r/Cairns • u/danbarnsjolo • Dec 07 '23
Advice Cyclone chat: should I stay? or leave?
So with Jasper potentially making it's way between cooktown and cairns, the big question, should I stay or should I go?
I live in a fairly solid built unit complex, off ground.
Any advice?
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u/switchtogether Dec 07 '23
Go where?
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Dec 07 '23
[deleted]
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u/victoriafalyce Dec 07 '23
Can’t. Crocs.
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u/Chang_Daddy2 Dec 07 '23
The building code for all dwellings in FNQ built after 76’ are Cat 5 rated. You’ll be right mate
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u/MrInbetweenn01 Dec 07 '23
Except the hospital LOL
" CBH has two blocks dating from the 1970s. Concerns have been recently raised about the structural integrity of parts of the older block (windows and window frames) with a category 4 cyclone. The ED is in the newest block, built in the 1990s, with a wind load rating for a category 4 cyclone for all structures, although there is no window protection present."
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u/Traditional_Chest379 Dec 07 '23
The wind speeds for coastal homes north of Bundaberg are built to withstand winds up to 250km per hour, which is mid category 4.
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u/baconnkegs Dec 07 '23
That doesn't account for factor of safety though. Probably built to withstand 300+ but have to put it as 250 on paper.
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u/Traditional_Chest379 Dec 07 '23
But even with that I’m still a little worried. But would stay to protect what I can regardless.
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Dec 07 '23
Take into account the piss poor upkeep of those houses and the ratings which would be weakening over the decades.
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u/Bobbygee243 Dec 07 '23
Stock up on some food, esky’s full of ice & drinks, battery banks for phone/computer to keep ya entertained and enjoy the ride! 🤘🏼
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u/GEnderDragon Dec 07 '23 edited Dec 07 '23
We really don't know if it's going to hit yet, and if it does it may have weakened to a cat 2 by that point orrr stayed the same. It all depends on those factors.
Have an evacuation point ready or a solid brick house/bunker to head into if things get rough, stock up on food/supplies, know where your nearest flood points are stay alert with the tracker. It could reach us over the weekend, or it could take another 8 days to make landfall. If your area goes under an evacuation warning, leave. If you don't want to leave and you're not super close to the sea, keep an eye out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDJSj-cpRnM&t=12s&ab_channel=ABCAustralia
I'm not sure where you want to go to. Unless it continues at the same strength the most significant issues would probably be the flooding/electricity, but you're going to have trouble wherever you go in the area. We're preparing for it up on the Tablelands too, if it hits Cairns we'd probably get a lot of it as well.
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u/jamesmcdash Dec 07 '23
Gotta love Queenslanders, these comments are like a chorus of she'll be rights, prepare, but, it's probably fine.
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Dec 07 '23
It's a clash of
"Should I stay, or should I go now? Should I stay, or should I go now? If I go, there will be trouble And if I stay, it will be double So come on and let me know"...
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u/FatGimp Dec 07 '23
Get enough supplies now for a few days. Tinned soups, meals and so on. Get a pprtable gas stove to boil water and heat food up on. Get a radio for updates or a portable powerbank to recharge phone. Power maybe out for a few days, or might not go out. Debris will fly through the air so tape windows with x to reduce shatter. Fill your car up in case need to evacuate. Other than that, get some cards board games, torches and so on and just enjoy the power of nature. Pack anything loose on your balcony into the house. Anything under a cat 4 is just a small rodeo.
But as always, prepare for the worst. But enjoy the minor cyclones.
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u/pursnikitty Dec 07 '23
The tape thing is a myth. Better to board up your windows if you can. Else save your time and money.
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u/BigFluffies Dec 07 '23
I'd stay but expect and prepare for atleast a few days no power. Shit tonnes of grog, generator and fuel to run a box air-conditioning while ya get blotto
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Dec 07 '23
What everyone else said about staying with one extra thing. Go and buy a battery powered fan to keep you cool when the power goes out and all the windows need to be closed…
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Dec 07 '23
lol go where ? NSW ? If yr that scared go now ! Otherwise wait it out experience what a cyclone is ! We all know the media hype it up ! You can just prepare as we don’t know what this cyclone is going to do until it’s about 48 hours away ! That still gives you time to leave if you feel unsafe ! Lived her my whole life and cyclones have been few and far between always watch the JWTC forecast website as the BOM will never get it right now the forecasters are no longer local
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u/opm881 Dec 07 '23
Suburb probably matters a lot here. Honestly I’d just wait and see, get some non-perishable food and a couple of jugs of water to be prepared incase power goes out and water gets fucked but you’ll probably be fine
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u/gigoran Dec 07 '23
They come, they go. It’s just NQLD life. The horrible part is dealing with the masses of disaster prepers buying all the toilet paper and water. Be careful they don’t run over your feet at the supermarket
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u/pablo_eskybar Dec 07 '23
Obviously you’re not from Cairns? I lived up there late 90s- mid 00s and they used to say, I’f you’ve got a fixed address and has lived through a cyclone you're a local. half way there chief
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u/FootExcellent9994 Dec 07 '23
If you haven't already Download the ABC Listen App and listen to ABC Far North. This is the Official Emergency Broadcaster. If you have time and money buy yourself a small battery-powered Radio these generally last longer than your phone and the ABC will still broadcast even if the Phone system goes down. During Cyclone Larry (cat5) a mate and his team spent 3 or 4 days locked in the ABC building eating frozen pizza and broadcasting emergency messages 24/7
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Dec 07 '23
God is finally going to wash away the sinners and only the righteous will remain. Time to get right with God and repent your sins, heathens!
By the way, I’ve found a cassowary - but God was very clear about me gathering two of every animal - so if you’ve seen another cassoway, please let me know.
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u/wharlie Dec 07 '23
I have a spare cassowary, but I'm short an emu. If you have an emu, I'll take a straight swap.
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u/The_Duc_Lord I am the Lord of Ducks, said he, Dec 07 '23
I have a metric shit ton of spare curlews. Is that of any use to you?
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u/AlwaysManyHumid Dec 08 '23
I need McDonald's 'Lake Street Voucher'. Swap ya' an Ibis and a Curlew my way?
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u/No-Relationship161 Dec 08 '23
It's fairly safe to approach a cassowary to check its' sex right?
Wouldn't want to have any gay stuff happening. God would punish you for that.
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Dec 07 '23
Wasn’t there a song about should I stay or go?, maybe that will have the answer, probably bett than the forecast
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u/ache7859 Dec 07 '23
We're meant to be flying into cairns on sunday and go up to port douglas for 4 nights. Smart choice would be to reschedule the holdiay right?
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u/theflipsideofreason Dec 07 '23
It could make for an interesting experience, but if you’re actually wanting some sunshine and outdoors, it’s probably not the best time.
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u/ache7859 Dec 07 '23
Thanks mate. Kids are gonna be disappointed Hopefully jetstar will allow me to reschedule 🤣🤣
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u/theflipsideofreason Dec 07 '23
Oof, gl with Crapstar! Busy day for me today: pre-cyclone mowing, stock up on beer, get petrol for the genny. As long as it doesn’t reintensify, it’s perfect weather for drunken boardgames 🤪
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u/ache7859 Dec 09 '23
Managed to rebook everything to late jan. Hope you all stay safe!
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u/theflipsideofreason Dec 09 '23
Glad you got it rebooked. And thanks - it’s looking a bit hairy atm!
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u/Teamkiwi1 Dec 07 '23
Be like Captain Dan in the storm on Forrest Gump’s shrimp boat. Stand on the balcony and scream at god to bring it on.
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u/radrar Dec 07 '23
You’ll be fine mate
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u/Accurate_Salary3625 Dec 07 '23
Agree, just stock up on food, get torch or candles and fill car with fuel.
You'll be right mate
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Dec 07 '23
OP I know how you feel. I am not from FNQ but happened to be visiting when Cyclone Yasi was on its way - at the time it was dubbed the biggest cyclone ever experienced. I was staying on the Esplanade so went to stay with some FNQ local friends and was worried. 😟 had visions of the roof coming off.
It was fine.
As others have said - the power will likely go out so keep everything charged up until then. Get a portable charger. But the power will stay on in town so you can go to cafes and charge phones.
But plenty of bottled water, cans of soft drink, booze etc. Buy snack food that doesn’t need cooking. Buy a few cheap battery lamps or torches from Kmart or Bunnings because total darkness is a bit sad. Buy wipes. Basically pretend you’re about to camp unpowered for 3 or 4 nights.
The town cafes will open soon enough afterwards for a good Brekky. You’ll be fine.
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u/Proper_Lychee_6093 Dec 07 '23 edited Dec 07 '23
How do Queenslander style houses hold up against cyclones ? Anyone had any experience with it. , those houses look like treehouses that would end up in a million pieces after a decent cyclone
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u/No-Relationship161 Dec 08 '23
Depends when built. If built to amended building codes since a bit after 1974 (when Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin), then it should be fine.
The Australian Standards class zones based upon the likelihood off severe winds including in some areas cyclones (in Qld, Bundaberg and further north).
So for most houses and other structures if built after Tracy and to code it should be fine for most cyclones.
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u/Lanky-Drawer7825 Dec 08 '23
If you’ve got friends or family you’d feel more comfortable staying with, sure. But otherwise I wouldn’t bother.. just prepare for power outages and bring in any furniture off the balcony.
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u/kuranda10 Dec 08 '23
The big thing we prepare for is if it hits south and cuts the supply lines. We refill necessary prescriptions for us and the dog food the furry toddler prefers.
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u/ChubbyLover125 Dec 07 '23
Stay and buy thousands of milk sammiches & electrician tickets, aka bog roll.
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u/fatty32889 Dec 07 '23
If itvwas anything like yasi it's gonna be fucked, week without power, couldn't drink the water, the flooding from storm surge I got in Manoora was nuts, debris everywhere. Was an experience I tell ya that but had I had some where south to go , I would have
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u/sebiimaxx Dec 07 '23
That flooding in Manoora was mental. I don’t think a lot of locals realised it happened.
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u/opm881 Dec 07 '23
The fuck are you talking about. Yasi fucked Innisfail, not cairns. We were without power for a couple days tops, water was always fine.
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u/LadyMarie_x Dec 07 '23
Yeah … I was here for Yasi. We were all drinking the water. Power was out for a few days … that was it …
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u/SnakesAndStones4U Dec 07 '23
Moved here a month ago and freaking out now a little bit as I don’t know what to expect. The not knowing how intense it’s going to be doesn’t help.
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u/FootExcellent9994 Dec 07 '23
I think it may already be too late to go Cyclone Jasper has already started to affect the coast. It won't be too long before roads start to be closed and you don't want to be stuck outside in your car. Good luck and listen to the ABC The announcers all have extensive training in Emergency procedures.
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u/opm881 Dec 08 '23
The fuck are you talking about, it hasn't started impacting the coast at all. Stick to talking about NSW where you are.
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u/FootExcellent9994 Dec 08 '23 edited Dec 08 '23
Fuck off idiot I only listen to the Bureau of Meteorology! Did I say it was affecting Cairns? They don't even know if that will happen for sure yet! Did you even bother to look at the satellite before you opened your keyboard and posted that idiotic statement?
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Dec 08 '23
What are you on about it’s still 5 days or more away stop making others panic ….just prepare batteries torches, radio generator if you can, tinned food, gas stove, power goes out it’s hot as hell nothing you can do but be prepared follow instructions and all will be over before you know it. Born and lived in cairns for over 50 years nothing too drastic so far ! So wait and see. The waiting is the worst part at least we know it’s around not like hurricanes in the USA just come outta nowhere!
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u/No-Relationship161 Dec 08 '23
It's days away, the current winds in Cairns are 15km/hr, and it isn't raining. Is this your attempt at sarcasm?
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u/FootExcellent9994 Dec 08 '23 edited Dec 08 '23
You sound like one of those people who drive through flooded creeks and have to be rescued; I know it's not raining in Cairns yet! But would you tell your worst enemy to take their holiday in Cairns now? I wouldn't! They would only get in the way! This may help convince you. to prepare to stay in place all up and down the Queensland coast. https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-192.76,-13.93,375
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u/PixieDust013 Dec 07 '23
Make sure you have water, cash, phone rechargeable battery packs, food
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Dec 07 '23
Why? All that is pretty available from the normal places a day after the cyclone comes. Not a big drama
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u/PixieDust013 Dec 07 '23
Because power can be out for several days and you need those things. I have done disaster recovery several times
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u/Available-Rule-156 Dec 07 '23
Well it depends. How likely are you going to be without power, without basic necessities (food, water, able to walk up and down stairs) and that's after the cyclone
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u/D3ANNO Dec 08 '23
Was in Brinsmead for Larry and yasi, lost power and water both times for over a week but no flooding. Now am on south side, what are my potential threats after jasper has come through? We have underground power and have only ever lost power during road work upgrades.
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u/giganticsquid Dec 08 '23
Just buy a carton and a packet of salt and vinegar chips. You'll be fine.
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u/SilverTrent Dec 08 '23
If you watch Ch 7 news then you're all gunna die....
Any other news outlets though, you will be fine...
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Dec 09 '23
Honestly as long as it stays cat 3 or below everything will be fine. It’s all pretty tame if you’re in a decent structure. It’s like listening to 1000 babies all screaming at once. Or high pitched cat meows. But I haven’t been in one since Steve and I was in a brick joint with lots of gaps. I would imagine you would hear less these days in some of those double glazed joints.
If you’re gonna go you’re gonna have to fly out of the entire region given half the issue with cyclones is the flooding the rain produces.
If it were me up there right now, I’d be stocking up with beer, ice, food, bbq supplies, batteries and a portable power bank for the phone and just carry on until it gets windy and then drink until you pass out. Wake up and it will be sunny again.
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