Alice Springs hit by worst storm in 40 years: thousands lose power
Key takeaways
- A severe thunderstorm hit Alice Springs on Monday afternoon, October 12. ABC News called it the worst storm there in 40 years.
- More than 9,000 people lost power. Winds reached 100 km/h, and some areas may wait up to four days for electricity.
- The Bureau of Meteorology warns more storms could hit the town. Parts of NSW and Queensland may see storms on Tuesday.
A severe thunderstorm tore through Alice Springs on Monday afternoon, October 12. The desert town in central Australia lost power, and homes were damaged. ABC News called it the worst storm in 40 years.
What happened
A severe thunderstorm is a very strong storm. It brings lightning, thunder, and fast, damaging wind. It often drops hail or heavy rain too.
On Monday afternoon, October 12, one of these storms slammed into Alice Springs.
Alice Springs sits in the Northern Territory. It is a dry desert town in the heart of Australia. It rarely sees weather like this.
That is why the damage shocked residents.
The storm's winds reached up to 100 km/h, according to The Australian. That is fast enough to knock down power lines. Homes and businesses were damaged across the town.
Fences fell down. Tree branches littered the streets, ABC News reported.
Thousands of people lost power. A power outage means homes have no electricity. Lights do not work.
Fridges stop keeping food cold. Fans, air conditioners, and phone chargers go dead. The Australian reported more than 9,000 people were without power on Tuesday morning.
ABC News reported that 4,000 homes were still out.
Emergency crews were sent from Darwin to help. They will repair the broken power lines. The Australian reported this.
Authorities warned some areas could stay dark for up to four days.
Why it matters
Alice Springs is built for heat, not storms. It gets very little rain each year. A storm this strong is rare in the desert.
ABC News called it the worst in 40 years. That shows just how unusual the event was.
The story is not just local news. Google Trends recorded about 20,000 searches in Australia in a single day. The top search was "storms alice springs".
People want to know what happened. Many are checking on family and friends in the town.
This storm is part of a bigger weather system. The Bureau of Meteorology is Australia's official weather office. It studies the weather and warns the public about danger.
The same system that hit Alice Springs is now moving east. It is heading toward New South Wales and Queensland. The damage in the desert may be a warning for the east coast too.
A severe thunderstorm is not the same as a geomagnetic storm. A geomagnetic storm starts on the sun. It can paint the night sky with auroras.
The Alice Springs storm came from Earth's own weather.
What happens next
More storms are likely. The Bureau of Meteorology says Tuesday afternoon and evening could bring another thunderstorm. It may be severe.
Severe means damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rain. That heavy rain can cause flash flooding.
Wednesday looks stormy too. The bureau says a thunderstorm is likely on October 14. It may also be severe. The high will sit near 28 degrees Celsius.
The low could drop to 14 degrees.
The warnings reach far beyond the Northern Territory. On Monday, the bureau issued severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of NSW too. The Riverina region faced isolated severe storms, according to warning records.
Karmactive reported the bureau's forecast. It expects widespread thunderstorms across NSW and Queensland on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday may be the main storm day for Sydney and Brisbane.
Weatherzone said the storms could bring damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding. It also warned that isolated supercells are possible. Over one million lightning strikes could hit Australia this week.
Storms that flood streets have struck other places before. See how Tropical Storm Rachel flooded Las Vegas in a past weather event. The lesson is the same each time.
Fast water can be deadly, even in dry places.
People in storm areas should check the bureau's warnings page. Move cars under cover if you can. Bring pets inside.
Tie down loose items outside your home. If a warning is issued, avoid driving unless you must.
Alice Springs is still cleaning up. Crews are working to fix the power lines. Residents are watching the sky for the next storm.
The coming days will show whether the east coast faces the same fury. Check the latest warnings before you travel.
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