Ex-tropical Cyclone Blake still going
Submitted: Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 19:28
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Ron N
G'day all! - I see where ex-tropical Cyclone Blake is still having an effect through the centre of Western Australia.
In the 24hrs up until 9:00AM this morning (10/01/20),
Carnegie Station recorded 270mm of rain - possibly a record for this weather recording point.
There's going to be a fair bit of damage to the Gunbarrel Hwy, I would expect.
This rain area is quite intense and localised, Giles only received 2.6mm in the same time frame.
The rain has gone through the Nullarbor - Cocklebiddy/Eyre Observatory recorded 38mm up until 9:00AM this morning as
well.
At least that has damped down the Nullarbor fires.
Other recent rainfall records of note from this Cyclone and ex-Cyclone -
Broome - 203mm
Marble Bar - 153mm
Newman - 153mm
Christmas Creek - 102mm
Mt Keith - 55mm
Telfer - 53mm
Laverton (W.A.) - 41mm
Wiluna - 35mm
Cheers, Ron.
Reply By: Member - rocco2010 - Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 19:36
Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 19:36
Certainly been wet in
places Ron.
Marble Bar actually had another 70-odd the day before, giving a two-day total of around 220. A friend there lives at western end of town and couldn't get to work at the council office because the creek through town was flooded.
Another friend with family on a property just west of
Wiluna says they were overjoyed with about 80mm. I think it was first meaningful rain in a couple of years.
Of course the pastoralists will be hoping for seconds over the next few months.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 19:57
Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 19:57
Rocco - I bet the Coongan is a raging torrent! Last time I saw that was in 1988, it was running about 10 -12 metres deep and travelling at a great rate of knots.
All you could see of the gums in the river bed was just their top branches sticking out of the water!
We were working there, re-treating the tailings at the
Marble Bar battery - and the middle nephew (aged 20, then) thought it was great fun to barrel one of our LN106 Hiluxes through a very deep
pool of water at about 80kmh!
The result? A gutful of water into the intake, resulting in a hydraulically-locked piston punching a huge hole in
the block!!
It was real eye-opener for a
young bloke who knew no other throttle level, than "pedal to the metal"! LOL
Insurance covered it, fortunately. That was the days when insurance companies weren't so reluctant to pay out.
Cheers, Ron.
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Follow Up By: Member - rocco2010 - Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 20:11
Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 20:11
Yes Ron, those rivers certainly get going. It's something to see all right. Though probably small beer compared to the
Kimberley rivers.
I recall seeing video a few years ago of a prime mover and empty trailer washed off the Ripon Hills Road by the
Oakover River. Good luck explaining that.
Cheers
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Reply By: Zippo - Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 21:27
Friday, Jan 10, 2020 at 21:27
Tjukayirla had 142mm in the 24hrs to 09:00 today (yes I'm still watching the GCR ...).. What with Claudia likely to be off the NW coast on Sunday, could be a while before that whole area dries out.
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Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 10:09
Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 10:09
All this rain with more to come as the Wet continues will make for very scenic trips on the CSR as far as flowers go. Saw similar in 2013. And also some tricky driving in boggy sections. We need two months more rain then two months to dry out....W
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Reply By: Ron N - Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:14
Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:14
Northern W.A. pastoralists are over the moon at the rainfall levels so far this year - and we are going to get Cyclone Claudia tomorrow morning - which shows signs of travelling further South-West, then South, possibly bringing decent rains to the Murchison, and maybe even the Northern Wheatbelt of W.A.
ABC News - Cyclone brings rain relief to Pastoralists in Northern W.A.
It's good to see the
Ord River Dam filling again, it was down to 40% water capacity, the lowest it had got in 20 years.
Cheers, Ron.
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Reply By: Phil G - Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:30
Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:30
I hope the Eyre Highway fires got rained on -
Norseman only got 9mm of rain a few days back.
Kalgoorlie got nothing.
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Follow Up By: Member - rocco2010 - Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:49
Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:49
I think I read that once ex-Blake got near
Wiluna he just sat instead of continuing south-east and then petered out so forecast good falls further south never eventuated.
Grain growers say it isn't a good crop until it's in the bin. My friend who grew up on a station out there would say forecast rain is just that. Forecast.
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:51
Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 at 19:51
Fires are still going, uncontrolled and uncontained - Balladonia,
Israelite Bay, and
Caiguna triangle.
Firefighters still on site, trying to contain the fires. Not enough rain in the last lot, to damp down the fires in this area.
Emergency W.A.
At least the Eyre Hwy is open. Some speed restrictions in place.
Cheers, Ron.
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Reply By: Mick O - Sunday, Jan 12, 2020 at 00:32
Sunday, Jan 12, 2020 at 00:32
Telfer has had near five inches in ye olde language. Not too bad after less than 25mm in the past 14 months (and possibly a much longer period.....I just couldn't be bothered going back through another 12 months of BoM records!). It's been bloody dry out there with many normal water sources in Karlamilyi bone dry. Almost as bad as the period leading into 2009 winter. Hopefully another cyclone or two to back it up in the coming three months.
![Goanna Pool 2009 - A metre down.](https://cdn.exploroz.com/images/forum/uploads/35907_147__TN600F.jpg?gid=171104)
Goanna Pool 2009 - A metre down.
![Tjarra Pool - Dry](https://cdn.exploroz.com/images/forum/uploads/35907_148__TN600F.jpg?gid=171105)
Tjarra Pool - Dry
![Tjarra Pool](https://cdn.exploroz.com/images/forum/uploads/35907_149__TN600F.jpg?gid=171106)
Tjarra Pool
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Follow Up By: Member - sparra - Sunday, Jan 12, 2020 at 08:22
Sunday, Jan 12, 2020 at 08:22
Gee Mick,Tjarra
Pool Dry, Used to Go out there a fair bit when I lived in Telfer when it was a town,never seen it dry. I reckon it would be full now.. ( Worked Telfer 1993-2000.) Cheers.
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