Tropical Cyclone Hamish

So, it looks like we're getting a Category 5 cyclone at about 7am tomorrow morning... yay us!

Category 5 is the worst rating, for those who aren't sure how it all works.

Category 1
Strongest gust less than 125 km/h
Typical effects (indicative only) - Negligible house damage. Damage to some crops, trees and caravans. Craft may drag moorings. 


Category 2
Strongest gust 125 - 170 km/h
Typical effects (indicative only) - Minor house damage. Significant damage to signs, trees and caravans. Heavy damage to some crops. Risk of power failure. Small craft may break moorings. 

Category 3 (e.g. Winifred)
Strongest gust 170 - 225 km/h
Typical effects (indicative only) - Some roof and structural damage. Some caravans destroyed. Power failure likely. 

Category 4 (e.g. Tracy) 
Strongest gust 225 - 280 km/h
Typical effects (indicative only) - Significant roofing loss and structural damage. Many caravans destroyed and blown away. Dangerous airborne debris. Widespread power failure. 

Category 5 (e.g. Orson)
Strongest gust More than 280 km/h
Typical effects (indicative only) - Extremely dangerous with widespread destruction. 

Category 5 also means loss of power and roofs etc.  So I'm not sure what's going to happen if it still looks like Category 5 later this afternoon, we may pack up the kids and the important stuff in the house and head away from it all.  We'll just have to wait and see at this point in time...

Our house was built in the 60's - so I'm not sure how it'll hold up against a cyclone, but Gladstone isn't new to the idea of Cyclones - so we can only hope that it was built well.  Our shed (incomplete) has all of the cyclone rated strapping - so we may find that we just have a shed when we get back! hehe...

The local marina has evicted all of the boats in preparation.

Current Windspeed is 295kph.

That's pretty much all we know for now, fingers crossed!