AUSTRALIA: A tropical low in the Timor Sea moved west-southwest over the weekend and entered the waters north of Kimberley, Western Australia. On Sunday night, it became a tropical cyclone, producing gale-force winds and heavy rain.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has warned that the tropical cyclone is expected to strengthen to category 3 by Tuesday. The storm is projected to shift south beginning Wednesday.
Meteorology Department reported more instability may result in the cyclone moving into central or eastern Pilbara or western Kimberley, where it is predicted to intensify to a category 4 storm with sea surface temperatures of 30-32C and a central pressure of 910hPa.
If this happens, the storm would probably make landfall on Wednesday night and deliver gusts of 100 mph to the coast before moving southeast across the nation.
As the storm moves across most of Western Australia, heavy rain is predicted, with 20 to 30 mm of rain being possible. South Australia is expected to experience Friday’s cyclone’s high gusts and torrential rain before dissipating overnight.
While a tropical cyclone forms off the coast of Kimberley, freezing rain is wreaking havoc in Quebec and Ontario.
The Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario were severely affected by the ice storm last Wednesday, with three deaths and 1 million people without power.
Ice storms are extreme instances of freezing rain in which raindrops stick to surfaces and solidify. If ice accumulations exceed 0.25 inches, the US National Weather Service declares an ice storm, making it dangerous to travel and adding weight to electrical wires, trees, and other structures.
Power line damage and branch falls have caused two deaths, and as of Sunday morning, more than 100,000 people in Quebec were still without electricity.
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