After the storm

Living here in Darwin turns you into a climatologist and an aspiring architect: Here is the rainfall report for Leanyer (12.3784°S 130.9057°E)

• Tuesday 15/2/2011 = 178.4 mm
• Wednesday 16/2/2011 = 344.2 mm
• Total rainfall to date for February 2011  = 661.8 mm (over 11 days or rain)

(Who wrote that? Was that the really boring fellow who was interested in rainfall – Eric Oldthwaite from Ripping Yarns?)

Here’s evidence that we really did have storms this week –>

Enough about rainfall. Now architecture. The flat I’m renting  stood up well to the cyclonic conditions. It’s built on a little blimp of a hill, so above any backwash or storm surge. Good depth in the overhanging eaves, leaving distance between me and the persistent weather, but room for the breezes to move in and out and cool the place down at other times. Housing is a constant topic of conversation in Darwin – it is, believe me.

It’ll be difficult when I  do move south again. Imagine not talking all the time about weather, water and wind speed – and that is about 30-40kph today.

How life changes with the geography. Which leads us nicely on to the latitude of Leanyer, part of the tropical northern city of Darwin . . . Isn’t it lunch time you say. Prefer to change the topic? Ok, time to raid the cyclone kit  – but there’s just heaps of tinned fish in there, and litres of  UHT soy milk . . .well those are supplies for an emergency event, not for My Kitchen Rules.

It’s the bom

Esther has been telling me about the wonders of the Bureau of Meteorology site (the BOM.), and I’ve liked going there since I came to Darwin – especially after our special cyclone briefing at work in November. So exciting: what will I learn about cyclones today? How close is that one they mentioned over Queensland?

But I don’t want to get too obsessive – and I won’t mention this to Esther. I already have two books about cyclones in Darwin, yes, about Tracy.

Anyway, watching TV tonight, a warning comes up on the bottom of the screen – severe thunderstorm warning over Darwin – go to the BOM site.

Interesting. All quiet here. Well who is really going to take notice do you think? I can’t hear thunder. She pokes head outside the bunker door – nothing. All quiet on the northern suburbs front. But wait – not too long after that thunder rumbles away like an upset stomach – rumbling, flashes of light, more thunder – a bit of excitement, eh! Is my cyclone kit ready she wonders. Bit under-stocked perhaps… Sticks head out bunker door again – ah yes – here it comes – the frangipani tree is waving away like crazy in the wind, the palms are flapping about, the rain drives through.

Hmm, should I move the car in off the street? Well what does it matter: what sort of tree branch do I want to drop on my car? A tall thin palm tree? Or the branch from a massive great humungus – I don’t know – mahogany tree? – which leans over the street and the kids’ playground opposite.

Which way will the wind blow, she wonders? Can she pick it? or will it be like standing in the supermarket queue, wondering if she chose the right checkout aisle, or has she as usual chosen the wrong one, the one where you stand for hours, possibly turning to stone as you wait for that price check . . .

Who knows what is the best choice. What will be will be. You get very philosophical up here. What can you do? If Tracy II comes along, well what can I lose? My car is really the only thing of value I have up here, other than my flute (well valuable to me), and the photos of my sons.

The thunder continues.

Back to the BOM. site. They said the storm would pass over the northern suburbs at 9.50am I think, and it did! Wow! what weather prediction! And half an hour later they have updated the website and say the threat has passed! I love it. Go the BOM!

More on cyclones

History of cyclones in Darwin:

http://www.ntlib.nt.gov.au/tracy/advanced/History_Cyclones.html

Two bad ones of particular interest to me – 1937 (just prior to WWII) and 1974 (Tracy).