Reflections of Summer

The last week has been particularly mild down our way: for couple of days the temperature has been hovering around the 14°Celsius (57°F) mark, and overnight we have hit lows as high as 10°C and 11°C. This is about 20°C warmer than the same time last year, and the weather isn't expected to return to normal winter temperatures for at least the next week.


Meanwhile, in Toowoomba, which Susan wrote about yesterday, their problem has been rain. A huge amount of water fell on the city and the surrounding area, the official figure at the moment being "at least*" 100mm ( 3.937 ') of rain in three hours. The water arrived in the CBD of Toowoomba in a wall of water at least 2 metres high and is now working its way downstream, placing towns which have already been flooded this year back onto flood alert, as is Brisbane, where the river has already broken its banks.

The road from Toowoomba (where we used to work) to where Susan and I lived is cut again, and they have found a car washed into a (normally dry) creek from a flood proof 15 year old bridge. So far there is no sign of the driver. In the Lockyer Valley things are no better, with all the roads to where my house was completely cut, and with more run off to come. The death toll so far is 9 people, with another 66 missing. An up to date report and photos can be found here.

At this time, out thoughts go to family, friends, ex-work colleagues and other acquaintances in the area and hope they are safe, dry and warm. ThirstyKirstie hasn't blogged about it yet, but I know she has no electricity at the moment. We also know she is safe because her Facebook is being updated (I assume from a mobile phone), and she has been speaking to her mum.

Simon

*I assume the rain gauge filled up.

Finally, a photo to cheer us all up: a window in Tours