Two Cyclones, Lam And Marcia Slam Into Australia In One Day

As we speak Tropical Cyclone Lam is battering Wessel islands and about to make landfall into Arnhem land in northern Australia. A few hours later another tropical storm Marcia will move into Rockhampton in Queensland.

CYCLONES LAM AND MARCIA MOVING INTO AUSTRALIA ON FEBRUARY 19, 2015

It happens rarely. That in a single day two tropical storms ram into a country. It is happening in Australia today. Cyclone Lam is about to make landfall into Arnhem land in the Northern territory. At about 1200 hours GMT today another tropical storm Marcia will hit Rockhampton on the coast of eastern Australia.

Of the two Lam is the tougher customer. The coast of Northern territory can expect winds of about 140-160 kph in the next 24 hours. But within  72 hours the storm will have dissipated. But expect heavy rainfall in Arnhem land in the next 48 hours.

Marcia is a weaker storm by comparision but even then Rockhampton can expect gusts of 80 kph today. The storm will weaken as it moves inland but will prove to be a great rain-maker. In the next 48 hours heavy rains are expected in south-eastern Queensland and the coast of north-eastern New South wales. Brisbane will receive heavy showers on February 21, 2015.

TRACK FORECAST OF CYCLONE LAM

TRACK FORECAST OF TROPICAL STORM MARCIA

Australia Visited By Cyclone Lam, Marcia May Follow Soon

Even as cyclone Lam intensifies in the Arafura Sea near the coast of northern Australia chances are another tropical cyclone Marcia may affect the eastern coast, particularly Brisbane.

CYCLONE LAM OFF THE COAST OF NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA. IMAGE TAKEN AT 0630 HOURS GMT, FEBRUARY 17, 2015.

Cyclone Lam is already throwing out winds of 90 kph. Central Minimum Pressure of 993 Mb. Quite a nasty little storm. Lam is going to toddle around in the Arafura Sea for a couple of days and then move into Arnhem Land on February 19, 2015. So very windy in Wessel islands and Arnhem Land for the next 48 hours. And lots of rains in these areas. Darwin will not be affected much. Some light showers and winds of 30 kph for the next three days beginning tomorrow.

Lam is going to weaken after making landfall. So when it reaches Katherine it will be just a low pressure area. Some rains but no deluge.

As for the other system, 98P, which is developing in the Pacific coast of Queensland, may turn out to be a weak tropical storm. One doubts if the Australian Met will even name it (Marcia). It will barely reach wind speeds of 65 kph, even that only on February 21 after it moves past Brisbane.

We feel 98P will remain a depression. It will bring rains and some winds to the eastern coast of Australia in the next 96 hours but it may not be honored with the name, Marcia.

Storm 90S May Spell Cyclone Trouble For Mascareignes

Update: February 21, 2015

The ECMWF has turned bearish on upcoming cyclone Glenda affecting Mascareignes. It believes Glenda will move southwards before entering the waters.

The GFS in contrast is still bullish. It believes 90S will move towards Rodrigues Island and then start intensifying rapidly. The Island is in for a thorough thrashing by Glenda on February 26, 2015. After which it will turn south thus sparing Mauritius.
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It is possible that cyclone Glenda has already been born. It is called 90S by NOAA and lay at 20.3°S 99.7°E at 0000 hours today south of Diego Garcia in the Southern Indian Ocean.

This storm, if forecasts are to be believed, will take a long time to form. It is only after 5-6 days that it will gain cyclone strength. Its movement will be confounding and haphazard. It will move east first then start curving and move towards Mascareignes.

Forecast models are divided. The GFS predicts future cyclone Glenda will move towards Mascareignes but then swerve south and miss even Rodrigues island. The ECMWF says no such luck. Glenda is going to slam into the aforementioned group of islands. Or move very close to them.

It is certain that 90S is going to turn into a very powerful storm called cyclone Glenda in the coming days.

THE MASSIVE SWIRLING MASS OF CLOUDS NORTH-EAST OF MASCAREIGNES IS STORM 90S, FUTURE CYCLONE GLENDA

Cyclone Lam May Affect Australia's Northern Territory

The Arafura Sea off the coast of northern Australia may spawn cyclone Lam in a day or two. 

The tropical storm is likely to be born in the Arafura Sea a few hundred kilometers north-east  of Wessel Islands in northern Australia. Lam is likely to form on February 17 2015 and intensify rapidly and hit the coast at Wessel Islands and Arnhem Land in Northern Territory a few hundred kilometers east of Darwin.

Lam is going to be small but nasty gusty cyclone which will bring heavy rains in the areas described above. It will make landfall on February 18 at Wessel Islands.

Darwin will not be affected.

There is a strong possibility of a much bigger tropical cyclone hitting north-west Australia around February 23, 2015. This one will form near the coast of Collier Bay and Kimberley Plateau. Though this storm will not affect Darwin the north-western coast of the country will be severely affected.