The Bulahdelah Tornado was an intense tornado which occurred near the town of Bulahdelah (100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north-northeast of Newcastle), New South Wales on 1 January 1970, and is thought to be the most destructive tornado ever documented in Australia.[1] It is thought to have reached F4 or F5 intensity on the Fujita scale; however, no official rating has been made public.[2][3]
Formed | 1 January 1970 |
---|---|
Max. rating1 | F4/F5 tornado |
Areas affected | Bulahdelah, New South Wales |
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale |
The tornado left a damage path 22 kilometres (14 mi) long and 1–1.6 km (0.6–1 mi) wide through the Bulahdelah State Forest.[1] It is estimated that the tornado destroyed over one million trees.[1] A caravan was destroyed and a 2-ton (2,000 kg) tractor was lifted into the air, landing upside down. The tornado was reported by witnesses as a swirling black cloud surrounded by flying debris, and producing a thunderous roaring sound.[4] The weather system that produced the tornado was a classic set-up for violent tornadoes, something somewhat rarely seen outside of the United States, Canada, ArgentinaBangladesh, and adjacent areas of India.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Stormy Weather: A century of storms, fire, flood and drought in New South Wales" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
- ^ "Tornadoes of Australia and New Zealand". The Weather Doctor. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
- ^ "23 September 2003: Australian thunderstorm climatology". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 26 November 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
- ^ Shanahan, B (April 1985). "Bulahdelah Tornado Report" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
32°22′59″S 152°11′43″E / 32.38306°S 152.19528°E