Tropical Storm Magda Threatens Northeastern Australia

January 22, 2010

A report from Risk Management Solutions on tropical storm Magda places it at around 500 miles (800 kms) northeast of Port Hedland, Australia, and 520 miles (830 kms) west-southwest of Darwin, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

When it was last analyzed Magda had maximum sustained winds of approximately 69 mph (111 km/hr), making it a “strong tropical storm” on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, and a “strong category 2 tropical cyclone” on the Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale (Australian Region). The first scale essentially measures sustained winds, the second the most powerful gusts.

Magda is presently forecast to continue tracking towards the southwest over the next 24 hours. It is expected to encounter “low vertical wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures,” said RMS, which would provide favorable conditions for further intensification. “Forecasts suggest that Magda may reach a category 1-status storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale within 24 hours.”

The storm is projected to come ashore today or early tomorrow, making landfall in close to the town of Derby (population 3,000) in the Kimberly region of Western Australia as a low category 1 storm. “This part of northwest Australia is sparsely populated, however there is some concern about the impact of the storm on mining operations in the area,” RMS noted.

Source: Risk Management Solutions – www.rms.com

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Australia

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