{"id":35852,"date":"2017-03-26T20:45:18","date_gmt":"2017-03-26T09:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=35852"},"modified":"2019-04-16T13:31:08","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T03:31:08","slug":"coral-climate-change-storm-surges-and-cyclonedebbie-takvera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/coral-climate-change-storm-surges-and-cyclonedebbie-takvera\/","title":{"rendered":"Coral, coal, climate change and storm surges with #CycloneDebbie – @takvera"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cyclone Debbie off Queensland. Image by BOM from Himawari satellite<\/p><\/div>\n

Tropical Cyclone Debbie is forecast to cross Central Queensland coast on Tuesday morning as a Category 4 Severe tropical cyclone. It will bring destructive winds greater than 200km per hour plus a storm surge with a king tide innundating low lying coastal properties, and torrential rain causing flooding. It is also cooling sections of the Great Barrier Reef reducing coral bleaching from an extensive and long lasting marine heatwave.<\/p>\n

Update:<\/strong> 25,000 people in Mackay ordered to evacuate due to storm surge threat<\/a>.
\nUpdate:<\/strong> Coal mines and coal ports affected<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tropical Cyclone Debbie draws heat from the unusually warm waters of the Coral Sea. This will help it increase in intensity to achieve possibly Category 4, and an outside chance as a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone before it strikes land.<\/p>\n

It is the first tropical cyclone to strike the north Queensland coast since Cyclone Nathan in March 2015. Although it may not be as strong, it is being compared in size and extent to the Category 5 cyclone Yasi from 2011. <\/p>\n

The destructive winds and storm surge may wreck havoc on low lying coastal areas when the cyclone comes ashore. <\/p>\n

The cyclone brings substantial cloud cover to the region and helps to cool the general water temperature. It may thus help limit coral bleaching, which involves the expulsion of Zooxanthellae<\/a> by the coral polyps when the waters get too warm. For those coral reefs in the southern reef system already suffering mild coral bleaching, it can help them recover more quickly. But for many corals the cyclone cooling the waters may already be too little, too late.<\/p>\n

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\nWe needed the cyclone in February to make a real difference, but it may help mildly bleached corals in the south regain their colour faster https:\/\/t.co\/LKLiExVjp1<\/a><\/p>\n

— Terry Hughes (@ProfTerryHughes) March 23, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n