Frog Weather

Yes, frog weather has arrived in the north over the past week.

With close to 600mm in the rain gauge since the week prior to Christmas, including one big day with close to 200mm [ many other places with much more than this, and on multiple days] the monsoon arrived in serious mode.  Ground developed a serious squelch - absolutely saturated!

Unfortunately these conditions also accentuate conditions for the nasty soil borne disease meliodosis - often fatal.  Our neighbour was infected and although now on the mend, had a nasty,awful,  horrible time and seems to have suffered quite badly with pain.  He is recovering, thankfully.  At least locally in Darwin, if you present at emergency at the hospital, they are sufficiently aware of the issue to start treatment quickly - a major step to prevent death.  I noted when at the doctor myself a few days ago - there was a poster about the disease on the wall - a needed warning!  

The rain was however, a pleasant relief, given the dry, yet humid weather of the past two months of so.

Now - New Years Eve - it is drier, with no rain for a couple of days, although humid with rain around - just not in the rain gauge!

The expected cyclone fizzled into a tropical low as it moved SE across the NT- mainly because it failed to move over water and pick up intensity, yet it was an important and major event, as it moved SE to South bringing RAIN .

It brought good drought breaking rain to the parched areas of western and south western Queensland, Barkly Tablelands, the SE of the Northern Territory and is continuing to move south with more rains forecast at least for today in those regions.

Western Queensland was in serious drought - and had been for some years.  I bet there are some glimmers of smiles on property owners faces now.  BUT........it will be a long and difficult time back to recovery, as most places have got rid of stock and no doubt prices for new stock will rise as demand escalates over the next few weeks or more.  

They do need more rain- not necessarily huge quantities just a more normal rainy season the help rebuild pastures, vegetation and soil cover.  Lets hope they really have a decent rainy season.

For Darwin, a few days without rain are welcome - gets the solar HWS charged up, and allows a few activities outside.  The cloud cover is still around which keeps pool water temperatures a bit lower, and the monsoon wind flow is still strong at around 20 - 35km/hr from the west, also creating a few miserable choppy waves at local beaches.

Still plenty of green tree frogs around at night though, enjoying the change in weather!  AND - so far seen no cane toads this past week or two. Even a healthy and fat Torres Strait Pigeon or two around.

Torres Strait pigeon on African Mahogany tree

A REAL Monsoon at Last

What a wonderful weekend................a monsoon at last!!!!

Cool cloudy days, some periodic sunny overcast skies, and monsoonal showers.  Not a lot of rain, around 40mm at our place in the gauge this morning [most from a decent burst early this morning] and maybe 10mm today.  But at last some relief from the horrible crappy hot weather.

More monsoonal showers tomorrow, but alas.........maybe drier after that.

Just nice while it is happening.

And the frogs are just loving it.

Cramped Vision

Oh dear................five long weeks [plus] without a new post.

Doesn't time fly if you are having fun......or busy? Several trips away to distant places, work [not done while away], and a bit of writers block do not aid the sensible scribbling on paper.

That in itself raises some issues. We all seem to use keyboards today, but the easy flow of pen or pencil on paper is quite inspiring.

I spent many months away from family working overseas in some pretty remote regions where letters were it! No phones, telegrams, faxes, let alone computers and e-mail [some of these places still exist you know]. Often letters were quite soliloqual [ except I guess technically a soliloquy is a spoken, not a written piece] conveying observations, events and miscellanea, getting my personal view to the readers in my family. But I actually enjoyed the flow of words across the page.

Keyboards are not quite the same. NEVER.

A hand written note is the exception today............and it is always nice to get one. Or send one too, as a short thank you, bereavement note, even as a card.

BUT.............back to the keyboard.

Darwin can be an odd place........it is mid May, and it has been seriously raining and expected to continue. The local newspaper found an old news item today - May 18 1989, with a photo of heavy rain on that day - 89mm [that is quite a bit], so it is not necessarily rare. But unusual, well yes, if in volume! Especially since it has been about five weeks without much rain except for a few less than 1mm scuds.

However, good for the garden, lawns and will save irrigating.


Interesting conjunction between blog posts and rain.............maybe the recent irrigating rain has allowed the fingers to function again!

The Monsoon is HERE

If you have never lived in a monsoonal climate, it may not gel but if you have you will know what I mean. Weeks, and months of dry weather, lately a few storms and very hot and humid with quite trying still conditions.......and then........the wind starts blowing from the opposite direction.


We have had a light but insistent NW to W breeze over the past 2 days, and since Sunday, high cloud and overcast conditions with a little rain. From about lunchtime yesterday, the rain started. Around 70mm [ 3 inches] since then overnight.


And it is still raining gently, but VERY insistently. I was going to do some serious flying today in a light aircraft, but only got as far as a flight around the airport before the weather closed in, earlier today. And it was very wet below.


The monsoon is HERE.


Overcast, cool [25C] - compared to the past few weeks of 33 - 36C, and a welcome change. Rain brings life and didn't the green frogs have a great time last night and today as well, singing very loudly about how great the rain is.


Current weather map :

The dense cloud across northern Australia is the monsoonal front.

photo off the national radar image from www.bom.gov.au at 1200 local time Darwin.

Battle of the Sounds - Frog Style

With due acknowledgment to the cartoonist.............except that it has been sooooooo quiet lately around our house. There is little rian this month so far, and the frogs are quiet!