In early March 2009 tropical cyclone Hamish formed in the northern part of Australia and tracked through the main part of the reef coming within 130 kilomteres of the sensor network stations at Heron and One Tree Islands on the 9th of March.
As it tracked past Heron and One Tree Islands, as a Category-4 Cyclone with winds up to 240 kilometers per hour, it was recorded by the sensor network equipment in real-time. This slide show presents the results seen by the sensing equipment.
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Satellite Image (MODIS data) showing Cycloine Hamish on the 6th of March 2009
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Track of Tropical Cyclone Hamish showing its progress down the reef and the Category of Cyclone. -
Cyclone map for the 9th of March showing the path of the cyclone and the location of One Tree Island (green star). -
Cyclone report for the 9th of March, 250 kph winds and a central pressure of 945 hectoPascals. -
Sensor data from Heron and One Tree Islands showing barometric Pressure and Wind Speed - Wind Speed goes up as Pressure goes down. -
Sensor data from Heron and One Tree Islands - details of the 9th of March 2009. -
Sensor data from Heron and One Tree Islands - cyclone had little impact on air temperature. -
Rainfall from the islands. -
Wind Direction from the islands - note there is no 'eye' of the Cyclone affect. -
Impact on water temperatures at One Tree Island -
Impact on water temperatures at Heron Island -
Cyclone induced mixing of the One Tree Island lagoon -
Summary
