It’s been 23 days since Rockhampton Airport recorded any substantial rainfall.
Farmer Steve and his mates can’t remember when they had such a dry February!
In fact one said he got nothing for the month!
After some research the airport recorded 29.4mm for the month. This was the 10th driest in 84 years. Lowest was 2.8mm in 1965, second 4.4mm in 1990 and third 8.4mm in 1983.
Total annual rainfall for 1965 was 471mm. While 1990 was 1398mm and 1983 was 1062mm.
A trough to our west Thursday teased with lightning during the evening.
Some good totals for parts of CQ.
Best totals(mm) 51 Mid Kroombit, Cracow 30, Tieri 24, Callide Dam 23, Malakoff 22, Duaringa 21, Duckponds 20, Foleyvale 18, Lonesome Ck /Theodore. 18, Rolleston 12, Boyne Is. 2, Westwood 1, Glad 0.2. Up north heavy rain and floods from a Tropical Low(TL) of 999hPa flooded the Victoria River area with 300mm in three days; moved into the Barkley.
Camooweal had 73mm to 9am Friday and floods about the NT/Qld border from Doomadgee west have closed the Savannah Railway. The TL looks like moving into the Gulf and causing more drama for the Western Cape Rivers and the Tip on the weekend.
Yes! The Monsoon is still happening. With Tropical Cyclone ‘Judy’ hitting Port Vila Wednesday with gusts on the islands of 220kph. Twice the speed of “Marcia”. Followed by her brother ‘Kevin’ glancing Port Vila on Friday. Both heading towards – you guessed it!! NZ. Maybe not this time!? Jan after her return from NZ painted a devastating picture of the floods in North Island. Even the earthquake that followed. Plus four days in a row of 30C for Dunedin. Usually one day, not four. Was this climate change?
Fires last week around Miles with dewpoints near zero ( extremely dry) and now fires around Moonie with low single figure dewpoints; very dry. In 1974 after 3 La Nina’s in a row, large fires covered most of inland Australia. From October 1974 to February 1975, 117 million hectares was burnt. This could be the end of the third La Nina. Does this mean it could happen again?
INTERNATIONAL
VANUATU – Severe Tropical Cyclone ‘Judy’ hit Port on Wednesday with 220kph gusts. Early evacuations and cyclone centres may have prevented fatalities. Now Severe Tropical Cyclone ‘Kevin” with a centre of 974 hPa is glancing at Port Vila on Friday. Plus at 4am an Earthquake registering 5.4 was detected 89km from Luganville Vanuatu. One feels for the poor island nation.
USA – The severe winter snow continues in most of inland USA. Plus floods for California and to top it off tornadoes in Texas. Mostly driven by ‘super cold’ NE winds from a deep North Atlantic Low.
FRANCE – The very dry conditions have caused the Loire River to be the lowest in many years.
RUSSA – An Arctic Low with a centre of 976hPa is driving cold air from the North Pole into most of Europe.
FORECAST
The twin cyclones to the Pacific and a high in the south is associated with a trough in the Central Highlands.
Middle Level Cloud over most of CQ may be enough to help trigger a few thundery showers late Friday and develop patchy rain overnight for eastern Capricornia.
A slight surge in the coastal winds (Kevin) should ease by Tuesday. This will allow warmer northerlies to return and make the maximums 34/35C Wednesday. Being autumn light winds could assist mist/fog forming early.
Particularly along the southern Bruce mid to late week.
A trough over the Central Highlands late Wednesday should trigger isolated thundery showers for the Capricorn Highway. May not reach the Fitzroy.
The Monsoon in the north is not over. Still a chance of a low in the Coral Sea developing late next week.
