Today, I should be on the beach recovering from the usual to be expected Australia Day hangover, in the warmth of the sunshine with a gold rush Powerade. Unfortunately, with the Gold Coast currently looking like this;
Not so much. While we gallantly carried on with our Australia Day plans this year in spite of the building rain and winds in Queensland, there has been a dampener on this years celebrations. (Pun intended). Crowds were much smaller and there was no “beach” for beach cricket and beers this year. I’ve never seen the seas so angry. However we pressed on, to loyally listen to the top 100 on Triple J at the local pub, even stepping in to offer a friends iPhone to stream the songs live as their sound system gave out. The show must go on after all. Since yesterday, the weather has only worsened. Current warnings posted as follows:
GOLD COAST
– Gold Coast expecting the worst of ex-Cyclone Oswald between 6pm and 8pm – People have been blown off their feet in Surfers Paradise as 80km wind gusts whip through high rises – Material torn off buildings and debris flying through streets – More than 450mm of rain has fallen at Upper Springbrook in last two days – Police have had to order swimmers out of surf at closed beaches – Police slam wild weather ‘rubber-neckers’ putting themselves and emergency service workers in danger – Mini Tornado’s predicted
It seems we are finally getting the wrath of the rain after months of a stifling summer. It’s all or nothing lately, boiling hot with dry droughts or soaking wet and cyclonic rains. The wind surprises me the most, the severity of which you can easily imagine coming off a twister out at sea, throwing the ocean about like a brown washing machine and hammering at my windows. As all parts of Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast batten down in preparation for not only another massive storm but huge floods yet again, we can only hope Cyclone Oswald doesn’t leave too much destruction this time around. Happy long weekend.