Re: OT: Talk about bad luck (Halifax)

From: JF Mezei (jfmezei.spamnot_at_istop.com)
Date: 09/30/03 

Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 00:59:55 -0400

"David J. Dachtera" wrote:
> > Unless you've actually experienced the power of one of these things, it is
> > not easy to imagine.

> Fall of 1998, we had 24+ hours of sustained winds in excess of 40 MPH,

Fall of 1996. I met Olivia head on. 3 days of very strong headwinds going up
by bike the west coast of Australia. Then when I got to Karatha, the road was
closed and I was forced to hunker down in the backpackers. It was a category 4
with 250km winds. Very little damage to the town, and everyone knew exactly
what to do. I was wondering why all the neighbours had parked their cars in
the front of the building on the lawn. But when Olivia arrived, I realised
that the neighbours knew exactly what would happen. (the building acted as a
shelter for the winds).

And while ABC radio was stating that there were long lines at the stores with
people buying essentials, that was not the case. Folks were buying coke,
chips, beer for the cyclone parties. (they already had the emergency supplies
in their homes) And there, people don't "board" their windows, they have
grills alwasy on during the cyclone season (or often, they are just always on).

And yes, there were fireworks when transformers blew, but by 04:00am the crews
were out working and we had power restored. By noon, I was back on the road
(this time with a tail wind !). Very impressive show of nature's fury
(understatement) but I felt quite safe because the locals knew exactly what to
do and when to do it. The building, 2 stories high, with very thick concrete
walls felt like the hull of a ship hitting waves. You'd feel and hear bands of
water/rain hitting the outside of the walls.

It wasn't until a couple weeks later when I visited the Tracy exhibit at the
Darwin museum that I realised that the cyclone I had experienced was of the
same power as that which whad almost completely destroyed Darwin in 1974. That
was the scary part. But it is also a tribute to how Australia has learned how
to deal with cyclones, both with better building codes, and with great
education of the citizens.

Interstingly, I am baffled by the CNN reports when a hurricane hits the USA.
They never mention the sound of the wind. Yet, when I experienced Olivia, the
sound is what struck me. A true expression of the sheer amount of power being
unleashed by the winds.

http://www.bom.gov.au/info/cyclone/ gives a good summary of cyclones.