Wild weather forces workers to leave early
By staff writers
NEWS.com.au
August 25, 2009 02:25pm
Extreme weather warnings
More wild storms are to batter four states today with Queensland also on fire alert. 08/09 Sky News
In Melbourne, commuters are being advised to go home early with wild storms expected to cause major peak-hour disruptions.
Winds of up to 120km/h are forecast to hit Melbourne about 5pm with the SES and tram and train operators urging people to leave work early to avoid long delays, the Herald Sun reports.
The SES is advising tram passengers to go home by 2pm and train passengers to leave their commute to no later than 3pm.
The brunt of the severe weather is likely to hit Melbourne later this afternoon, with crews preparing for possible blackouts.
Flights across the eastern seaboard and the nation's capital have been delayed due to strong winds as the area is battered by a severe cold front.
Wild weather has forced the temporary closure of one runway at Sydney airport, with only half the number of flights able to take off as gusts of up to 90km/h affect the runways.
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City told to buckle down for wild winds
NEWS.com.au, 24 Aug 2009 Passengers in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide can expect delays of up to an hour throughout Tuesday, a Qantas spokeswoman said.
A gale warning is current for Sydney's closed waters at Pittwater, Port Jackson and Botany Bay. The weather bureau says waters will be choppy to rough.
West to north-west winds are expected to average over 65km/h, with peak wind gusts in excess of 90km/h.
Adelaide is also bunkering down, with thousands of homes blacked out overnight as a powerful storm fuelled by winds of over 100km/h lashed the state.
State Emergency Service volunteers across the state were put on standby as Adelaide braced for impact, AdelaideNow reports.
By 7pm, crews had responded to more than 120 calls for help, including reports of powerlines falling on to cars at Oakbank.
At the height of the storm around 6000 homes across the state were blacked out as ETSA crews persisted to work through torrid conditions.
The Bureau of Meteorology is maintaining severe weather warnings for the state.
Fresh northwest to west winds are expected to become strong and gusty and swing around west to southwesterly during the afternoon, before easing during the evening.
In Brisbane, the city experienced its hottest ever August day yesterday, reaching 35.4C, the Courier Mail reports.
Fires also continued to burn in the state’s south, with firefighters struggling in the dangerous conditions with about 15 grass fires.
The largest was in the Pozieres State Forest, north of Stanthorpe which ripped through bushland but did not put any homes under threat.
Fires also were reported at Nerang, on the Gold Coast, at Jimboomba near Beaudesert and near Yandina on the Sunshine Coast.
In Tasmania, heavy rain has forced a copper mine to shut down because of a mudslide.
It is understood cascading water has carved a hole in the open-cut mine and sent water into the underground workings.
Land also gave way on the Tasman Highway at Orford yesterday morning, with boulders and a tree blocking traffic.
The East Coast landslide followed one at Stowport, near Burnie, at the weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of flooding in the Mersey, Meander, North Esk, South Esk and Macquarie and Huon river basins after more than a week of heavy rain.
Many roads across northern Tasmania were flooded yesterday, including thoroughfares at Nile, Epping Forest, Cressy, Sheffield and Ravenswood.
Two people were rescued from the water at Coles Bay after their dinghy overturned and police responded to a call that a vehicle had gone into the river from Bridle Track Rd, Sheffield.
By staff writers
NEWS.com.au
August 25, 2009 02:25pm
Extreme weather warnings
More wild storms are to batter four states today with Queensland also on fire alert. 08/09 Sky News
- Wild ... storms and unseasonal weather across the nation is keeping emergency workers busyCommuters urged to leave early
- 120km/h winds forecast for Melbourne
- Strong winds in Sydney delay flights
In Melbourne, commuters are being advised to go home early with wild storms expected to cause major peak-hour disruptions.
Winds of up to 120km/h are forecast to hit Melbourne about 5pm with the SES and tram and train operators urging people to leave work early to avoid long delays, the Herald Sun reports.
The SES is advising tram passengers to go home by 2pm and train passengers to leave their commute to no later than 3pm.
The brunt of the severe weather is likely to hit Melbourne later this afternoon, with crews preparing for possible blackouts.
Flights across the eastern seaboard and the nation's capital have been delayed due to strong winds as the area is battered by a severe cold front.
Wild weather has forced the temporary closure of one runway at Sydney airport, with only half the number of flights able to take off as gusts of up to 90km/h affect the runways.
Related Coverage
Weather: National forecast
Warning - get set for more crazy weather
NEWS.com.au, 25 Aug 2009
More wild weather looms
Adelaide Now, 25 Aug 2009
Hot records fall as winter rolls in
The Australian, 25 Aug 2009
Aussie weather really goes to extremes
NEWS.com.au, 24 Aug 2009
City told to buckle down for wild winds
NEWS.com.au, 24 Aug 2009 Passengers in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide can expect delays of up to an hour throughout Tuesday, a Qantas spokeswoman said.
A gale warning is current for Sydney's closed waters at Pittwater, Port Jackson and Botany Bay. The weather bureau says waters will be choppy to rough.
West to north-west winds are expected to average over 65km/h, with peak wind gusts in excess of 90km/h.
Adelaide is also bunkering down, with thousands of homes blacked out overnight as a powerful storm fuelled by winds of over 100km/h lashed the state.
State Emergency Service volunteers across the state were put on standby as Adelaide braced for impact, AdelaideNow reports.
By 7pm, crews had responded to more than 120 calls for help, including reports of powerlines falling on to cars at Oakbank.
At the height of the storm around 6000 homes across the state were blacked out as ETSA crews persisted to work through torrid conditions.
The Bureau of Meteorology is maintaining severe weather warnings for the state.
Fresh northwest to west winds are expected to become strong and gusty and swing around west to southwesterly during the afternoon, before easing during the evening.
In Brisbane, the city experienced its hottest ever August day yesterday, reaching 35.4C, the Courier Mail reports.
Fires also continued to burn in the state’s south, with firefighters struggling in the dangerous conditions with about 15 grass fires.
The largest was in the Pozieres State Forest, north of Stanthorpe which ripped through bushland but did not put any homes under threat.
Fires also were reported at Nerang, on the Gold Coast, at Jimboomba near Beaudesert and near Yandina on the Sunshine Coast.
In Tasmania, heavy rain has forced a copper mine to shut down because of a mudslide.
It is understood cascading water has carved a hole in the open-cut mine and sent water into the underground workings.
Land also gave way on the Tasman Highway at Orford yesterday morning, with boulders and a tree blocking traffic.
The East Coast landslide followed one at Stowport, near Burnie, at the weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of flooding in the Mersey, Meander, North Esk, South Esk and Macquarie and Huon river basins after more than a week of heavy rain.
Many roads across northern Tasmania were flooded yesterday, including thoroughfares at Nile, Epping Forest, Cressy, Sheffield and Ravenswood.
Two people were rescued from the water at Coles Bay after their dinghy overturned and police responded to a call that a vehicle had gone into the river from Bridle Track Rd, Sheffield.
