Image: Snow in Tasmania, contributed to BOM Twitter feed.
ABC News reports that Tasmania, the island state 240 miles south of the Australian mainland, was slammed by repeated winter storm fronts blowing through, delivering unusually cold temperatures, snow, heavy rains, and high winds which knocked out power to thousands of residences and businesses on the island.
The first storm blew in on Thursday August 29, delivering wind gusts topping 140 kilometers (86 miles) per hour (Kph) in some areas, with gusts of more than 100 Kph (approximately 62 miles) common across the island. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued various storm warnings. By Saturday, the first round of storms had already knocked out the power of more than 10,000 homes and businesses, a number which rose to more than 15,000 customers by Sunday.
The BOM reported that wind chills in Hobart dropped to -14.6℃. The temperature at Mount Wellington was reported as dipping to -3℃ with the high winds making it feel like -22.6℃. Additional cold fronts slammed the island over the weekend and into the beginning of the week, hampering efforts to get the power back on.
The storm was not all bad news since the snow that it dumped on Mount Wellington and Ben Lemond has ski areas there considering extending their season past their normal end-of-August closure. Also, the heavy snow had the Mount Mawson’s ski area in the Mount Field National Park considering opening for the first time in two years.
What may prove a boon for skiers was definitely bad news for backcountry hikers and the emergency crews called in to find them and get them safely off the mountains. Australia’s State Emergency Services (SES) were called in to find multiple groups of hikers on September 2.
“Police are once again appealing for bushwalkers to be prepared for extreme conditions and the unpredictable after a major rescue mission on Monday night,” The Mercury (Australia) reported. “Emergency services were alerted to a group of 13 people calling for help at kunanyi/Mt Wellington about 4.15pm.
“The group underwent a day bushwalk with mobile phones but minimal food and water and no equipment to spend the night in case of emergency, police said [and] [a]uthorities arranged for City of Hobart personnel to assist the walkers to safety,” said The Mercury. “Police confirmed a further five walkers were located during the rescue mission and walked back down the mountain at the 1100m level.”
Authorities expressed frustration that they have had to issue repeated warnings to hikers and travelers during the storms.
“Inspector Darren Latham said that it was incredibly frustrating that police were forced to repeat the same warnings – especially during a severe weather event,” said The Mercury. “‘The Bureau of Meteorology, the SES and Tasmania Police have been issuing warnings to the community regarding the severe weather event since last week. This included several bushwalker weather alerts,” [Latham] said.
“‘Bushwalkers should always prepare for the worst,’” Latham continued. “‘Our emergency service personnel often put their own lives at risk during rescues, so it is frustrating when the situation could have been avoided.’”
In addition to stranded hikers and power outages, the repeated winter storms resulted dozens of roads and schools being closed, and homes and roads being flooded, from bone-chilling heavy rain which fell in the valleys and on the plains flooding creeks and rivers. By Monday, September 2, more than 600 homeowners had reported damage to insurers.