Dotti Posted September 22, 2009 Report Posted September 22, 2009 I hope everyone in Sydney is okay, that dust is so thick! The whole town is red! Some people came out of their houses and thought it was the end of the world I feel for the people with allgeries and hay fever. Cleaning up will be a nightmare. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/23/2693643.htm Dust storm chokes Sydney Slideshow: Photo 1 of 4 A surfer heads for the water at Bondi Beach. (AAP: Tracey Nearmy) Video: Dust shrouds Sydney (ABC News) Audio: ABC weather forecaster Graham Creed speaks to 702's Adam Spencer (ABC News) Map: Sydney 2000 Related Story: Dusty day a health hazard for asthmatics Related Story: Dust blankets western Qld Related Link: Photo gallery: dust storm descends on Sydney Related Link: Send us your photos or video Related Link: Follow the dust storm on Twitter Related Link: Watch: YouTube video of the dust storm hitting Broken Hill Sydneysiders are being warned that a huge dust cloud will continue to affect the city through the day, after they woke to an eerie red dawn this morning. The huge dust storm which has settled over the city and much of New South Wales was carried east overnight by gale-force winds of up to 100kph. This morning the weather bureau said the dust cloud was expected to hang around until late afternoon. Senior forecaster Barry Hanstrum says more high winds are on the way and could cause more damage. "The winds won't drop off until later today and when they do we think that the dust haze will start to clear," he said. "The weather system that generated the dust yesterday is associated with gale force winds and the area which is most likely to be affected today is the Wollongong-Greater Sydney region and the Hunter Valley-Newcastle area. "The winds at times during the morning will average 65kph, which is gale force, with some stronger squally gusts up to about 90-100kph." The dust reduced visibility across the city and large parts of the state, with callers to ABC Radio saying the scene looked like something from the end of the world. The bureau has issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds in Sydney and other parts of NSW, with a gale warning issued for Sydney closed waters. Environmental Health director Dr Wayne Smith says people in poor health, especially those with asthma and heart and lung disease should remain indoors. He says children with health problems, as well as older adults and pregnant women, should also take precautions and people should avoid heavy exercise. 'Like Armageddon' Karen from Dulwich Hill, in Sydney's inner west, says she woke up to find the red dust had covered her floors and birds had been blown out of their nests. "It did feel like Armageddon because when I was in the kitchen looking out the skylight, there was this red, red glow coming through," she said. Mick told ABC Online: "In Sydney's south-western suburbs I've just woken up to a glowing red window! Thought it was Armageddon! Either that or South Korea [sic] had nuked us!" Another ABC Online contributor wrote in: "Red. Dusty. Making hard to breath... There are baby birds dead in our backyard. And our cat's gone missing." Another listener says her lakeside vista has been replaced by a desert view. Others have commented on how birds are struggling to cope with the haze, with some "falling out of the sky". Another said: "I went out for a ride on my bicycle and I ended up looking like a red panda." Caller Mary spoke about a dust storm she saw in 1939: "I was 13 years of age and I lived in Leichhardt," she said. "I remember I walked to my aunt's place and you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. The colour was a sort of yellowy-brown." Schools open Meanwhile, schools are still open and parents are being told to send their children to school unless they have asthma or other breathing problems. Sydney Ferries cancelled its services earlier but they are now set to resume. Flights into Sydney have been diverted to Brisbane and Melbourne. Departing flights are delayed. Steve, who is driving to Tamworth, says rain is making conditions even more treacherous. "It's almost raining mud," he told ABC Local Radio. "I have a green car and it's now an orange car. The wipers are barely able to cope with all the mud." Calls for help The dust storm is also creating work for the fire brigade, with a huge amount of false alarms triggered by the dust Supreintendent Warwick Kidd says crews in Sydney have had more than 500 call-outs this morning. "This is certainly an extraordinary event for us,' he said. "The dust actuates in some of the electrical componentry and also some of these alarms are actually particle alarms that go off with the particles inside the smoke. "The dust simulates smoke so the fire alarm goes off." The ambulance service has received around 140 calls from people having breathing difficulties because of the dust, since the storms began. More than 50 calls were made from Sydney, 50 from the state's west, 23 from the north and 12 from southern regions. The SES had 175 calls for help overnight. Most came from Crookwell, north of Canberra, where hail the size of cricket balls has fallen and roofs have been damaged. 'Pretty widespread' Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman Jane Golding said dust had settled on much of the state, including Sydney. "It's pretty widespread," she said. "We've had reports of low visibility up out as far up as Moree, Dubbo, Canberra's got some raised dust in the area and Wollongong, so it's very widespread." Gale force winds of up to 100kph hit the Hunter region before moving through Sydney early this morning. "Dubbo's still in pretty thick dust. The dust will last a bit but we're also expecting those winds to pick up as well." Havoc in the Hunter The storm has also wreaked havoc in the Hunter Valley, where the dusty air reducing visibility to between 100 and 200 metres. Peter from Branxton says he cannot see past his front gate. "It looks foggy but it's not fog, if you're going to do a movie about the end of the world you'd do it today," he said. Lorraine from Broke thought there was a bushfire. "It's very dusty, visibility is very poor and we have an orange crimson light, it's quite eerie," she said. Steve from Maitland says he has never seen anything like it. "Bushfirey-type smoke, but the dust is very pungent... I've just shut the house up," he said. Yesterday gale force winds whipped up heavy dust storms and powerful electrical storms across parts of New South Wales. The winds will also reach parts of Victoria, where a flash flooding warning has been issued.
Lise Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 Something to do with sand storms and the dust has spread to Sydney causing the sky to turn red? Looked scary on the news this morning. If you click here. There are heaps of pictures.
WillowsTara Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 It's no better in Brisbane either. Not bad as Sydney but the whole sky is red and tjhe area looks smoky or foggy. Got me freaked out so much I thought something bad was coming like the world ending, My mum told me what it was though.
Dotti Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/866509...hrouded-in-dust A powerful wind storm that choked NSW in a thick haze of red dust is the worst in at least 70 years and possibly the history of the state, meteorologists say. WATCH LIVE: Lunchtime news update The storm, which began in South Australia before blowing into NSW, has spread to Brisbane and may even make it to New Zealand before the dust settles. PHOTOS: The best images from our readers PHOTOS: Professional shots of the red dawn Send your photos of the dust storm to 9 Newswatch 9RAW: Video of the dust storm Winds up to 90km/h brought a thick orange hue to the skies over NSW as the dust storm moved east across the state. The Bureau of Meteorology's Regional Director for NSW Barry Hanstrum told the ABC an event like this was "extremely rare". "It's one of the worst, if not the worst," Mr Hanstrum was quoted as saying. Services to and from Sydney airport have been crippled and authorities have raised a health alarm for people suffering from chronic respiratory problems. Strong westerly winds kicked up on Tuesday afternoon and exacerbated drought conditions in far western NSW, whisking up dust and dirt from the already scorched earth. "It (the dust) covers a big area of the state and certainly the eastern half of the state at the moment is under that," Mr Hanstrum told AAP. "And it looks as if it will continue to move up through the Northern Rivers area during today and maybe even make it into Brisbane at some time." Mr Hanstrum said strong winds from South Australia sent dust across the Tasman earlier in September. "And likewise with this one, there's a fair chance that it will keep going out into the Tasman Sea and it won't dissipate quickly," he said. "They may see some effects of reduced visibility as far east as New Zealand." An intense low-pressure system formed over southern NSW on Tuesday and a band of gale force winds on its northern edge developed during the afternoon. Mr Hanstrum said drought conditions across the state had intensified the rare weather event that has brought dust and reduced visibility to most of NSW. "The winds whipped up a great dust cloud and that's been transferred across the whole of the state," he said. Strong winds and dust hit Sydney at about 3.30am (AEST) on Wednesday, crippling Sydney airport and forcing international arrivals to divert to Brisbane and Melbourne. Domestic flights continue to experience long delays, while ambulance and fire authorities have received far more than the usual number of calls. The NSW Ambulance Service issued a warning to people suffering from asthma or other respiratory illnesses to stay inside where possible and carry all medication. "We have already seen an increase in calls to people suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems," the Ambulance Service said in a statement. "People with asthma in particular need to be aware of early warning signs especially if their condition does not respond to their usual medication. "If your asthma does not respond quickly to your normal medication call 000 to get help immediately." Police have urged motorists to slow down and put their lights on due to the extreme dust levels. Mr Hanstrum said the winds had started to ease in western NSW and visibility had improved, with a similar easing of conditions expected to spread east on Wednesday afternoon and evening. "We should see some sunshine again tomorrow (Thursday) although it will remain a bit hazy," he said.
Adelle_fan1000 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 Its bad in Brisbane to.. and is pretty bad where i am at the moment, it was ORANGE before and the dust is so thick its inside the house to and it smells horrible!!
Ashleigh <3 Lincoln Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 Yea, I live in Sydney and the dust is terrible. I thought that there was a massive fire outside, until my Mum told me!
Adelle_fan1000 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 I'm sick of smelling it.. its thick and its making me feel horrible!
Yankee White Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 Waking up at 5:30am to a red sky is creepy. I went outside and it just kept coming. I'll post my photos later. It really sucked for me cause I have asthma .
Adelle_fan1000 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Posted September 23, 2009 Most of its nearly gone and there is no smell anymore.. thank-goodness
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