Perilous
Times
TWO massive cyclones [hurricanes] are brewing off the
Australian coast to hit by Christmas
By Darren Cartwright
AAP
December 21, 2011 9:04AM
Wild weather in Darwin predicted as a tropical low looms off the
coast. Picture: Brad Fleet.
TWO massive cyclones are brewing off the Australian coast and one
is less than 300 kilometres from Darwin.
Senior meteorologist for the Weather Channel Tom Saunders said a
cyclone over the Coral Sea was unlikely to cause any major
problems.
But a tropical low forming off the Northern Territory coast, 250km
from Darwin, was unpredictable.
Mr Saunders told AAP the tropical low did not fit any weather
models and it was a case of waiting to see if it became more
aggressive and in which direction it would travel.
He said it would move in a northerly direction over the few days
but after that "where it heads and how intense it becomes is
unpredictable".
"None of the models, which help us forecast the movement and
intensity of weather systems, agree where it's going to be or what
intensity," Mr Saunders told AAP.
"The one thing the models do agree on is it is going to intensify
over the next few days.
"There is a chance it will form a cyclone ... and if it does, we
don't know where it's going to move."
Mr Saunders said up to 16 cyclones were expected this summer.
He said the one forming over the Coral Sea would be the second in
recent weeks and would track south between Australia and New
Caledonia.
"It's 1000 kilometres off the coast," Mr Saunders said.
"There's already been one in the Indian Ocean so this one will be
the second, and a third tropical low (off the Northern Territory
coast) may be number three."
The northern part of Australia typically experiences cyclones each
season, which lasts until April.
On Christmas Eve in 1974, Cyclone Tracy devastated much of Darwin
and killed 71 people.