Another Christmas Day Cyclone for Darwin

[Geez Louise]

Let's hope that it stays small and doesn't develop into a big one and that it misses Darwin completely. It is not a nice way to spend Christmas day.

Anyone who is in Darwin at the moment, stay safe!

http://www.news.com.au/national/top-...99d963bf69b174

DARWIN is bracing itself for another Christmas cyclone reminiscent of Cyclone Tracy.
The Bureau of Meteorology says a tropical low-pressure system off the north coast is expected to become a cyclone early tomorrow - Christmas Day.
A tropical cyclone forecast predicts the storm to be a Category 1, with sustained winds of 63-88km/h and gusts of up to 125km/h, by 10am tomorrow, The Advertiser reported.

A similar scenario on a larger scale played out in 1974 when Cyclone Tracy made landfall with Category 4 wind gusts of up to 240km/h early on Christmas Day.

That cyclone killed 49 people in the city. A further 16 perished at sea.
This time, authorities are advising people to put their emergency kit together, clear yards and balconies, and prepare home shelters.

Residents who do not have accommodation constructed to the building code or are unsure are advised to evacuate to a public emergency shelter before winds reach a dangerous level.

Supervising meteorologist at the bureau Richard Wardle said yesterday a tropical low expected to become a cyclone was currently situated on the Arafura Sea, just north of the Tiwi Islands.

The low, which forecasters had earlier tipped would turn cyclonic on Christmas Eve, was now expected to become a cyclone early tomorrow.
"When we say 'early' we are talking about 3am or 4am, as opposed to 8am or 9am," Mr Wardle said. "We are hesitant to give out times because it could be 1am, or 11pm on Saturday," he added.

He said the organisation of the storm had improved overnight, giving forecasters a clearer picture of when it could become a cyclone.
"Before, there were a number of focuses of activity in terms of convention, and that is now starting to organise itself; and that will potentially lead to it strengthening over the next day or two," he said.

If it does become a cyclone its effect should be felt over northern Australia quite quickly, although it is uncertain where it would make landfall, authorities have said.

A cyclone watch continues between Dundee Beach southwest of Darwin and Nhulunbuy on the northeastern tip of Arnhem Land. "We still don't have a handle on where this system will move if it does develop," Mr Wardle said.

[prydey]

upgraded to cat 2 and predicted to hit coast on boxing day but darwin likely to be spared a direct hit.

possibly another wet summer for north east australia?