Tornado Watch 2013

Another year, another season of Tornadoes/twisters - whatever you like to call them!

I was going to wait and see if someone a little higher on the ATS food chain would start this topic, but none so far have, and as of this afternoon - Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia has had THREE in a 3 hour period! - Which, while yes, we do have tornadoes, three in one afternoon is slightly rarer!

Info Below.
Three tornadoes hit coastal town [Courier Mail]



Google map of tornado locations

I've heard reports of 5 people injured on Oz Cyclone Chasers - 2 critical as a tree fell on their car during the tornado.
Oz Cyclone Chasers Faceboo (must be a FB member to view)

Storm chasers/watchers are reporting a watch for Hervey Bay/Sunshine coast overnight as it heads south. In related news south of the affected area, towards Brisbane and the NSW North coast are on watch for winds up to 125km/h [77mph]

Map of threatened areas from Reed Trimmer FB - Again, need a facebook to view the site & updates


Another image from "Hitz939 Bundaberg" - No link, was posted via Oz Cyclone Watchers, linked above

A further update

A THIRD tornado has hit Coonarr near Bundaberg after tornadoes earlier ripped through Burnett Heads and Bargara, leaving at least 17 people injured.

The tornadoes have left at least 17 people injured and two people seriously hurt.

The first tornado ripped through the seaside town of Bargara, near Bundaberg, about 1pm bringing down powerlines, tearing off roofs and flinging iron and windows across the streets.

Tornadoes then struck Burnett Heads, just north of Bargara about 3.30pm, and then Coonarr.

Emergency Services Minister Jack Dempsey, who lives in Bundaberg, said 150 homes had been damaged at Burnett Heads.

Source

There is a video attached to the article above, It is neither a YT or Google vid, so I cannot embed, but here is the link to it Tornado hits bagara

reply to post by bkaust


Not the usual place you would expect for tornado's
another year another unusual event
stinking hot one day ,underwater the next
Well it is Australia day and as the story goes 'Of droughts and flooding rains"

ETA here is a video for the tornado/waterspout warning, Havent watched it because my internet is wet
www.youtube.com...

Originally posted by 12voltz
reply to post by bkaust

 

Not the usual place you would expect for tornado's
another year another unusual event
stinking hot one day ,underwater the next
Well it is Australia day and as the story goes 'Of droughts and flooding rains"

Well, to be fair - it is still stinking hot! First decent rain we have had in a good 6 months, I put on a jumper and turned on the air conditioning just to pretend it was a winter shower! I was a bit 'meh' hearing word about one, as they seem to be spotted a lot more lately with people gaining interest, and they tend to be waterspouts, not proper tornadoes - then when they mentioned actual injuries and another two, I pricked my ears up pretty quick! Hopefully that's all of them and they don't follow the weather system further down the coast! I know i'll probably be up late, watching the updates!

and coincidentally - it was 39 years to the DAY today that we got the flood of 74! Now it seems to be Gladstone that is copping it though.

It's up to five now... I'm in the Wide Bay area and the wind is pretty full on!

The worst thing is I don't think we are even in the thick of it yet!

Unconfirmed reports coming in of another tornado at Hervey bay and tornados in the Gympie area
twitter.com...

Ya'll stay safe in the Land Down Under!!

Areas worldwide with the most tornados shaded orange:



Link to lots & lots of information on Tornados, Keep scrolling, more info, keep scrolling...

www.answers.com...

5.59am: The Weather Bureau has confirmed there was tornado activity over Bribie Island, north of Brisbane, earlier this morning.

The bureau says more tornadoes are possible across the south-east today
Queensland is enduring tornado activity, torrential rainfall, severe thunderstorms and major flooding as ex-tropical cyclone Oswald makes its way south.
And Bushfire warnings in the North and West,just for some variety

An update from 5:20am This morning:

Severe Weather Warning 1 - bom.gov.au

Snippet from the official warning.

Reports of destructive winds and possible tornado activity have continued in the Wide Bay and Burnett district overnight. Destructive winds were reported from Burrum Heads approximately 3:30am. These conditions are expected to continue in the Wide Bay and Burnett district and parts of the Southeast Coast district north of Brisbane initially, then gradually extending through remaining parts of the Southeast Coast district and into the eastern Darling Downs and Granite Belt district during the remainder of Sunday. Destructive wind gusts up to 125 km/h and further tornadoes are likely.

Originally posted by 12voltz
Unconfirmed reports coming in of another tornado at Hervey bay and tornados in the Gympie area
twitter.com...

I've heard of a possibility of one around Bribie Island too - they're definitely headed my way now! Would it be inappropriate to curl up and watch twister this morning?

First confirmed death, now Brisbane on tornado watch for the next 24 hours.
roll ing updates as it continues

Thank you for starting this thread. Terrible what's happening there. I hope we don't eventually see the sorts of tornado disasters they experience in parts of the US way too often.

I lived in Oz for a good number of years -- from the late 50s through to the early 90s -- and tornadoes were very rare in those days. Yes, up in the north the tropical cyclones came along in their seasons, but cyclones (hurricanes by another name) are rather different weather phenomena from tornadoes. So, it seems that what you are seeing now is something different from what we knew back a couple of decades ago. At least, that's my impression, in just the same way that I recall summers being hot but nothing like as bad as they are these days -- and I believe that's now statistcially confirmed.

The main thing is, having the reports all posted here in one place allows us to be better informed on the actualities rather than just our personal impressions. I expect a lot of members will be keeping an eye on this thread.

And by all means if you get reports of anything very unusual, please let me know so I can drop by this thread.

Mike

reply to post by JustMike

Thanks Mike!

I definitely have a feeling we will be hearing many more reports in from Australia before the storm season is over, I will do my best to be on top of it as I follow many Queensland storm chasers, and they have had reports of several in the cells this season alone!

Like I said in U2U I'm expecting lots of things to pour in from the US by the end of the week, Kdog was spot on last year with his thread, here is the one for this week Powerful system to bring widespread weather potential

since i'm the only one updating so far I'll add a thread i've just started on the tornado that's just hit hattiesburg and is confirmed 10 miles south of Waynesboro thread with more info here

Nothing to see here ,all is normal. Please excuse the language on the video, We dont all speak like this ,OMG LOL,HC,
Tornadoes tear through Victorian towns
www.abc.net.au...
www.youtube.com...

reply to post by 12voltz

Haha thanks 12voltz! 'ohmygod holy crap!' haha. I was wondering if someone was going to post Victoria's Tornado! I couldn't watch the news coverage, as soon as they use the word 'mini' I am filled with annoyance and have to switch off, but all we heard up here was about Vic's 'mini tornado' ugh. Looks like us Aussies have all the action this year!

reply to post by bkaust

When i saw the damage at the caravan park ,I thought i was back in Kansas
Not sure if you saw the other footage available ,so here it is
www.youtube.com...
www.youtube.com...

reply to post by 12voltz


Just watched them both, woah! I cannot believe no one died after seeing the amount of damage it caused. Very lucky! I have no idea how our news could call it 'mini' then if it lifted a caravan and threw it! Strange weather this year indeed! We still have not gotten our roof fixed after our day of tornadoes up here, the wind was so strong all night a branch broke through our tiles and water poured in :/

Tornado on the ground in Moore Oklahoma right now. TWC is showing a live shot of it, kids are being held in the school. Heading towards Moore.

twitter.com...



Map

2 mile wide debris ball according to TWC. Tornado nearing the high school
Live Feed
Live Updates

3:37pm CDT: The OKC metro tornado has just roped out and dissipated -- unfortunately too late to spare large swaths of residential area.

twitter.com...

Oh my word - massive damage. Doesn't look good

That town has been completely destroyed. Beyond words.