Cyclone Alert for Perth

[Chops]

A TROPICAL cyclone which has been menacing North-West communities this week is expected to bring wild weather to Perth and the South-West by Sunday.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a cyclone watch for coastal areas from Jurien Bay to Albany as the category three storm continues to track south.

"On Saturday, Bianca will move in a southeasterly direction towards the southwest corner of the state while weakening steadily," the bureau says.

"However, there is a significant risk that Bianca will maintain tropical cyclone intensity as it approaches the coast early on Sunday.

"If this scenario eventuates, coastal areas between Jurien Bay and Albany could experience damaging winds with gusts to 120km/h.

"On Sunday, tides between Jurien Bay and Cape Naturaliste are likely to rise signficantly above the normal high tide mark with very rough seas, dangerous surf and flooding of low lying coastal areas.

EXMOUTH and the Pilbara region have been given the all clear this morning as tropical cyclone Bianca moves away from the WA coast. The cyclone has forced the suspension of oil and gas production and port facilities in the region, and more than 50 Exmouth residents were relocated to Exmouth Shire Hall overnight..

FESA State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers were on standby to help local communities, but there was no major damage reported to homes or other infrastructure due to the community being well prepared.

At 6.15am a high-level red alert put in place at 3.30am for communities in or near Exmouth was revised to an all clear as the cyclone headed out to sea.

All roads closed by the cyclone have been reopened.

At 5am the Bureau of Meteorology advised that Severe Tropical Cyclone Bianca was estimated to be 325 kilometres west of Exmouth and 300 kilometres west-northwest of Coral Bay.

It was moving southwest at 30 km/h.

Bianca is expected to continue to move in a southwest direction away from the coast and damaging winds are no longer expected.

Strong and gusty winds are still possible between Cape Preston and Carnarvon, though these will ease during the day.

[patch697]

Bloody glad to here your all ok Chops & I hope none of our other members are in harms way.

My thoughts are with all who are.

[Woof]

May have to start battening down the hatches, forecast to hit Bunbury which is just down the road from here.

[NissanGQ4.2]

May have to start battening down the hatches, forecast to hit Bunbury which is just down the road from here.

Aren't u moving Wayne, let the wind be your friend, it will help u move all your belongings quickly!

Only joking mate, hope it stays well away from all

[patch697]

May have to start battening down the hatches, forecast to hit Bunbury which is just down the road from here.

My Uncle lives there Doggy, can you keep me updated please.

[Chops]

Yeah all good here, tying stuff down with truck straps is pretty solid. The wind was pretty wild, but I get off on stuff like that, love the wild storms with wind, rain, thunder and lightening. To be honest, it wasn't really that bad a cyclone. If it came closer to the coast, then yes it would of been pretty bad. Having lived here through Cyclone Vance in 1999, now that was wild. Having rain pouring through the gaps around windows and the front door, watching the front door bow with the pressure was different. The wind was officially 267kms/h, although unofficially people reported some weather gear blew out at 300kms/h.

Personally I think the people of Perth having bugger all to worry about. If you live around Geraldton or Jurien Bay area, that may be a different story. I was surprised to see with the latest report at 3pm today, the cyclone had intensified slightly.

As usual, the media is blowing this out of proportion.

[Woof]

My Uncle lives there Doggy, can you keep me updated please.

No worries Pauly will do, they just issued a state wide fire warning due to the chance of strong winds.
Here is that latest warning.
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Western Australia

PRIORITY
Coastal Waters Wind Warning
For Mandurah to Walpole.
Issued at 4:05 pm WST on Friday 28 January 2011

Synoptic situation
TC Bianca will lie to the west of Geraldton, and combine with a ridge of high
pressure to the south of the State.

Strong Wind Warning
Mandurah to Cape Leeuwin
E/SE'ly winds strengthening to 20/30 knots during Saturday afternoon and
evening. Seas to 2.0m. Swell to 1.5m.

Strong Wind Warning
Cape Leeuwin to Walpole
S/SE'ly winds strengthening to 20/30 knots during Saturday afternoon and
evening. Seas to 2.5m. Swell to 1.5m.


The next warning will be issued by 11:00 pm WST Friday.

Please be aware
Wind gusts can be a further 40 percent stronger than the averages given here,
and maximum waves may be up to twice the height.

[Woof]

Just found this, personally I think it may end up a "storm in a teacup", well hopefully.
http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDW60280.gif?1296198589082

[Chops]

Cyclones need warm water to fuel their fury. Since this cyclone is still nearly 1000kms away from Perth, its impossible yet to say where it will go. Its also moving extremely fast for a cyclone, which makes it even more unpredictable.

Some very interesting reading.
http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/wa/perth.shtml#historical

[Clunk]

Been keeping an I on the old warnings myself, hope nothing comes of it, been too much crazy going ons lately, what with floods, fires and stuff. Also supposed to be going out for some 4wd'n fun on Sunday.

[Chops]

I must say I am surprised, the latest update at 6pm stated the cyclone is now a Category 4 with winds to 230kms/h. Wishing I was in Perth now....

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDW24100.txt

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDW60281.shtml

[Finly Owner]

hang in there WA

[Woof]

All clear here at the moment, just another evening in paradise

[TheFlyingBadger]

All clear here at the moment, just another evening in paradise

albeit a stinking hot one...

[XLR8]

Hopefully it is my imagination but the path and characteristics of Bianca have a striking resemblance to Alby, which hit the lower south west in '78 causing widespread damage from Perth to Bunbury

http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/wa/alby.shtml

[nowoolies]

bugger there goes the fishing trip !!!!!

[Woof]

Looks like it may hit Mandurah now but it has been downgraded.
http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDW60280.gif?1296272903649

[NissanGQ4.2]

yeh seen that wayne, take care mate, looks like North QLD have a cyclone headed there way 2! Only time i can say i like 2 live in NSW, we get none of that here ( well not yet anyway! )

[Clunk]

ok, well that started quickly......... heavy rain and thunder. Good to see the BOM can get it right. At least it's cooled down a little lol

[Almost Dun]

Pffffft it rained here for about 2 min then went back to being bloody hot , blown out of proportion me thinks

Bugger really cause i like a good storm

[Woof]

Absolutely poured down this morning at 0500 for about an hour, don't know where it came from but I got drenched winding the windows up it the Q.
Fined up at about 0700, sun came out and the humidity has been nearly unbearable all day.
Just had a lot of rain, thunder and lightning now it is all quiet, who knows whats going to happen.

[Chops]

Its the calm before the storm. Its been humid here for the last few weeks really, bloody great isn't it.

[Woof]

Its the calm before the storm. Its been humid here for the last few weeks really, bloody great isn't it.

Well it is so still here at the moment not the usual seabreeze, can only hear the birds all going feral.
I love the heat..........hate the humidity.

[Woof]

I do like thunder and lightning but won't go out and watch it again when it is raining, last time myself and my Blue Heeler did that lightning struck the ground about 100 metres away and I felt the electricity go up my legs, the Blue dog yelped and ran into her kennel, I yelled and ran inside to the beer fridge.http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/
My legs were still tingling 1 hour laterhttp://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

[Finly Owner]

I do like thunder and lightning but won't go out and watch it again when it is raining, last time myself and my Blue Heeler did that lightning struck the ground about 100 metres away and I felt the electricity go up my legs, the Blue dog yelped and ran into her kennel, I yelled and ran inside to the beer fridge.http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/
My legs were still tingling 1 hour laterhttp://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

Bloody lucky to be telling story I'd say

[Woof]

Tim, we are a very tough breed over here matehttp://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

[Finly Owner]

Tim, we are a very tough breed over here matehttp://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

Sounds like it mate, dogs too.