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01/11 INCREDIBLE RED DUST STORM IN AUSTRALIA - WALL OF SAND WHIPPED UP BY CYCLONE
- Published_at:2013-01-11
- Category:News & Politics
- Channel:EWORLDNEWS13
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- description: 2013/01/11 - Incredible wall of sand whipped up by cyclone hits remote stretch of Western Australia coast Dramatic footage of sandstorm in Western Australia An enormous wall of dust has hit part of Australia as residents brace themselves for a tropical cyclone. The stunning images of the wild dust storm were captured by tugboat works and aeroplane passengers near the town of Onslow in north-western Australia. Local reports say the huge swathes of red sand and dust had been picked up by strong winds in the Indian Ocean before being dropped near the town. The tsunami-like wave of sand could be seen travelling for miles and dwarfed ships out at sea. Tugboat worker Brett Martin, who shot some of the pictures, said before the storm hit conditions were calm and glassy. But when the dust arrived visibility was reduced to just 100 metres and the swell rose to two metres. It is the latest incident in weeks of dramatic weather in the country that has been besieged by terrible bush fires after unprecedented high temperatures and strong winds ravaged much of the south east. But now residents in north-western Australia are preparing themselves for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Narelle. Bureau of Meterology manager of climate services Glenn Cook told The Australian the dust storm was not directly related to the cyclone - the centre of which is still hundreds of kilometres away Wind gusts in Onslow reached 63mph and the dust storm was made worse by the lack of rain in the region. Climate information officer John Relf told The Australian: 'If it's pretty dry in land, boom, there you go. It was the right recipe.' He said dust storms were rare and may only happen once or twice a year, if at all. The dramatic weather is set to continue as the category-three cyclone heads to north-western Australia. Local forecasters warned of 60mph gales and gusts of more than 80mph and oil and mining operations are preparing to close when the cyclone lands. Car giant Chevron is also set to evacuate workers from Barrow Island - about 30 miles off the coast While fires burn across southeastern Australia and the northwest braces for Tropical Cyclone Narelle, Australia's volatile weather has produced a spectacular red dust storm. Striking images have emerged of a massive dust storm, which rolled across northwestern Australia and out to the Indian Ocean just before sunset on Wednesday evening. Tugboat worker Brett Martin was working west of False Island when the storm passed over. "We were steaming along in the boat just before sunset and the storm was casually building in the distance, then it got faster and faster and it went from glass to about 40 knots in two minutes," he told the West Australian. "It was like a big dust storm under a thunderhead, there was a lot of lightning but not a lot of rain." Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Austen Watkins told the West Australian the phenomenon was created as wind and rain caused the thunderstorm to dump sand and dust it had picked while passing over the coastal town of Onslow, in the Pilbara region. The phenomenon is known as a "haboob" by meteorologists. Mr Watkins told the West Australian gusts of up to 102km/h were recorded from the thunderstorm about 7.30pm local time (2.30pm NZT) on Wednesday. He said the storm was unrelated to Tropical Cyclone Narelle, which is bearing down on the northwestern coast. Steve Brooks, from Perth Weather Live said the bright red colour in the storm is unrelated to the massive bush fires across Australia this week. Instead, the red dust and iron ore which covers the Pilbara region are believed to have caused the vivid colour. Mr Brooks said haboobs are not common but do happen around northern parts of Western Australia. However, it is not common for there to be so many images capturing the phenomenon.
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