Tsunami Warning

donweather started the topic in

Saturday, 27 Feb 2010 at 10:39am

Magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Chile has generated a Tsunami. BOM have issued the following warning (note this is for SE Qld, there will be others for the entire east coast)

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology

MEDIA:
No use of the Standard Emergency Warning Signal [SEWS]
TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE AND FREQUENT BROADCAST
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TSUNAMI WARNING NUMBER 1 FOR QUEENSLAND
Issued by the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre [JATWC] at
7:48 PM EST on Saturday 27 February 2010
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TSUNAMI THREAT TO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

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SUMMARY:
Tsunami warning for the marine environment for QUEENSLAND.

Threatened areas extend from Point Danger to Double Island Point, Moreton
Bay.

Possibility of dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and foreshore flooding
for several hours from 08:15 am [EST] Sunday.

Sea level observations HAVE confirmed a tsunami has been generated.

For further details visit the Bureau web site www.bom.gov.au.

Next update due by 9:18 PM EST on Saturday 27 February 2010
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DETAILS:
Tsunami waves are more powerful than the same size beach waves, with the first
wave not always the largest. First tsunami effects are expected as follows:

Coolangatta after 08:15 am [EST] Sunday
Maroochydore after 09:00 am [EST] Sunday
Brisbane after 09:15 am [EST] Sunday

Craig Saturday, 27 Feb 2010 at 11:24am

A long long long way away and I think that NZ and other islands will shelter most of the East Coast but as Alex Zadnik sent in a text message to me, where's Tassie's warning???

donweather Saturday, 27 Feb 2010 at 11:46am

Hmmmmmmm....do small offshore islands actually have much of an impact on Tsunami shielding? Some serious speed (period) in a Tsunami so one would think that you'd get some damn good refraction around small offshore islands.

I think you mean "Where's Tassie?"

In all seriousness though Craig, based on this map, Tassie should feel the effects first, so it's a little worrying that the BOM have omitted them from the warnings?

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