Current Imagery [Thanks Phillip for the link!]

Tropical Cyclone Yasi is now classified Category 5 (the last Cat 5 cyclone was 1918 & 400 lost)

- Hurricane Katrina wiped out much of the Gulf area including many cities was Category 5

- Cyclone Tracy wiped out Darwin was Category 4

- Cyclone ‘Louie’ Uluie (and shows a current satellite map of Yasi) was Category 3 – severe damage

To compare in size [Thanks Chris for this link]

Winds up to 300kmph (186.5 mph)
For 12 hours the cyclone is expected to remain at Category 3 as it moves inland
Storm front 400km wide with the eye 80K wide! AIMING BETWEEN INNISFAIL & CARDWELL just south of Cairns
(If you look at a map this ONE storm is shown as something 4 times the size of Tasmania! Twice the size of Victoria! THE SIZE OF NEW SOUTH WALES!!! Almost as big as South Australia!)

In just 2 days this storm is generating enough energy to power the whole world!

But it’s not the winds that will do the most damage – the storm surge will!
This is the water that the cyclone is dragging along out of the sea with it. This water will end up ON Queensland! (Can you imagine the salt damage 300 Kilometers (186.5 miles) inland?)

Storm surge expected south of the eye to be 7meters above the known highest tide – to rise starting now (Waves will be over that)
Peaking in 3 hours 6pm – 9pm and could take days to recide

There is25,000 homes, 75,000 residents & unknown Tourists affected
10,500 people in evacuation centres (and many more waiting hopefully outside)
4,000 people registered as not in their homes but safe somewhere else
All the hospital patients have been evacuated to Brisbane

Cairns Townsville & MacKay Airports are closed
Emergency personnel will be unable to respond to crisis calls
All communications & power are expected to fail by 9pm (THAT will be the scariest)
Power expected to be out for at least 48 hrs

Because the Radar was wiped out the prediction is difficult (2pm) – better predictable in an hour

Inland will still be affected by the cyclone – even category 1 cyclone warnings at Georgetown 320km inland!

What is the difference between a cyclone and a tornado? – Water!
What is the difference between Cyclone and Hurricane? – Direction of the wind.
(Hurricanes turn anti-clockwise – North West South East, Cyclones turn clockwise – South West North, East)

TIPS
• Prepare for the worst & hope for the best!
• Secure all outdoor objects (Lock in sheds / back room of house etc)
• Secure all indoor objects from being “Missiles” lock in cupboards – in back rooms etc
• Tape the window- panes in criss-cross star * or triangle patterns – will strengthen the pane
• If a window does smash open one opposite it to let the wind blow through – this prevents the roof lifting
• Close the doors inside the house
• Open the windows on the other side of the house to where the wind hits
• Park car in garrage or on the lee side of the house
• Get in the smallest room in the middle of the house and pad yourself with matrices (small room is stronger and will withstand winds better)
• Have torches and batteries / Battery radio / food & water & enclosed shoes with you in the bunker (& something to do!)
• Also have irreplacable possessions secured in bunker with you – Important papers / wallets & hand bags / Computer box (irreplacable treasures photos etc)
• Do NOT go outside until at least midday tomorrow – If necessary earlier – only if safe to do so!
(NB the Eye will be One Hour or more long)
- Even if the wind takes the roof the walls will protect you from the wind and windbourne missiles!
- If you go outside and nothing protects you!

It will be scary & You WILL get wet!
It’s already hitting the coast NOW (3:30pm) & too late to evacuate!
People need to be off the streets and Bunking down inside the smallest room of their house and hang on!

12 hours for the eye to hit ONE HOUR or more of the eye and then 12 more hours for it all to be “over”
(Always at night!)

This will be a very long and scary 25 hours!

My breath is held with them!
Chookas! ♥

@ FacebookYasi Update Page
@ Facebook Cairns Disaster Control Centre Page

Courtesy of QLD Police
Only in Australia! ☼Ü☼