At the weekend a tropical low that was situated in the Timor Sea moved west-south-west into waters north of the Kimberley, Western Australia. Deepening as it moved, the low developed into a tropical cyclone on Sunday night that brought gale-force winds of up to 56 mph (90km/h) to the coast. Squally thunderstorms across northern parts of the region produced strong winds and heavy rain.
The tropical cyclone is forecast to reach category 3 by Tuesday. From Wednesday it is expected to turn south, prompting the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to warn that a significant risk of further instability could steer the storm south-east into central or eastern Pilbara, or western Kimberley. Given sea surface temperatures will be 30-32C (86-90F), the cyclone is expected to deepen to a category 4, with some models forecasting central pressure as low as 910hPa.
Should this occur, the cyclone is likely to make landfall on Wednesday night, bringing 100mph gusts to the coast before tracking south-east across the country. Heavy rain is expected as the storm traverses over much of Western Australia, potentially bringing 20-30mm of rain. The cyclone is predicted to bring strong winds and heavy rain to South Australia on Friday before dissipating overnight.
A severe ice storm hit the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario last Wednesday. Three people were killed, and almost 1 million were without power at the peak of the disruption.
Ice storms are severe freezing-rain events during which raindrops freeze on contact with surfaces. An ice storm is declared by the US National Weather Service if freezing rain leads to ice accumulations that exceed 0.25in. Such events cause treacherous travelling conditions and add considerable weight to power lines, trees and structures. Damage to power lines and falling branches are common – the latter of which killed two people.
Energy companies have restored electricity to the majority of households but more than 100,000 were still without power in Quebec at 10am local time on Sunday.
