Perilous Times and Global Warming
Super sized Cyclone charging towards Queensland Australia
* From: AAP
* March 14, 2010 3:02PM
A CATEGORY five cyclone [hurricane] is charging across the Coral Sea
towards north Queensland.
Tropical cyclone Ului is now southeast of the Solomon Islands after
building rapidly from a category three on Saturday to a category five
on Sunday morning.
Queensland's Bureau of Meteorology says the cyclone is packing wind
gusts of up to 290 kilometres an hour.
Senior forecaster Brett Harrison said at midday (AEST) today it was
more than 15,000 kilometres northeast of the Whitsundays.
"It is moving about 15 kilometres per hour and it will get close to the
north Queensland coast around mid-week, probably Wednesday,'' Mr
Harrison said.
"It is expected to be a very intense system for the next couple of days
and will most likely be a category five (if it reaches north
Queensland's coast).''
The cyclone, in combination with a high pressure system in the Tasman
Sea, is creating big swells and strong winds north of Cairns.
Meanwhile, the clean-up after months of heavy rain in southwest and
central Queensland is also continuing.
Farmers were assessing their livestock and property losses on Sunday as
Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin and peak farming groups
inspect the flood damage at Windorah, Quilpie, Thargomindah and
Charleville, in southwest Queensland.
Mr Mulherin is meeting with farmers, small business owners and mayors
to discuss the situation He will do the same in Cunnamulla, St George
and Roma tomorrow.