Weather warning

[walkinTas]

It is not the best of days to be walking around in the highlands. ...also not the best of nights for computer system managers.

Issued at 3:40 pm on Thursday 26 June 2008

Synoptic Situation:
A cold front which crossed the state last night has moved out to the east today
and has been followed by a vigorous westerly flow as a deep low passes to the
distant southwest.

Westerly winds strong enough to bring down some tree branches and power lines
are expected over Tasmania this evening, mainly about the west, south and near
the north coast. The maximum wind gusts are expected to be around 100km/hr.
Conditions are expected to ease overnight and into tomorrow.

Renewal of warning for all Tasmanian roads

Westerly winds are strong to locally gale force and gusty, particularly around
highland and coastal areas. These conditions may result in hazardous conditions
on exposed roads, bridges and causeways. Snow will also fall to around 800
metres until this evening posing a hazard on elevated roads.

Recent events:
Winds at mountain top level and about exposed coastal stations in the north,
west and south have been regularly gusting over 110 km/hr with Maatsuker Island
recorded a gust to 150 km/hr just after 2pm.

I have been wondering for a while if there would be an easy way to add weather warnings to the forums. I have a little utility on the desktop that pops up a single line warning whenever weatherzone issue a warning. I was thinking it might be a good idea if these (single line warnings) could be added to the "news & information" section. Particularly the bushwalking alerts (like those issued for the past three days by the BOM). TWF's RSS feed revisited, but there are probably other ways as well.

Last edited by walkinTas on Thu 26 Jun, 2008 10:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[corvus]

That looks like a very good idea

[BarryJ]

Personally, I keep a link to the BOM Forecasts page on my Firefox tool bar so I have ALL Tasmanian forecasts (including warnings) at my fingertips.

http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/tas/forecasts.shtml

[Son of a Beach]

It is a good idea. I'll have to think about it. It wouldn't fit into the way the current news & info system works (it requires a phpBB cache purge for every update), but that system (built by me) is a little dodgy and needs a re-vamp anyhow.

[tas-man]

The BOM website has a direct link to their Bushwalker's Alerts here http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDT38200.txt and the current warning is : -

IDT38200
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Tasmania

WARNING
Bush Walkers Weather Alert
Issued at 4:09pm on Thursday the 26th of June 2008

Renewal

Bushwalkers weather alert for all highland areas. Snowfalls are expected to
around 800 metres at first, lower in the south, then rising to near 1000 metres
tonight before clearing. Strong to gale force and gusty winds will slowly ease
during tomorrow.

Next routine issue by 11pm.


This warning is also available through TV and Radio broadcasts; the Bureau's
website at http://www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 216.

The Tasmanian Bureau of Meteorology and State Emergency Service would appreciate
this warning being broadcast regularly.