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TOPIC: Rain and Possible flooding 29th Feb to 5th March

Rain and Possible flooding 29th Feb to 5th March 29 Feb 2012 15:40 #1

  • gsorenson
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I thought i'd kick things off with developing significant rain event for the ACT and the surrounding districts.

The current ACCESS R is suggesting that with the deepening of the low pressure trough as it pushes towards the east, with the combination of moist easterly flows, and very moist nw infeed stretching right back to the central australia, making for conditions that are ripe for record breaking rainfalls.

The BOM has pre-warned for this event nearly 3 days ago, as EC, GFS and ACCESS all giving the green light for a significant event. Full credit to the BOM for this, people certainly can't say that they weren't pre-warned.

A selection of the Significant Weather Release IDN38503:

IDN38503
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
New South Wales

Significant Weather Media Release
Issued at 3:56 pm EDT on Tuesday 28 February 2012.

The Bureau has issued a Severe Weather Warning and Flood Watch for a large part
of central and southern NSW with heavy rain developing today and increasing on
Wednesday and Thursday. The Nepean-Hawkesbury River which provides a border to
western Sydney is included in the Flood Watch and is likely to flood before the
end of the week.

"A major rainfall event is unfolding and we expect flooding to develop in the
coming days," the Bureau's New South Wales Regional Director Mr Barry Hanstrum
said today.

"The heaviest falls are most likely in a band running between Broken Hill to
the south and central coast including Ivanhoe, Forbes, Young, Cowra, Canberra,
Goulburn, Wollongong and Sydney. Some locations could receive falls in excess
of 300mm over the next several days," Mr Hanstrum said.

"This event is perhaps the most significant rainfall event that some of these
areas have seen in decades and records may be broken. I urge people to keep a
close eye on the latest warnings issued by the Bureau," he added.


For more on this warning : www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDN38503.txt


Canberra has already received approx 36mmove the past 48hrs, with an additional 100-150mm expected over the next 24hrs: www.bom.gov.au/jsp/watl/rainfall/pme.jsp
- The main issue is that the soil in the ACT and surrounds are already primed for flash flooding due to the saturated nature of the soils. Currently Googong, Corin, Bendora being at 100%, and the new Cotter dam rising steadily at 93% water.bom.gov.au/waterstorage/awris/#urn...region.city:canberra , it's little wonder that there is much speculation of pre-emptive evacuations.

The canberra times has this write up on the preparations for the new but incomplete Cotter Dam to be readied for the expected overflow:

www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/rain-t...-20120229-1u22g.html

A good place to keep an eye on river levels for NSW / ACT here:
www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDN60147.html

I will endeavour to cover this event for this region as it unfolds.
Last Edit: 29 Feb 2012 15:59 by gsorenson.
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Re: Rain and Possible flooding 29th Feb to 5th March 01 Mar 2012 12:49 #2

  • gsorenson
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Evacuations are now well underway for Cooma, Goulburn and parts of Queanbeyan already.

The following hazard announcements for the ACT emergency services today thus far for the ACT.

ESA News Alerts
1:10pm Thursday 1 Mar 2012
Update 24 – One lane closed on Northbourne Avenue and both lanes closed on Canberra Avenue
One lane of Northbourne Avenue, Northbound, before Morphett Street in Dickson is now closed to allow for the repair of a collapsed storm water pipe.

Canberra Avenue is also now closed in both directions between Hume Place and the Monaro Highway due to flooding.

Motorists are urged to avoid these areas if possible. Detours are in place via Sturt Avenue, Jerrabomberra Avenue and Hindmarsh Drive.

The ACT ESA would like to notify residents travelling on roads in these areas to expect delays and thanks motorist for there patience and understanding.

12:08pm Thursday 1 Mar 2012
Update 23 – Canberra Avenue closed at Fyshwick due to the wet weather
Canberra Avenue at the Jerrabomberra Creek Bridge in Fyshwick is expected to be closed within an hour because of flooding.

Road detours will be put in place. Motorists are urged to avoid the area if possible.

11:54am Thursday 1 Mar 2012
Update 22 – 234 calls for help due to the wet weather
The ACT State Emergency Service has now received a total of 234 calls for help from the public on 132 500.

No major damage has been reported in the ACT.

Stromlo Forest Park is closed until further notice due to the continuing wet weather.

For information on the impact of the wet weather in ACT go to the ACT Emergency Services Agency website esa.act.gov.au, ESA Twitter and Facebook accounts or the ACT Government Canberra Connect Call Centre on 13 22 81.

Canberra Connect has received several hundred calls from the public since midnight.
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