People in some parts of the globe are anticipating the arrival of extreme weather.

Australia

Thousands of homes in South Australia are without power as an unusually deep area of low pressure moves across the area bringing gale force winds, rough seas and heavy rain.  50-100mm of rain is expected, which will fall as snow over the higher ground of the Australian Alpine region.  The storm is being reported locally as potentially the “worst storm in 50 years”.

The impacts should start to ease by Friday, as the low pressure clears to the south east of Melbourne. But then conditions are due to intensify again as it crosses Tasmania later in the day, before clearing south over the weekend. Disruption to transport and power supplies in the area are likely.

Image courtesy of NOAA Saatellites and Information

Tropical Cyclones in the Pacific and Atlantic

Typhoon Megi made landfall over Taiwan yesterday resulting in significant impacts from destructive winds and flooding. Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport reported tropical storm-force sustained winds for over 14 consecutive hours peaking at 99 mph.  There was up to one metre of rain as the storm crossed the island and almost three million homes and businesses lost power.

The island’s eastern coast was still recovering from damage caused by Typhoon Meranti earlier this month, followed by Typhoon Malakas.  Megi then made a second landfall across southeast China, close to Putian, Central Fujian yesterday evening (UK time).

Megi was still a strong typhoon as it made landfall in southeast China yesterday evening, with gusts to 90 mph. Areas of the Fujian Province are expecting 300-500mm of rain locally, increasing the risk of flooding, landslides, and  disruption to transport and power supplies.

Meanwhile a tropical disturbance to the east of Barbados has just been upgraded to a tropical storm named Matthew.

Picture courtesy of NOAA

Matthew has the potential to bring significant rainfall to the Windward Islands today, before moving across the south-eastern Caribbean Sea on Thursday. Heavy rains (100-200mm) and tropical storm-force winds are expected to bring a risk of flash flooding, damaging winds, rough seas and mudslides to the Windward and southern Leeward Islands.

Latest predictions suggest that Matthew could become a hurricane and make a sharp turn northwards early next week. This would bring a possible threat to countries such as Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba. However there remains much uncertainty at this time for the evolution, track and intensity of this storm beyond the weekend.