Cyclone ULUI Rainfall Map

ULUI dumped more than 180 mm of rain along its path

TRMM’s rainfall estimates for the 1-week period March 15 to 22, 2010 for the central east coast of Queensland, Australia show that ULUI dumped more than 180 mm (~7 inches) of rain along its path. Source: SSAI/NASA. Click image to enlarge.

Cyclone ULUI was formed near Vanuatu in the South Pacific and reached a Category 5 strength with sustained winds of about 260 km/hr as it moved south of Solomon Islands. ULUI struck Whitsunday Islands, off the Australian coast, on March 21, 2010 at about 1:30 am local time with Category 3A hurricane strength (see FEWW New Hurricane Scale).

Related Links:

• TC ULUI Flood Map of Queensland
• ULUI – UPDATE – MAR 21
• TC ULUI – 2nd UPDATE – MAR 20
• Tropical Cyclone ULUI – UPDATE Mar 20

• TC ULUI: Mid-air refueling
• Cyclone ULUI – UPDATE Mar 18
• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 17
• Cyclone ULUI: Enough Fuel to Land in Australia

• Cyclones TOMAS and ULUI – UPDATE Mar 16
• Tropical Cyclone TOMAS
• Tropical Cyclone ULUI
• Cyclones TOMAS and ULUI – UPDATE Mar 15

• Cyclones ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 14
• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 13
• Tropical Cyclones Now Come in Pairs
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale

TC ULUI Flood Map of Queensland

NASA’s TRMM measures TC ULUI Australian rainfall

Image was created using TRMM data during the last seven days of precipitation (from March 15-22) in Australia. It indicates that rainfall amounts of between 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) in areas of yellow and orange on Australia’s northeast coast (Queensland).

About 130mm (5.1 inches) or rainfall was estimated by TRMM at -20.38 latitude and 148.13 longitude, in Bogie, Queensland, Australia, near the Mount Aberdeen State Park. In Springlands, west of Collinsville, Queensland, near -20.88 latitude and 148.88 longitude, TRMM estimated a rainfall of 136mm (5.3 inches). At Mount Wyatt, 163mm (6.4 inches) of rain were estimated to have fallen, and southeast of Swan’s Lagoon and Millaroo, TRMM estimated that 179mm (7.0 inches) of rain had fallen from Ului.

On March 20, Ului was a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 64 mph about 385 miles east of Cairns, Australia near 19.9 South and 151.7 East. Later in the day it brought sustained winds between 92-109 mph to Hamilton Island off Proserpine. By 2100 UTC (5 p.m. EDT) that day, Ului was 260 miles southeast of Cairns, Queensland, Australia with sustained winds near 52 mph (45 knots) . However, it briefly re-intensified with sustained winds near 109 mph before making landfall near Bowen at Airlie Beach.

Reports indicated that about 60,000 homes lost power and there was a lot of destruction to trees, houses, boats, power lines and sugar cane crops – a major crop in the region.

Ului headed west toward the Northern Territory where its rains have ended, and it is bringing only increased cloud cover and higher humidity. The Northern Territory may also see some isolated showers. As of March 22, all tropical cyclone watches and warnings were discontinued.

Text and image from NASA’s TRMM website.  Edited by FEWW for brevity.

TRMM image of TC ULUI at Cat 5 strength. Click image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• ULUI – UPDATE – MAR 21
• TC ULUI – 2nd UPDATE – MAR 20
• Tropical Cyclone ULUI – UPDATE Mar 20

• TC ULUI: Mid-air refueling
• Cyclone ULUI – UPDATE Mar 18
• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 17

• Cyclone ULUI: Enough Fuel to Land in Australia
• Cyclones TOMAS and ULUI – UPDATE Mar 16
• Tropical Cyclone TOMAS
• Tropical Cyclone ULUI

• Cyclones TOMAS and ULUI – UPDATE Mar 15
• Cyclones ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 14
• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 13
• Tropical Cyclones Now Come in Pairs
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale