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Sunday 16 April 2000

Severe storms sweep northern Tasmania
A line of severe thunderstorms riding ahead of a cold front swept across northern Tasmania in the early hours of this morning with strong winds causing substantial damage to the area around Devonport. The storm hit Devonport around 2am, with wind gusts to 81km/h recorded at the Airport, and higher gusts likely in the area. The greatest damage occurred around Ulverstone, 15km west of Devonport, where houses were unroofed. The roof of one house was reported to have been blown 500m. Trees and powerlines were down in a 7km wide strip from Ulverstone through Devonport to the Latrobe area, possibly the result of a microburst of downward rushing air from one of the storm cells. The storms were accompanied by dramatic electrical activity and around 15 to 25mm of rain. They are an uncommon event in northern Tasmania and even more unusual at this hour and this time of year.

Today's highest rainfall totals for the 24 hours to 9am

64.0 Yakkamunga Derby WA
53.0 Cape Fourcroy NT
45.6 Udialla Derby WA
44.0 Low Rocky Point Tas

Heavy falls in northern Tas:
29.6 Barrington
28.0 Preolenna
27.0 Sheffield School Farm
26.0 Cape Grim

Today's highest & lowest temps

Other extremes

Rainfall:
Halls Ck AP WA: 53mm in 6h to 9pm
Birdsville Qld: 30mm in 6h to 9am
St George AP Qld: 38mm in 2h to 5pm
Walgett AP NSW: 26mm in 4h to 6pm
Wagga AP NSW: 25.8mm in 40m to 1pm with 11.8mm in 10m to 12.44pm
Sheffield Tas: 23mm in 3h to 3am
Wynyard AP Tas: 18mm in 3h to 3am
Low Rocky Point Tas: 20mm in 1h to 2am

Wind:
Devonport AP Tas: gusts to 81km/h at 2.10 and 2.12am
Launceston AP Tas: 10 min average speed of 59km/h to 3.18am

Records set this day

.
Maximum Minimum
37.0 Julia Creek Qld 27.0 Barrow Is AP WA
6.7 Falls Creek Vic 3.3 Wandering WA

Greatest variations from normal

Maximum Minimum
+5.0
32.4 Miles Qld
+5.0
32.2 Mitchell Qld		 +7.8
12.0 Tarraleah Tas
-7.7
17.6 Lake Cargelligo NSW		 -6.9
7.0 Pearce AP WA
-6.9
4.0 Narrogin PO WA

  • 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.