Wind in the Simpson

How long is a piece of string??

I have seen some weird questions on this forum but yours must rate one of the weirdest. How on earth can you tell what the weather is going to be like in 6 months time? Evebn the weather forecasters get it wrong. Why would you want to know anyway?

Cheers,
Willem

Always going somewhere

Wind could be anything, but it is generally the friendlier time of year weather wise. I crossed last april, was breezy but still around 28- 30 degrees.

it all depends on what u ate the night before. curry, a protein shake and prunes = gale force

Cameron - We have been there in June/July and the wind was not a problem. It was very still and the days were nice and warm and the nights very cold. Trev

There shouldn't be much wind at all. The average winter position of the Sub-Tropical Ridge is across the centre of the continent (this gives the northern Dry Season) and winds under the ridge should be light.

Stephen
(retired weather person)

With more than a dozen Simpson trips under my belt over 20 years, across all the different routes as well as a time span from May through to October and in all types of weather here are my comments.
In the months you propose it will be normally pleasant during the day with enough breeze to shift the dust, daytime temps from teens through to mid twenties. At night it can get quite cold and even the slightest breeze will have a big wind chill factor. The normal winds are usually from the southern arc and will be cool if you are out of the sun.
If there is a strong change coming through you may get very strong winds and a full blooded sand/dust storm, if you sit tight it will blow over though.
If you happen to get wet weather (which usually comes through from the NW early in the travelling season) it will be max mid teens, wind chill will be high. If you do get caught by wet weather, find a low dune and camp on the sand, water drains away readily. The swales are not to the place to be if it is wet, the clay becomes bottomless! Sit tight for a couple of days and let the weather keep going, it never hangs around much out there. There is absolutely no point in travelling west to east with the weather front you will damage the tracks and be permanently wet and cold.
Allow enough time for a liesurely crossing (4 days+) after all you have probably driven thousands of k's and spent hundreds of $'s to get there! Take the time to stop and go for a walk and experience the desert away from the vehicle.

Amen to Peter's comment re take your time...now that I've been around awhile, I have come to realise that on some of those early trips, we got little environmental appreciation for our fuel dollar. I've only been to the edge of the Simpson, but its amazing how many critters get out and about at night. Get up early and go for a good stroll in the dunes before breakfast. In the vegetated areas, you will find hoards of critter tracks.Drag me away from this keyboard.

Peter's reply is excellent. Willem must be feeling off colour - the weather question is oft asked, nearly as much as the almost daily question of "What will the road condition be from Marree to Birdsville in July holidays?" Another tip - there usually is not wind in the Simpson at that time of year, but if there is, dome tents do not like wind and have been seen floating across the landscape like roly-polys. Should a sudden big wind come up, drop your tents and put your heavy stuff on them to anchor. Always plan to make camp at 4:00 - 4:30 with time for games with the kids and chores for the kids - remember they are stuck int he car with seat-belts on (very necessary) for hours on end, your average speed might be 25 klms per hour. I'm a great believer in not allowing game-boys etc. when travelling in the SD - too much to see and do for those inside games - apart from quite a few children get motion sickness - again, too much clothing inside, rocking and rolling over the dunes, sun coming in the windows, not drinking enough water (too many fizzy drinks). Geez, I sound like Mary Poppins, the nanny. Go to the Trek Notes on this site - they are excellent - and the children may be old enough to do some of the navigating and plotting - time to learn the old compass thing - use maps - gosh, wish I was going with you. Bit of preparation now and even the kids will have the time of their lives. All that hunterand gatherer stuff - the real stuff is heaps better than TV. Yes I am getting old and yes I'm one of those still smiling about the Post the other day on The Good Old Days!

Hello Willem, lovely to hear from you. I thought you might have been away having an adventure this weekend. I must be getting older as I agree with you about the questions - daily thing here. Just been for an early fishing trip - couple of BIG blackbream - the river has not changed since last night. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the water could get to the Lake - I believe 2000 and flying over the Lake for close on 5 hours up and down the river systems and the SD was my most memorable thrill (geez, I've had a sad life!!!). Still no rain here, in the SD or on the western side though. Here's another one of those things, Willem, yesterday a young German couple came into town via Innamincka and going to the SD - why, to see how hot it is. That's standard answer for summer visitors. (They have been dissuaded from venturing too far). Saturday night at sunset a rescue had to be performed at Big Red - a large throbbing F350 bogged and bogged, ho hum. By the way the western side of Big Red is vertical at the moment. Talk soon.

The old saying "One man's junk is another man's treasure" can be applied to the questions. It may be blatently obvious to some but one of life's unanswered questions to another.Dare to Lead not to Follow