Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi

[Stretch]

Gonna be a rough 48 hours.

Taken from the QPS Facebook page;

341 schools closed this week
Cairns and Townsville airports expected to close this morning.
500 extra specialist police ready to go in to help out.
Residents reminded to listen out to ABC broadcasts for up to date evacuation and storm information
280km/h winds expected this evening and rainfall of up to 700mm.
Electricity likely to be cut across most areas later today.
Storm surge water levels could reach as high as 4m in some areas. Levels will vary depending on geography.
Cyclone currently tracking south of Cairns. Cyclone Yasi expected to hit between Cairns and Cardwell with the most extreme conditions expected in this area.
Cyclone Yasi is currently travelling at approximately 30km/h. Current information suggests the eye of the cyclone is 35km wide (meaning the eye alone will take roughly an hour to pass).
Residents urged to prepare shelter in the strongest parts of their home (normally the bathroom and/or toilet areas). Prepare mattresses as cover to falling debris. Residents also urged to compile food and battery supplies prior.
Police urging motorists to consider road safety. Conditions will be getting increasingly difficult with excessive winds likely to make driving difficult.
Yasi could reach the Atherton Tablelands as a Category 3 cyclone.
Smaller communities suck as Cook and Palm Island, have evacuation and response plans in place.
Police urging the community not to take unnecessary risks and to utilise common sense.
If you are in a danger area leave now, don’t pack just go.
The roads will be closed in the next few hours.
Gail force winds are expected in the next 2-3hrs.
If you are staying in your home, it is going to noisy, there will be no electricity and no telecommunications.

[jrd]

I don't envy them...

Projected path with category and intensity depicted:

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml

[Phantom]

Just a snap shot at the moment:

Here is the latest wx forecast for Cairns...

CAIRNS (YBCS)
TAF AMD YBCS 012329Z 0200/0224
16025G35KT 9999 LIGHT SHOWERS OF RAIN BKN025
FM020200 16035G50KT 9999 LIGHT SHOWERS OF RAIN BKN025
FM020800 21050G70KT 6000 RAIN BKN015
FM021100 250100G140KT 2000 RAIN BKN010 OVC015
FM021800 35050G80KT 6000 RAIN BKN015
TEMPO 0200/0208 3000 RAIN BKN015
TEMPO 0208/0218 0500 HEAVY RAIN BKN005 OVC010
RMK FM020200 SEV TURB BLW 5000FT TILL022400
T 30 29 27 26 Q 1004 1001 997 995

METAR YBCS 020100Z AUTO 17012KT //// // SCT049 BKN056 OVC067 31/21
Q////
RMK RF00.0/000.2

ATIS YBCS Z 012353
CAIRNS ATS NOT AVBL.
CAIRNS AD CLOSED DUE TO PASSAGE
OF TROPICAL CYCLONE.
REFER TO NOTAM FOR SERVICE RESUMPTION



Looks like from 9pm the start of the huge 140kt winds are forecast to arrive....


Looking like Innisfail will cop it again....

[rooster]

Starting to have some affect, just saw this page come up:

0380758 16:15:56 H: FIRECOM NTH IS EVACUATING - NORMAL RADIO COMMS AVAIL THRU FIRECOM ATHERTON - NO CHANGE TO RADIO PROCEDURE - CAPT TO HAVE MOB PH FROM APHA APPLIANCE &
QFRS - NORTHERN

0380758 16:16:11 H: CONT. & PORT RADIO IF APPLIC. PAGING IS STILL AVAILABLE AT THIS STAGE. ATHERTON PH 404915285 & 4091 5074. STAY SAFE TINA
QFRS - NORTHERN

[rossmutz]

Firecom Atherton operated overnight on the night of the cyclone and covered both Northern and Far Northern Regions. The following morning 501T from Kemp Place was in Townsville and took over as firecom for both regions for a couple of hours until both comms centres re-opened.