incoming !

[gus]

Huge cyclone or hurricane (cat 5) is going to hit north queensland this afternoon. They are saying its the biggest in 30 odd years.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12488339-26618,00.html

Also mentioned winds up to 290 kph (180 mph). Im well below it but the very size & ferocity of this one is really scary.

[John Mueller]

That is scary.http://www.digitalgrin.com/images/smilies/uhoh2.gifStay safe Gus.

[Angelo]

batten down the hatches and stay safe.

[gus]

That is scary.http://www.digitalgrin.com/images/smilies/uhoh2.gifStay safe Gus.Im too far to be affected but this really is a bad one for those living up there.

[wxwax]

I saw that this morning. How populated is that part of the country? I have some memory of it being fairly sparsely populated, which would be a good thing, if true.

[gus]

I saw that this morning. How populated is that part of the country? I have some memory of it being fairly sparsely populated, which would be a good thing, if true.Its no downtown Melbourne thats for sure but still there are many small coastal communities that are about to lose their homes. This is a big one so what ever it touches will be lost.

I see another brewing up on the left also.
http://theweather.news.com.au/satellite.jsp?contextcode=aus



.

[wxwax]

Key stats, other than pure rotational wind speed, are forward speed and area of strongest winds.

Forward speed's 10kph, which is bad, 'cause that's pretty slow, meaning winds and rain will stay over a given area for longer.

Circumference of damaging winds is 35km, in the linked report. That ain't so bad. If the center of circulation misses a major pop. center by 15 km, they should be OK.

Looks like it's getting less organized as it approaches, which is another good thing.