The unwanted visitor

That Debbie, she’s a pain in the backside.

Just before midnight, it became clear she had turned slightly, and we weren’t going to cop the worst of it after all. We went to bed at midnight, after checking the Bureau track map. It had been a long and tiring day. After 4 hours, we abandoned sleep. The pressure had plummeted, the wind speed had risen to a quiet scream, the rain was hurling itself at the front of the house like a crazed axe murderer. After a brief foray outside to the circuit box to throw one of the trip switches back on, the Husband reported that all was secure and dry inside. So we’re back on track watching. We know how lucky we are. Wind speeds on Hamilton Island are currently 187kmph/116mph…

I don’t know if you’re graph and chart enthusiasts. I am, I love a graphic representation of data. And this is ‘my’ cyclone, so I get to show the pictures. Below are charts showing rainfall and pressure/wind speed. You can see how the increasing wind speed correlates with the continuous drop in pressure associated with a cyclone. It’s going to get a lot lower and the wind gusts a LOT harder before we’re done.

Here’s where TC Debbie is sitting right now

So, it’s been pretty windy and wet, but the worst is still to come. I’m very glad neither of us has to be anywhere else today. For one thing, a bit more sleep would have been good, but nature’s sound effects put paid to that! I’m grateful that we were able to sleep in our own bed instead of on a strange floor somewhere. I’m grateful the roof over our head is holding on, and that we still have power. But most of all, I’m grateful not to be in Bowen tonight…

I’ll be updating this post as the morning progresses, so check in later for more news. Meanwhile, so long from the pointy end…