Odds on for another big weather event

It’s not over yet. The wet season, spanning 1 November to late April, has a way to run and the elements, led by sea surface temperatures, are combining to produce another event or two. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting an average to slightly above average cyclone season and the peak times are February and March. Of the three or four cyclones that form in the Coral Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria each year, one was typically likely to make landfall said Senior Meteorologist Dean Narramore. Conditions were ripening said Mr Narramore. “One of the key ingredients is at least sea surface temperatures of at or greater than around 27 degrees and that provides a lot of our energy for any tropical lows and our cyclones, or if and when they do get going,” he said. “The Coral Sea has been running quite a bit above average over the last few months. In December, it was actually one of its warmest Decembers on record for the Coral Sea in terms of sea surface temperatures. Flooding in Mackay last week “So that was one of our key ingredients for tropical cyclones and also monsoon. When we get those monsoon bursts across northern parts of Australia, they're kind of another key ingredients to spin up any of our tropical lows.” Cyclones were associated with Monsoonal bursts, the like of which was recently visited on North and Central Queensland, Mr Narramore said. Bowen recorded more than 490mm over the past seven days (to Friday 20 Jan) and 477mm was recorded at Mackay. There were also heavy falls in the north with 186mm recorded at Kowanyama on the western cape and more than 150mms recorded at Esmerelda Station between the northern Territory border and Cardwell. The rain forced open cut coal operations to close. Those closer to the coast around Collinsville were more effected. Related: Central Queensland miners held up, on leave or stood down Conditions were expected to be stable this week said Mr Narramore. “We're almost in a monsoonal break type period, so we're just seeing showers and thunderstorms across northern parts of the country, including Cape York and through the Gulf. These are just more of our hit and miss variety storms. “And further south through inland parts of Queensland, we could see days of showers. Some could be severe as well, but at least in the next seven days, we're not looking at any tropical low activity either in the Gulf of Carpentaria or in the Coral Sea.” Photo: Flooding in Mackay last week.

Odds on for another big weather event

Industry Queensland

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