Tropical Cyclone Dinah, 1967
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Tropical Cyclone Dinah, 1967 By Mr Jeff Callaghan Retired Senior Severe Weather Forecaster, Bureau of Meteorology, Brisbane Dinah 24-31 January 1967 probably generated the largest waves observed in Southern Queensland and Northern NSW over the last century. On its passage towards southern Queensland Dinah caused severe daMage at Heron Island initially froM inundation froM large northeast swells and a day later froM severe winds. It then turned More south-southeasterly and passed over the Sandy Cape lighthouse, which recorded a central pressure of 944.8 hPa and high water 10 Metres above norMal. Although well off the coast Many trees were blown down froM RockhaMpton to Grafton. Houses were unroofed at Bundaberg Maryborough and along the Sunshine and Gold Coasts. Banana and cane crops were wiped out on the Tweed Coast and a severe wind gust overturned a car at Evans Head. The hardest hit area of northern NSW was around Brunswick Heads where several banana plantations were wiped out. Huge seas and storM surge caused severe erosion at EMu Park, Yeppoon, and in the Maryborough Bundaberg area. Very large waves broke coMpletely over Lady Musgrave Island (about 80km northeast of Bundaberg while the following report was received from a Marine biologist on nearby Lady Fairfax Island “The section of Island on which I live is only 5 acres and it was no surprise to find it underwater with the arrival of Dinah. It fact it was extreMely difficult to read the rain gauge, the gauge being covered by 3 feet of water.” The following report was received froM the head light keeper on Sandy Cape “A very heavy easterly swell was observed on the inside beach on the 28th but afterwards visibility was so reduced to Make observations iMpossible. High seas together with high tides brought the sea level up to within 20 feet of the boatshed, approxiMately 30 feet higher than usual.” The report from Lady Elliott Island was as follows ‘A very heavy swell persisted and was Most visible froM the northwest and during the forenoon high tide phenoMenal seas broke across the reef all around the island, previous banks of coral above high water were all Moved as seas broke over onto the island. Self sown trees approxiMately five years on the east beach were washed out and blown onto the island. It appears that the cyclone passed Lady Elliot at approx 1300, this being the lowest point on the barograph.” A storM surge of 2 Metres covered the flats inland froM Double Island Point and a storM surge inundated cane farMs at Bli Bli on the Sunshine Coast and was knee deep in Hastings St Noosa. Spectacular wave damage occurred on the ocean side of Bribie Island where two Massive concrete World War II gun eMplaceMents, 13 Metres by 9 Metres by 4.5Metres in diMension, were underMined by the sea and Moved about 2 Metres from their original position Around Sandgate in Moreton Bay seawater 1.5 Metres deep caMe into houses. More than one hundred homes were flooded and at Cribb Island one house was washed into the sea. At nearby Nudgee beach the sea wall was destroyed and houses were flooded with 0.66 Metres of salt water. StorM surge also affected the Gold Coast and water lapped the decking of the Jubilee Bridge, which is about 1.5 Metres above highest astronoMical tide. A siMilar storM surge occurred on the Tweed River isolating Fingal with six houses awash. Large waves caused a section of the esplanade to Cyclone Dinah, 1967 Data by J. Callaghan 22 SepteMber 2011 collapse at Surfers Paradise and the unprecedented 1967 severe erosion on the Gold Coast had begun. Four other tropical cyclones continued the erosion which culMinated with three east coast lows in June 1967. Figure1 Satellite photograph of tropical cyclone Dinah on the Morning of 28 January 1967 showing a clear coMpact eye eMbedded in cold (bright white) cloud tops indicating a very intense tropical cyclone. Twenty one satellite photographs of Dinah were received over the eleven day period the Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning centre was Monitoring the systeM. The first satellite of Dinah showing a clear eye (Figure 1) was when it was probably at its Most intense. An eye was More or less visible until east of Brisbane when a clear circular eye (Figure 3) was evident despite the poor quality of the photograph. In Figures 2 and 3 the Mean sea level pressure analyses with wind observations show its passage down the sub-tropical east coast of Australia into the TasMan Sea. It Maintained severe intensity for a very long period. On 3 February 1967, two 2 Ships east of New Zealand passed near the centre of the cyclone, which still had a central pressure of 970hPa. The vessel Ruahine recorded a Mean sea level pressure of 973hPa with winds reaching Force 11 and waves 30 feet in height when near 39.3S 179.2E. Cyclone Dinah, 1967 Data by J. Callaghan 22 SepteMber 2011 Figure 2 Mean sea level pressure analyses with wind observations showing tropical cyclone Dinah, Approaching southern Queenslannd and crossing Fraser Island. Cyclone Dinah, 1967 Data by J. Callaghan 22 SepteMber 2011 Figure 3 Mean sea level pressure analyses with wind observations showing tropical cyclone Dinah, passing the Gold Coast and Moving into the TasMan Sea. The top right panel is a rare satellite iMage for the tiMe showing a circular eye east of Brisbane. Tropical cyclone Dinah impact on Heron Island Resort which is vulnerable to NE swells and this causes run up induced surge in the lagoon. The largest sea inundation at the resort was on Saturday 28 January 1967 when Dinah was well to the northeast. Inundation varied between 3 and 5 feet above norMal and the retaining wall on the NNW end of the Island was daMaged at high tide that Morning. Hind-casting indicated the largest northeast swells arrived at the resort then. At 9aM Sunday 29 January 1967 the centre passed 80 km to the east of Heron Island (Figure 4) and the wind daMaged Most trees on the island and all were stripped of their leaves. Two launches were daMaged and a 45 foot cruiser disappeared. However the sea level at the resort was less affected by storm surge coMpared to the day before and was only about a foot above norMal. However there was heavy erosion of sand dunes on the southern side that Morning. Cyclone Dinah, 1967 Data by J. Callaghan 22 SepteMber 2011 Available observations from Heron Island Mean wind and MSLP 9pM 27th 1100UTC 27 January 1967 160/40knots 997.8hPa 9am 28th 2300UTC 27 January 1967 130/45knots 997.9hPa 3pM 28th 0500UTC 28 January 1967 140/53knots 994.9hPa 9pM 28th 1100UTC 28 January 1967 160/70knots 988.2hPa Figure 4 Location of Heron Island and track of Dinah. Impact from Fairfax Island The following report was received froM Julie Booth (Marine Biologist) stationed on Fairfax Island (Figure 5). The section of the Island on which she lived was underwater as Dinah approached. The rain gauge was under 3 feet of seawater. Pressure readings taken 6.00pM 28th 993.2hPa 8.00pM 28th 993.2hPa 1.30am 29th 986.8hPa 3.00am 29th 984.4hPa 5.00am 29th 980.4hPa 6.00am 29th 978.3hPa Cyclone Dinah, 1967 Data by J. Callaghan 22 SepteMber 2011 7.00am 29th 978.0hPa 9.00am 29th 972.9hPa 2300UTC 28 January 1967 see Dinah’s position in Figure 5. 11.00am 29th 970.2hPa Noon 29th 969.5hPa 0200UTC 29 January 1967 see Dinah’s position in Figure 5. 30th January. She was exhausted and hungry. Her hut was anchored down by wire or it would have been washed or blown away. She lost a good portion of the roof and Most of her belongings. Figure 5 Location of Fairfax Island and positions of Dinah. Lady Elliot Report Earlier observations 0.00am 29th 1400UTC 28 January 1967 110/36knots Mean wind 990.3hPa 3.00am 29th 1700UTC 28 January 1967 110/45knots Mean wind 986.3hPa 6.00am 29th 2000UTC 28 January 1967 110/55knots Mean wind 981.8hPa 9.00am 29th 2300UTC 28 January 1967 110/65knots Mean wind 973.7hPa Mean Sea level Pressure 29 January 1967 10.00am 0000UTC 29 January 1967 969.9hPa 11.00am 0100UTC 29 January 1967 967.0hPa 1200noon 0200UTC 29 January 1967 962.7hPa 1.00pM 0300UTC 29 January 1967 961.6hPa 3.00pM 0500UTC 29 January 1967 964.4hPa 4.00pM 0600UTC 29 January 1967 967.9hPa 5.00pM 0700UTC 29 January 1967 970.7hpa 6.00pM 0800UTC 29 January 1967 973.2hPa Wind observations- I believe they used an aneMoMeter which had an upper liMit of 70knots but Cyclone Dinah, 1967 Data by J. Callaghan 22 SepteMber 2011 the direction is useful data Mean winds 10.00am 0000UTC 29 January 1967 SE 65knots 11.00am 0100UTC 29 January 1967 SE 53knots 12noon 0200UTC 29 January 1967 SE 55knots 1.00pM 0300UTC 29 January 1967 S 47knots 3.00pM 0500UTC 29 January 1967 SSW 55knots 4.00pM 0600UTC 29 January 1967 SW 55knots 5.00pM 0700UTC 29 January 1967 WSW 50knots 6.00pM 0800UTC 29 January 1967 WSW 52knots . Special note – A very heavy swell persisted and predominated from the northwest. During the forenoon high tide phenoMenal seas broke across the reef all around the Island, previous banks of coral above high water were all Moved as seas broke over into the island. Self sown trees approxiMately 5 years old on the east beach were washed out and blown onto the island.