While flooding, fires, and humidity have made life difficult for many Australians in recent weeks, it seems like there might be a reprieve as a monsoon system that is causing havoc across Australia is expected to end before the weekend.
A monsoonal storm system brought tropical moisture from the Equator with it, causing massive rainfalls across the continent.
In remote parts of South Australia, an extra 100mm of rain fell. This hampered efforts for restoration of roads and rail lines that were damaged by floods caused ex-tropical hurricane Tiffany.
The situation meant that desert communities across Western Australia, SA, and the Northern Territory were left cut off for the week.
Desert communities are starving. Alice and Darwin are running out of food. Food bank almost out supplies Half of all NT prison inmates now have COVID. Is there any information about govt supply flights to the NT?
— Celeste Liddle (@Utopiana) February 1, 2022
The Royal Australian Air Force began airlifting supplies to Coober Pedy Monday. Store shelves in other regional centres like Alice Springs were still empty after Covid spread made it impossible for the town to reach land.
Although it is rare, the rain caused the Todd River to flow in Alice Springs for the second time within three months. It last flowed on 10 November, when 100mm of rain fell within 24 hours.
The Kimberley in the west has seen record breaking temperatures of 50.7C in mid January and widespread flooding.
Despite the fact that areas around Perth and Geraldton are bracing themselves for bushfires and sweating through temperatures approaching 40C, Broome recorded more rain in the 48 hours starting Sunday morning than it did all of 2021 with 564mm.
Country Downs, a cattle ranch just north of Broome, recorded the most extreme conditions. It received 652mm of rain in 24 hours, more than Melbourne’s annual rainfall. This is the second highest daily rainfall record in WA.
Jonathan How from Bureau of Meteorology stated that central Australia’s situation should improve by Thursday, but that flood waters could continue to rise before they drain into inland salt lakes.
The rain has stopped on Thursday. Some cooler air is now coming through. It’s basically cooler air coming from the Southern Ocean. It moves up towards the monsoon, which causes it to break up and move away.
Queensland has good news as well. The state has been enduring a combination of high temperatures and high humidity. Some areas have been ravaged by severe storms overnight.
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Warm water from Coral Sea caused temperatures to feel 5C-10C hotter these past few days due to hot, steamy winds blowing across Queensland’s coast.
Although Brisbane’s maximum temperature was 34C on Tuesday, it felt closer to 38C due to the humidity. Although the temperature was already 32C at 9am on Wednesday, it felt more like 37C.
This humidity also caused thunderstorms throughout the state. South-east Queensland was struck by a storm in Logan that knocked down powerlines and destroyed roofs. It also recorded more than 100,000 lightning strike.
A tornado was reported to have struck Browns Plains. However, the Bureau has yet to confirm the sighting.
To be called a tornado, it must touch the ground. We are calling it a tornado at this stage.
Nationals MP Matt Canavan stated that the storm left at least 23,000 people without electricity. Quickly blamable On renewable energy: Green energy cannot keep the lights on.
Energex, however said that the outages were caused due to a vehicle hitting a pole during a storm, as well as underground cable faults. It had nothing whatsoever to do with renewables.
We are working to repair damage that has caused power outages to more than 21k customers across SEQ. This is mostly due storms, vehicle collisions with poles, underground cable faults and branches. Keep an eye out for fallen lines and call 13 19 62 immediately to report any problems. #takecarestaylineaware pic.twitter.com/jBT4c8HDQx
— Energex (@Energex) February 1, 2022
The energy market regulator AEMO was forced into intervention with its reverse trade mechanism. StatementIt would closely monitor reserve levels to ensure adequate supply when the evening peak-demand period approaches.
Although flash flooding has been warned by the Bureau of Meteorology ahead of heavy rain overnight it is expected that this will help to clear out humidity and lower temperatures throughout Queensland going into the weekend.
Although heavy rains may be expected in parts of northern New South Wales this weekend, they are not expected to have the same effect on Sydney. Cooler air means humidity will have dropped in Melbourne as the city heats-up over the weekend. The city is expected to reach the low 30s by the middle of next week.
