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 NSW,
VIC, TAS: Gales, bushfires, dust as front moves through
Gales with storm force gusts accompanied a vigorous cold front
sweeping through the southeast today. Energised by the strong temperature difference
between a record-breaking hot airmass ahead and colder air behind, the frontal
zone produced squally winds gusting to 90km/h or more (storm force) at many
locations in TAS, VIC and the far south of NSW (see Highest
gusts and High
AWS wind reports). Melbourne
and Geelong SES received 200 calls for assistance for widespread but light
damage, and downed trees and minor roof
damage
was reported
from
western
VIC. The highest gust of 128km/h was at Hogan Island, 50km ESE of
Wilsons Promontory, while the lighthouse at the Prom recorded a top gust of
124km/h.
Cooler weather and a few showers in VIC helped firefighters contain bushfires
around Powelltown and Jindivick east of Melbourne, as well as near Cranbourne
and in the Aire Valley pine plantation near Apollo Bay. However, on the
exposed Wilsons Promontory the wind worsened the fire situation with
both
the
Tidal
River settlement
and the historic lighthouse coming under ember attacks. A caravan, toilet
blocks, bridges and signage in the park have been destroyed.
Three hundred personnel were battling the fire in
difficult
to inaccessible country.
Six available firefighting aircrafted were grounded by the winds. By the
end of today, over 6,690ha of national park had been burnt out.
In northwest TAS, a permit fire on private property that escaped into the
Rocky Cape National Park on Friday had burnt through 700ha today and was still
out
of
control in gusty winds. Wind in TAS reached 118km/h atop Mt Wellington and
at Scotts Peak Dam in the South West. In NSW, four grassfires flared up around
Cootamundra in hot windy conditions. The only storm force winds in the
state, however, were reported from Thredbo Top Station, with a top gust of
117km/h.
Widespread raised dust blew east from duststorms in SA and western NSW yesterday
and overnight to shroud much of southern and western NSW and far
NW VIC in dust haze. Visibility was down to 5km in many places, and as low
as 2km in Gundagai and 1km at Lake Cargelligo and Ouyen. A thick haze lasted
all morning at Mildura, and strong winds accompanying a second wind change
mid-afternoon produced a full-on duststorm with visibility reduced to 200m.
NSW,
NT, WA: Heat moves north and east
The hot airmass that has broken records across the continent was pushed
east into NSW and north into the NT and far northern WA today by a strong
surge of cooler southern air. Western NSW and southern NT experienced an
uncomfortably warm night with minimum temperatures in the mid to high 20s,
some 10 to 15 above normal. In NSW, daytime maxima came within a degree
of April records at Cobar, Wanaaring, Lake Cargelligo, Quandialla and Wellington,
and at Narooma on the coast and at Riverview Observatory in Sydney. In the
WA Kimberley, Halls Creek Airport recorded its hottest April day in the station's
59-year record. |
