Thinking of the Aussies!

[Annie]

http://www.brendanloy.com/2006/04/monica-threatens-australia-with-a-144-mph-winds.html

Powerful cyclone Monica threatens Australia
# April 23, 2006 at 8:08 am EDT
Posted by Brendan Loy

Proving once again that Australia is the new Florida, Cyclone Monica is threatening to make a second landfall — this time as a Category 5 cyclone. The Australian categories are a bit different than the ones we’re used to, and Monica would actually be a Category 4 if it were in the Atlantic, with 144 mph sustained winds. But that’s plenty bad enough — “the same intensity level observed in a strong category 4 hurricane like Charley, and stronger than Katrina and Rita were at landfall.”

UPDATE, 1:45 PM: Holy cow, it keeps getting worse and worse:

This situation continues to deteriorate along the north coast of Australia. It is hard to imagine a worse situation in this area as Australian cyclones almost never reach this strength. Monica is currently much stronger than 1974’s Cyclone Tracy which is the benchmark storm for the area. As far as I can tell, Monica may be the most intense cyclone to ever impact the region or even Australia. However, records are hard to find. After striking Queensland a few days ago, Monica has crossed Gulf of Carpentaria and is strafing the coast of the Northern Territory. All of this comes as part of a recent string of cyclone strikes across the country. The latest advisory from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center lists Monica as a category 5 cyclone with sustained wind of 145 knots (167 mph) and a central pressure of 892 mb.

Monica is now over Australia’s Wessel Islands, making Monica a far worse hurricane than anything seen in the Atlantic last summer. At 892 mb, Monica is stronger than the dreaded hurricanes Katrina and Rita ever were, never mind at landfall. The symmetry seen is Monica is flawless and it is rare to ever see a tropical system look so well-defined. …

The models are very consistent with a track just along the northern coast turning inland near Darwin. Such a pass by a category 5 cyclone along the coast would be very devastating to the whole region. Darwin residents should be prepared for a strike on Tuesday.

The American model ensemble forecasts are very consistent with the other models. This leaves little doubt to the destructive path that Monica is likely to take right over Darwin, the region’s largest city.

The models also indicate likely future intensification. With Monica already being an incredible category 5 cyclone, a bad situation is likely to get worse if that is possible.​

Holy crap.