Australian Weather News

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Saturday 18 March 2000

Today's weather extremes

 Gales, storms in Tasmania
Heavy rain on Qld North Coast and Central West

Highest rainfall, 24 hours to 9am

190.0 Port Douglas PO Qld
170.0 Paluma Qld
126.0 South Mossman Qld
123.0 Halifax Qld

High falls in northern WA:
92.6 Wittenoom
56.6 Mulga Downs Wittenoom

The low pressure system responsible for yesterday's stormy weather around the WA and SA coasts slid underneath Tasmania today giving the island its first really windy weather of the year. The low passed just south of the south coast with a central pressure of about 985hPa, and its associated cold front crossed the state between 5 and 9am. Gale to storm force winds were reported on exposed coasts and mountain areas, with the summit of Mt Wellington recording a top wind gust of 154km/h and a top sustained (10 minute average) wind speed of 113km/h at 9.51, about 2 hours after the front passed. Winds on the summit were above gale force (63km/h) from before midnight to mid-afternoon, and above storm force (89km/h) from 8.40am to 1pm. Strong winds occurred in less exposed inland areas, but did little damage apart from bringing down small branches and leaf litter. Thunderstorms were widespread along the north coast as the front passed.

Heavy monsoonal rain continued on the Queensland North Tropical Coast, with Port Douglas receiving 190mm for the 24 hours to 9am. Paluma, a small village on the crest of the Paluma Range about halfway between Townsville and Ingham, has received 470mm in the 48 hours to 9 this morning. A large cloudmass which developed over western Qld early this morning gave Winton 12 hours of consistent moderate to heavy rain yielding 92mm to 3pm.

Highest & Lowest Temps

Maximum Minimum
40.4 Marree PO SA 28.0 Broken Hill AP NSW
14.6 Barren Tier Tas -1.5 Barren Tier Tas

Greatest variations from normal

Maximum Minimum
+12.6
37.0 Nowra RAN AP NSW
+12.2
35.5 Moruya Heads NSW
+9.6
35.8 Liverpool NSW		 +12.0
27.8 Arkaroola SA
+11.9
27.4 Broken Hill City NSW
-14.8
18.2 Leonora PO WA
-11.2
22.4 Yeelirrie WA		 -7.7
5.0 Salmon Gums WA
-7.5
6.0 Ravensthorpe WA
Other extreme readings
Rainfall:
Northern WA:
Wittenoom: 85mm in 9h to 3am
Western Qld:
Winton: 92mm in 12h to 3pm
Western Tas:
Mt Read: 35mm in 9h to noon

Wind:
NSW/Vic Alps:
Crackenback: gusts to 106km/h 3.45 to 4pm
Mt Hotham: gusts to 100km/h at 3.30 and 6pm
Tasmania:
Keogh's Pimple, Hartz Mtns: gusts to 109km/h at 9.43am
Mt Wellington Summit: gusts to 154km/h with 10-minute average of 113km/h at 9.51am
Maatsuyker Is: Average 100km/h at 9am.

Flood peaks:
Queensland:
Paroo at Hungerford: 2.00m from 6am Friday to early Sunday morning with major flooding
Cooper Creek at Durham Downs: 3.65m at 9am
Tully at Euramo: 7.30m at midnight tonight with minor flooding.

Records set this day
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  • Times stated are the clock time in force in the relevant state or territory

  • Stories, including those in the archives, are as new and corrected information becomes available, with updates underlined

  • Australian Weather News gratefully acknowledges the Bureau of Meteorology as the collector and main source of meteorological data in Australia, along with the thousands of observers who record the weather and rainfall daily. I also thank Don White and the many contributors to the Aussie Weather mailing list who routinely provide much appreciated information.