4 BOOK OF WEATHER APRIL 5. 2009 extremesState of It isn’t a case of whether Queensland will get thunderstorms, floods, droughts, cyclones, dust storms and even snow . but a matter of when Stories and research by Michelle Collins with assistance from Bureau of Meteorology QUEENSLAND is a unique weather beast. Few lives had been lost and the damage bill topped Belt in 1968 and a touchdown at Macgregor on places can match the diversity in conditions and $200million. Brisbane’s southside in 1973. climate over such an extensive land mass. Cyclones are a part of life in the Sunshine State, The capricious diversity of the state’s weather From Coolangatta to Cape York, and west to particularly in the north. In 1899, Cyclone Mahina has been evident this year. the Simpson Desert, we experience weather more killed more than 300 people when it hit the pearl- On January 31, more than half of Queensland varied and volatile than across some entire fishing town at Bathurst Bay, near Cooktown, in was drought-declared. Ironically, on the same day, countries, let alone single states. Often, our far north Queensland. Tropical Cyclone Ellie brought flooding to town- weather is extreme and life-changing. One of Australia’s worst hailstorms hit Brisbane ships between Townsville and Cairns. Cyclone Hamish would follow two months later and storm The floods in Brisbane in 1974 were historic and on January 18, 1985, sweeping across suburbs from Goodna to Northgate. Winds, gusting up to swell was blamed for factors that resulted in the altered the city forever. After crossing the coast as worst coastal oil spill in the state’s history, from the 185km/h, turned hailstones as large as 6cm into a relatively weak storm, Cyclone Wanda became a Pacific Adventurer. missiles. At least 20 people were injured and the deep and slow-moving rain depression. It fed on The reason for the weather diversity is that the damage was estimated at more than $300 million. moisture-laden monsoon airflows from the north state has more multiple weather ‘‘drivers’’ than and east to dump about 900mm on the state A similar hailstorm on December 16, 1978, tore anywhere else on the continent. capital and southeast region in just four days. The through northern suburbs with a 10cm hailstone Cold fronts, monsoon troughs, low-pressure Brisbane River and its tributaries — including the being retrieved at Bracken Ridge. systems, trade winds and the still not fully under- Bremer River, Kedron Brook and Oxley, Moggill, A deadly tornado touched down in Kin Kin in stood effects of El Nino and La Nina across the Bulimba, Enoggera and Norman creeks — broke southern Queensland on August 14 in 1971 and Pacific Ocean turn Queensland into a state of their banks in multiple places with muddy water killed three people. There have been up to 15 weather extremes. And for many Queensland flowing into thousands of homes and businesses. destructive twisters in the southeast in the past 45 weather watchers, that just makes life a little more When the floodwaters eventually receded, 14 years include the one at Killarney on the Granite interesting..