Tropical Cyclone Hamish - Queensland, Australia - March 2009

[Michael Thompson]

TC's and Hurricanes are not my main interest, therefore I cannot add much on a technical note.

The latest cylcone threat map issued by the Australia Bureau of Meteorology has a rather concerning path.

http://ozthunder.com/temp/hamish.gif

Older sugar mill towns like MacKay, Rockhampton and Bunaberg are fairly safe as they have seen their share of cyclones and floods over the last 150 years. But each of these older towns has a satellite modern development such Shute Harbour, Bagara, Yeppoon and Hervey Bay that have grown up in the 30 years with retirees beachside homes and tourist resorts.

Probably sounds familiar !

The cylone went through a lovely eyewall replacement cycle about 12 hours ago, looked great on animated satellite.

Play with the settings here for an animation

http://realtime2.bsch.au.com/vis_sat2.html?region=nqld&loop=no&images=&allday=&start=&stop=#nav

[Wes Carter]

I just looked on the Bureau of Meteorology website and it shows this cyclone being a category 4. I hope that adequate preparations were made.

So, is this within driving distance for you? You might be able to catch a funnel or two on the western flank of the storm. Personally, I wouldn't want to get up close and personal with a storm of this strength. But then again hurricanes, or severe TC's rather, are not my forte. I still have a bit of a bad taste from Hugo in September of 1989.

You all take care down there!

[Michael Thompson]

I wopuld love to chase this, but cannot afford the money or time off work. I am about 24 hours drive from the area.

[Stuart Robinson]

Latest model guideince and observations suggests that Hamish has reached CAT5 strenth during the last few hours

Therefore, Hamish has now been re-classified as a CAT5 Cyclone.

[Willoughby Owen]

Category 5 on the BoM's 10PM update! - Very rare to have such beasts in the Coral Sea!



Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish at 10:00 pm EST:
.Centre located near...... 18.5 degrees South 149.3 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 19 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the southeast at 17 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 295 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 5
.Central pressure......... 930 hectoPascals


Check out the structure at 0925z, impressive!
http://imgur.com/GEF2.jpg

Sat loop: http://www.goes.noaa.gov/sohemi/sohemiloops/shirgmscol.html

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

It appears to have one of those small eyes too ... Notorious for very abrupt changes in intensity.

[richhorodner]

Actual course through today, a little further offshore and a little weaker than earlier forecasts:

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf_web/image_archives/2009/sh182009.09030912.gif

time sensitive image

[Michael Thompson]

Hamish died a rather death a couple of days ago when torn apart by wind shear. The cirrus shield took off NE at the rate of knots, while the surface circulation which almost lacked convection remained.

Unfortunately the cyclone indirectly has taken a environmental toll. A large container ship lost 20 shipping containers of ammonia nitrate overboard, but if that was not bad enough one of the containers ripped a hole in the side of the ships fuel tank.

Oil is now washing ashore on the sunshine coast beaches.