Bring it on Mother Nature

[Bundiibird]

So we had a earthquake earlier in the week and now a possible category 5 cyclone. Mother Nature is trying my patience this week. I am *trying* to build a house here. They are expecting the cyclone to cross our coast sometime overnight as a possible category 5 cyclone. All predictions are a 100-200 kms to the north and then pass over the top of us.

All preparations are done and we are bunkered down for the night.

Bring it on!!!!!!!!

 

[strudel]

No, DON'T bring it on. Bugger off!

Hope it isn't too eventful and changes course/severity/all the stuff where it fizzles out into not as bad as they thought.

 

[Bundiibird]

Unfortunately, I don't that that will happen. We started the day that it would cross the coast as a cat 2 but in the last few hours of today it has really intensified. It is current a cat 4 and expected to turn into a cat 5 by the time it gets to the coast.

 

[strudel]

I saw the news this morning and it was cat 2 then.... I thought "oh well, that's not so bad" except they said it's high tide. Wouldn't want to be in a beachside apartment at the moment.

Are you in a cyclone-prone district? Do you have all cyclone-proof stuff?

EDIT: Is Tab going to cop it, too? I'd be worried about the horses....

 

[Bundiibird]

Rockhampton or the Capricorn coast does see cyclones. They are not as frequent here as they would be around cairns etc but we do get them. This is one of the larger ones that I have seen down this way. Usually the cyclones passes across the coast to the north of us, and we then get the huge rain fall that comes with being to the south side of a cyclone.

They do build most of the houses to with stand cyclones. I know our house that we are building at the moment is built to C2 class for cyclones.

 

[strudel]

They do build most of the houses to with stand cyclones.

That's good, hopefully there won't be any/much damage.

 

[Bundiibird]

They do build most of the houses to with stand cyclones.

That's good, hopefully there won't be any/much damage.

I hope there is not much damage either. The part that it is forecast to cross at is not all that populated so that is one good thing. Still doesn't make it any better if you happen to live in the area though.

Still waiting to hear if work is on tomorrow. The coast crossing is expected at 8am.

 

[strudel]

Yes, and it'll no doubt bring a lot of rain and wind outside the main path as well.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh YIKES, Amanda!!! :11:

I hope and pray you'll sustain absolutely NO damage!!! Please keep us posted, would you?

That's some serious scary stuff.

 

[Scott]

Stay save everybody!! Hope the cyclone passes swiftly without damage!

 

[Bundiibird]

It is looking like it will pass directly over us later today. Due to Rockhampton being approx 30 km inland the cyclone will have weakened to a cat 3. Still enough to do damage.

It is looking like it will cross the coast at a military training base about an hour north of Rockhampton. There are only a few houses in that region and the one that it looks headed for is a friend of ours. Please keep them in your thoughts for later this morning when this thing hits. It's packing wind gusts of up to 295 kms per hour.

It's currently 2.30am here and I cannot sleep. Meanwhile hubby just snores on beside me.

Thanks for the thoughts. I will keep you all updated.

 

[strudel]

Sending good vibes for your friends as well as you. Hope they and their house come out unscathed or with minimal damage. It seems that it is still "coming" (according to the tv, it's about 9 am here). Scary stuff for us just as onlookers over the tv, it must be awful for all of you actually waiting for it to come over.

 

[Betrisher]

Hey Amanda. Since we haven't heard from you, I'm guessing maybe your power's out and/or you've gone on to work. I hope everything's OK? Can't wait to hear you're all safe! XX

 

[Terry57]

Amanda, I pray that you all are okay, and that it passed and did no damage. Thinking of you and looking forward to an update.

 

[Bundiibird]

Hi all. Work was cancelled thankfully this morning. I was not looking forward to being out in this. The cyclone has still not yet reached us but it is well on its way. It is about 20 km North west of yeppoon and heading our way. The winds here are extreme. We will probably have another 4-6 hours of these winds.

Well I was trying to post this but had to take a short break to clean up a rather large outdoor pot if mine that just smashed. It was a large terracotta pit about 80 cm high and full if soil. Mths wind just picked it up and dumped it. Oh well one less plant to water.

 

[Bundiibird]

We are all safe just riding it out. It is extremely fierce here at the moment. The power keeps flickering. I grew up with cyclones but this one I am in a house that I am unsure of. It kind of makes you nervous. It's raining so hard I can barely see the house across the road. The wind is the scariest thing. There are huge gum trees just swaying about like they are twigs.

Keep you all posted.

 

[getwozzy]

Eek!! I hope you don't have much more damage other than smashed planters [emoji51][emoji51] please stay safe! XXXX

 

[strudel]

It's raining so hard

Are you on higher ground? Don't have to worry about flooding? (hope so....)

How are the fids? Are they aware that something's going on?

EDIT: looking on the bright side (although it's obviously too early to relax and do that), you might get some decent branches brought down to make some super birdie gyms....

Single-minded, bird-obsessed, who, me?

 

[Terry57]

Oh Amanda, it sounds terrifying. I hope along with Shirre that a broken planter is the worst that happens.

 

[Bundiibird]

Hi all again. We are on higher ground. No real chance of flooding here. We have had 230 mm of rain since 5pm yesterday afternoon. And it is still raining. The first part of the cyclone has gone through along with the eye. We are now getting blown from the other direction.

The birdies did know something was going on. We had them bunkered down in the hallway/bathroom with hubby and I. I must admit I was a little scared. Both of the birds are now having something to eat while I decide if we need to go back into hiding in the hall.

Our fence seems to have a gathered a slight lean to it but hey if that is the worst that happens than I am fine with it. Anyways, I must get back to it. I will update once this darn thing is finally over.