residents of the north especially those in the direct line in Innisvale, Cardwell and Tully.
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Just heard on TV update that there have been some reports up to 11m waves... BUT these readings are false and apparently the relevent bouy should be shut down from posting soon. Apparently, they think waves are breaking over the bouy and turning it upside down giving false readings.
 

If not possible get ready to hole up in the bathtub Have the mattress at the ready
The roof normally starts to peel off; once the roof goes there is a good chance the walls will punch out as well. The mattress is to protect you from flying debris (put over you while in tub). Just have to be aware you can get stuck under the mattress if timber and such land on it if the house implodes.
Hopefully it doesn't come to that.
 

No ****. Listening to this young prat live at a place near Mission Beach and he reckons 250 270 klm/h winds and the neighbours galvanised shed was looking suspect. The shed wouldn't be there at those wind speeds.
 
How the Eye Of Yasi managed to wander it's way through the least populated part of the coast is incredible good luck.

I decided to overlay pretty much where the eye tracked on Google Earth. Tully is the only place of any significant population density (around 3,000 residents) - and it was well shielded by high ranges on its eastern & western flanks. Mission Beach is tiny in comparison to the major centres.

The rest of the landscape tracked over is primarily virgin forest, ranges or agricultural paddocks.

Amazing.... there must be a god after all. Of course, this will lead to claims by some that the whole thing was hyped to the roof, as in "Waht? Cat 5?? N-yaaaaah!" If that eye had hit one of those major centres DEAD ON as Tracy did to Darwin, I think the "no big deal" stories coming out this morning from Townsville, Innisfail & Cairns etc would be vastly different... to those unlucky few folk who HAVE suffered major property losses, best wishes.

With cyclones, it's all about the eye when it comes to max damage..... http://www.abc.net.au/news/infographics/cyclone-season-2010-2011/anatomy.htm
 

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Too true Wayne, dont worry we are praying for them : )

Well thats good to know Aussiejeff, lets hope that there arent any casualties through this. I cant comprehend how someone would stay, but each to their own.
 
Tink said:
Too true Wayne, dont worry we are praying for them : )

Well thats good to know Aussiejeff, lets hope that there arent any casualties through this. I cant comprehend how someone would stay, but each to their own.
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Most people have very strong ties to their own home. It is seen as a refuge and a safe haven. Most people would prefer to take their chances in their own home rather than flee to an unfamiliar place. At this time there have been no reported casualties among people who battened down in their homes.

Those however who feared a tidal surge would have been wise to leave. Luckily this did not happen, as the full force of the storm occurred at low tide.
 
I understand people have strong ties to their home, as I do as well, but my life comes first.

Well I am glad to hear there are no casualties Calliope.
 
Wow, what a relief to find such minimal damage this morning...

I agree with Aussiejeff that it depends where the eye crosses that usually determines the damage. Although many people prayed the cyclone would change course and move back out to sea, it seems that there was a small miracle that it moved south slightly enough to do much less damage than was anticipated.

This has reminded me of a poem - I think it was written almost a century ago:

God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.​
 
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