Tropical Cyclone Yasi. 2011

2011 has become one year to remember of forget depending on your point of view for Queenslanders. Not only has the state endured Floods the largest on record which affected most of this very large state we now face the devastating effects of a record-breaking Cyclone in the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Yasi is about to scare the living daylights out of Queenslander's. After weeks of devastating Floods another act of Mother natures is set to lash down on our state in the next 24 hours. Cyclone Yasi which can be seen so easily by Satellite looks as big as Queensland itself. Already it is a category four and has only to increase by another 5 kilometres per hour to be raised to a category five. The cyclone is set to bring new records as a natural disaster. Queensland has suffered many cyclones but none as big as this. As well as the devastating winds a storm surge and bucketing down of metre high rainfall is set to devastate the state. Cyclone Yasi was named in Fiji because that is where it started.

Tropical Cylcone Yasi-An area the breadth of 1000 kilometers is bracing for a hit by Yasi such is the diameter of Yasi. Yes from Cook town down the coast to Yeppoon and west to the town of Georgetown and Charters Towers and the Gulf of Carpentaria is on high alert for the imminent intrusion by Yasi over the next two days and beyond. Last time a serious hit was made by a cyclone was in 2006 and the Banana crops of Innisfail were flattened. Causing a billion dollars worth of property damage. as well as wiping out vast areas of Banana plantations

At the moment their is an uneasy calm before the storm eerieness according to media reports. Cairns was hit by a severe cyclone in 1989 which crippled and isolated the city and destroyed its only real industry the tourism one form some time.

Tropical Cyclone Yasi has been upgraded to a Category Five the highest possible category. people that remain in their homes have been advised to shelter in the smallest room in their House to fill their baths, buckets with water (in case water supplies cannot be resumed for some time.and turn off power and gas. This is the biggest system to be ever be witnessed by any Australian and the extent of the devastation expected is an unknown quantity. Last flights have left Cairns and Townsville no more flights will leave these airports until after the cyclone has passed.

**Live Camera in Townsville Here:

Tens of thousands of people are fleeing their homes ahead of the monster storm, which is expected to hit the coast between Cairns and Innisfail at about 10pm AEST tonight with winds of up to 295 kilometres per hour near the core.

**updates from Cairns HERE

IF you're struggling to grasp the magnitude of Tropical Cyclone Yasi, consider this: it is so large it would almost cover the United States, most of Asia and large parts of Europe.

ABC is the Official Government Channel for coverage of Tropical Cyclone Yasi

Expats and all others can watch up to date coverage HERE

This cyclone dwarfs Cyclone Tracy which hit Darwin on Christmas Day 1974. It wiped out Darwin killing 71 people.

Hurricane Katrina highest wind speed was 175mph(281kmh), TCYasi predicted up to 185mph (300kmh). Yikes!

Track The Cyclone is current passing a weather tracking station at Willis Island in the Coral Sea HERE. **BOM says Willis Island observation station may have been destroyed. No data for over 40 minutes...***

You can listen to constant coverage of on online radio here:

http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/

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