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 Coastal Bureau rain gauges from Townsville nearly to Cairns received over 100mm as the remains of Owen arrived from the NW. Most in the Ingham region were from 300 to over 600mm. BoM |
 QLD: ex-TC Owen brings over half a metre of rain to FNQ
Sun 16 Dec 2018
Tropical Cyclone Owen crossed the SE Gulf of Carpentaria coast about 70km S of Kowanyama at 03.00 on Saturday 15th as a low-end Category 3 cyclone. Removed from its energy supply in the warm waters of the Gulf, it slowly weakened becoming a tropical low a little over 12 hours later as it crossed the southern Cape York Peninsula. It then crossed the Far North QLD coast into the Coral Sea north of Ingham in the early hours of Sunday 16th. Its approach and arrival brought phenomenal rainfall to an area east of the town.
Because Owen was a small, tight system, Kowanyama was spared damage, but the few properties along its track as it weakened over land still received heavy rain and high winds with downed trees and powerlines reported. Dorunda, 60km inland and right on Owen's track, received 146mm in the two hours to 07.00 15th.
As the former cyclone approached the east coast during Saturday evening 15th, powerful updrafts into cumulonimbus clouds around the ex-TC combined with strong, moist onshore winds to cause explosive development as this BoM satellite animation around dawn shows. Halifax, near the mouth of the Herbert River 15km NE of Ingham, recorded a huge 681mm in the 24 hours to 09.00 Sunday 16th. 556mm of that fell in the 10 hours to 05.00 by which time ex-TC Owen was taking its storms and rain out to sea. The most intense rain was 124mm in the hour to 22.00 Saturday 15th. Nearby Lucinda Point recorded a wind gust of 100km/h at 03.30 on Sunday 16th.
Phenomenal rains were mostly limited to within 15km of Halifax. Other very high totals in the 24 hours to 09.00 Sunday 16th were Macknade Sugar Mill, just west of Halifax, 517mm and Lucinda Township, just east, 500mm. Cardwell Range, 12km WNW of Halifax, reported 552mm. Ingham itself recorded 495mm. Rain totals gradually diminished away from the Ingham area, but for example Bambaroo, 25km S of Ingham, still recorded 321mm. Several rainfall stations with very long histories rewrote the record books, with new all-time records set at Halifax (122 years) and Cardwell Range (54), and new December records at Lucinda (123) and Bambaroo (100). There's a full list of new records in the Records section, and a list of all rain totals over 50mm in the Wettest section.
The final warning for the system was issued late afternoon Saturday 15th. It showed ex-TC Owen would steadily pull away from the coast the next day taking its rain out to sea with it. Feared heavy falls farther south were forecast in case the ex-TC moved closer to the coast, but only some limited thunderstorms eventuated.
Despite general rain in the area of 200 to over 500mm less than a week ago, the passage of the ex-TC caused no river gauges to rise above minor flood level. However, coastal reaches of the Herbert River and its tributarles resembled an inland sea, with weekly rain totals between 700 and, at Halifax, 1045mm. Sugar cane crops in the area were ruined and some livestock killed. Flooding closed the main Bruce Highway at at least two locations on Sunday 16th while numerous secondary and local roads remained closed into the next week. Police reports of sightings of crocodiles and snakes on roads and in floodwaters added to continued dangers in the area.
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