North Queensland on high alert as Hamish approaches Cat 5

[depakid]

Queensland authorities are preparing for Cyclone Hamish to intensify into a Category 5 storm in the next few hours.

It is continuing to move parallel to the north Queensland coast and remains out to sea, and is already stronger than Cyclone Larry, which devastated Innisfail in 2006. Forecasters had expected Hamish to lessen in intensity tonight, but it is now on the verge of becoming a Category 5 cyclone.

A Category 5 is rated as extremely dangerous and can cause widespread destruction. Director of the Bureau of Meteorology, Jim Davidson, says Hamish is growing in strength. "It's now right at the top of a Category 4 cyclone, with wind gusts approaching 280 kilometres an hour," he said.

Emergency warning signals are being sounded in communities from Bowen to Mackay, but the biggest concern is for islands in the Whitsundays. Hamish will pass east of the region early tomorrow, bringing winds up to 180 kilometres per hour. Tourists are among those caught up in the preparations for Cyclone Hamish.

Gold Coast couple Dan and Brooke Riddle are on their honeymoon on Hamilton Island. Mr Riddle says they have stocked up on food and water and will ride out the storm in their room. " pretty calm at the moment," he told the ABC.

"We just had a bit of a drive around on our buggy then, and people are still going out to dinner and that. "But they are supposed to be shutting everything by 10:00pm - they want everyone inside."

More: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/07/2510239.htm?section=justin

[Lochloosa]

1. will ride out the storm in their room

As a Native Floridian. Good luck with that plan.

[Nay]

2. As a native Floridian myself, I also say "good luck with that plan."

That's how you get killed in hurricanes.

[phantom power]

3. That's a bad-ass looking storm.

[depakid]

4. Current forecast

One of those count you blessing things would be for it to turn inland on Monday night and go soak the Murray Darling basin.

[kestrel91316]

5. Lots of fresh water in that system. Wish they could get it farther south......

[depakid]

6. Could be it dumps on Charleville again

This was the scene in 2008:



http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/18/2141693.htm

[kestrel91316]

8. Looks like Lost Angeles every time we get rain.....

[Massacure]

7. Australia drought map

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/drought.shtml

There are two of them at the bottom of the page.