Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy
21 – 25 December 1974Tropical Cyclone Tracy is arguably the most significant tropical cyclone in Australia’s history accounting for 65 lives, the destruction of most of Darwin and profoundly affecting the Australian perspective to the tropical cyclone threat.
This was not the first time Darwin had been severely damaged by a cyclone: it was badly mauled in both January 1897 and March 1937. But as a result of Tracy , much more attention was given to building codes and other social aspects of disaster planning. Darwin was rebuilt and now thrives as one of our most important gateways to Asia.
In 1974, scientists blamed the extreme weather on global cooling.
In Africa, drought continues for the sixth consecutive year, adding terribly to the toll of famine victims. During 1972 record rains in parts of the U.S., Pakistan and Japan caused some of the worst flooding in centuries. In Canada’s wheat belt, a particularly chilly and rainy spring has delayed planting and may well bring a disappointingly small harvest. Rainy Britain, on the other hand, has suffered from uncharacteristic dry spells the past few springs. A series of unusually cold winters has gripped the American Far West, while New England and northern Europe have recently experienced the mildest winters within anyone’s recollection.
As they review the bizarre and unpredictable weather pattern of the past several years, a growing number of scientists are beginning to suspect that many seemingly contradictory meteorological fluctuations are actually part of a global climatic upheaval. However widely the weather varies from place to place and time to time, when meteorologists take an average of temperatures around the globe they find that the atmosphere has been growing gradually cooler for the past three decades. The trend shows no indication of reversing. Climatological Cassandras are becoming increasingly apprehensive, for the weather aberrations they are studying may be the harbinger of another ice age.
Hansen and NOAA have shown you, through rewriting history, that during that period, global warming caused the imaginary cooling, since “Corrected”, and CAGW was the main cause of that tropical storm! It really did not do as much damage as the overzealous reporters claimed because, as we all know, Tropical Weather patterns have been getting stronger over the last 40 years, so that must have been a minor disturbance, according to the latest from members of the Chicken Little Brigade.
Global Warming is also causing some to think it is currently cooling! Don’t worry! The warmth is hiding in the “Pipeline” and waiting for the right moment to warm the world and drown NYC!
“much more attention was given to building codes and other social aspects of disaster planning”
And there you have it. When I lived in Townsville in northern Queensland it was clear what that means – pretty much all new housing construction was built to take it. Concrete block construction with light roofs, which could blow off but then be replaced.
So when Cyclone Yasi, level 5, hit a couple years ago there were few casualties and you’d hardly know now. The main effect was we couldn’t eat bananas for a year since the banana plantations were flattened.
Last night I caught a news item about a courageous US lady who had both her legs amputated after her house was hit by a tornado in Indiana. She saw the tornado coming so she protected her kids with her own body.
But what was obvious to me was her house had no storm cellar. No bunker in the back garden. No shelter room. Why?! Tornado Alley is named for a reason. Are people stupid?
And that is the memo.