Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 34 Issued at 12:14 pm WST on Friday 28 January 2011

CYCLONE BIANCA EXPECTED TO IMPACT COMMUNITIES IN THE SOUTH WEST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA ON SUNDAY

Bianca will weaken significantly before it reaches the South West but residents should prepare for:
. DAMAGING WINDS with gusts to 120 kilometres per hour.
. VERY ROUGH SEAS and DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS
. COASTAL EROSION and FLOODING OF LOW LYING COASTAL AREAS
. SEVERE to EXTREME FIRE DANGERS
. HEAVY RAINFALL south of the cyclone with possible LOCALISED FLOODING.

]B] A Cyclone WATCH has been declared for coastal areas from Jurien Bay to Albany, including Perth, Bunbury and Busselton.[/B]

At 11:00 am WST Severe Tropical Cyclone Bianca, Category 3 was estimated to be 510 kilometres west southwest of Exmouth and
465 kilometres west northwest of Carnarvon and
moving southwest at 33 kilometres per hour.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Bianca is expected to gradually weaken as it takes a
more southerly track overnight. On Saturday Bianca will move in a southeasterly direction towards the southwest corner of the state while weakening steadily. However there is a significant risk that Bianca will maintain tropical cyclone intensity as it approaches the coast early on Sunday. If this happens, coastal areas between Jurien Bay and Albany could experience DAMAGING WINDS with gusts to 120 kilometres per hour. Wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour may be experienced through inland parts southwest of a line Jurien Bay to Albany.

On Sunday tides between Jurien Bay and Cape Naturaliste are likely to rise
significantly above the normal high tide mark with VERY ROUGH SEAS, DANGEROUS SURF and FLOODING of LOW LYING COASTAL AREAS. SIGNIFICANT COASTAL EROSION is possible. HEAVY RAINFALL is also possible on the southern side of the system. LOCALISED FLOODING is possible but extensive flooding is not expected.

VERY HIGH to SEVERE FIRE DANGERS are likely near the west coast on Sunday. EXTREME to CATASTROPHIC FIRE DANGERS are likely across inland areas south of a line from Geraldton to Leonora to Israelite Bay on Sunday.

FESA State Emergency Service (SES) advises that people should start planning for bad weather and listen for further advice during today.

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Cyclones Ricky and Wellard to follow, stay safe people.

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

:blink: oooooeeerrrr!! looks like all the garden furniture i arranged yesterday had better get put into the garage!!! OK so what does one DO exactly right now???? We live 14km north on Bunbury but i will be starting work in Bunno at 5am on Sunday

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

I can hear her coming ashore now, howling "Rickayyyyyyyyyy"

http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/emq/css/cyclone.asp

should help a bit. A lot of the damage to properties during a cyclone is actually caused by unsecured articles flying around, so yes, stuff like garden furniture needs to be put away. Kids toys and things like that can also go indoors, and tie down anything that can't be put inside.

Have a look at the emergency kit stuff on that link too - there will be a rush on buying stuff like bottled water and batteries, so the sooner you get stuff the better. It may not be more than a severe gale by the time it gets down that far, but even that can take out powerlines etc.
Also while I don't know the area, if you're somewhere that has been very dry then your bushfire danger is going to be higher so be aware of that too. by the sound of the warning they are expecting a high fire danger in some places in WA.
Keep listening to local radio - over here ABC Local is pretty good - and follow www.bom.gov.au/wa

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Sid Owen lived in the next village to me in the UK and was often found drinking in our local pub. I am sure he got sooooo sick of folk shoutin Rickaaaayy at him.

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Thanks Polly x

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Lucy Speed, who played Natalie in EE, used to live in Woldingham, Surrey where we used to live. This Owen guy was often seen around the village and once came, with his brother, to look at a house in our street that was for sale.

Small world.

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Still love you old fart :wub:

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Polly has given you most of what you need, but this checklist might be helpful too.
http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/about/tc-checklist.shtml

dont bother checking the first point, I can guarantee it wont have been.

I hope it misses cos if it stays on its present track its pretty much going to go right over the top of the project site I work on :eek::sneaky::eek:

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Off to get extra batteries and another torch. I don't know about cyclones, but in my area, anything more than a sudden downpour and the power always seems to go out.

And hey, does anyone have info on labor laws and cyclones? My husband is supposed to work o/t on Sunday (he works outdoors) and his job site is downplaying it saying, "Nah, it won't be that bad...everyone needs to report to work." Can you refuse if there's a cyclone blowing through your work area?

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

Would depend largely on what he does, and on how the forecast pans out/how bad the weather is at the time, but if he's in the middle of a "proper" cyclone then he may to be able to get to work, never mind work once he gets there. Companies do have a duty of care in severe weather conditions - I think it was TC George that caused the death of some workers on a mine site in the north oF WA a couple of years back, and the company was found to have been negligent or similar by leaving them exposed.
Someone like Renth or Amazulu might be more in the know.......

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

oops bet you cant guess where Australind is on this updated map! Reckon its gonna be wet and wild!!:blink:

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

So there is nothing like looking on the bright side then..

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

:rofl::thumbsup: yay my lawn will go green again and my driveway will get a good wash :D Hoping it manages to blow all the cobwebs away from around my patio! Quite exciting really :D

Re: Tropical Cyclone Bianca - PERTH CYCLONE WATCH
 

I'm going to park the car in the driveway. Maybe it will get a bit of a wash that way. Oh, and tie the dog out front. If it rains I'll go out with shampoo early on so he's all soaped up then the rain can wash it off. Saves on groomer's fees.