Australia's cyclone season is underway and experts at theBureau of Meteorology are reminding people in the Top End to prepare for any potential wild weather ahead.
Australia's cyclone season begins November 1 and stretches until the end of April.
Eleventropical cyclones typically form or pass through the Australian region in a season.
In a year, the northern region (which includes Darwin and the Gulf of Carpentaria) experiences between two and three cyclones.
But this year, the Bureau is predicting a below average number of tropical cyclones for Australia.
Shenagh Gamble, NT manager of hazard and preparedness at the Bureau, is urging people to make sure their cyclone kits are up-to-date and emergency plans in place — just in case.
"The outlook is for fewer tropical cyclones but really, it only takes one tropical cyclone to have a big impact," she said.
"It's really important that people don't become complacent."
But how exactly do you prepare for a cyclone? What goes in a cyclone kit? And what steps do you need to take to secure your house?
We answer your questions.
What goes in a cyclone kit?
Cyclone kits are to help in case you lose power, water and communication.
A kit should include enough to support you and everyone you live with for three days.
Make sure you include:
- 10 litresof bottled water for every person
- Non-perishable food (such as tinned beans and biscuits)
- Cooking supplies (including utensils, plates, cooking equipment, a portable cooker, and a can opener)
- Cash and important documents (such as passports and insurance policies)
- A radio that runs on batteries (plus some spare batteries)
- A first-aid kit and spare medicine(plus prescriptions in a waterproof container)
- A change of clothes for everyone
- Toiletries (including toilet paper, toothbrushesand sunscreen)
- Resealable zip-lock bags
- Spare keys to the house and cars
- Blankets
- Disinfectant, hand sanitiser and face masks
Put your kit in a dry spot that's easy to reach, and make sure everyone in your house knows where it is.
And make sure you check expiry dates and batteries at least once a year.
What aboutpets?
Make sure you cater for your pets in your cyclone kit.They'll need:
- Enough food for three days
- Bottled water
- Pet medication, medical records, and vet details in a waterproof container
- A sturdy lead
If you plan to hunker down at home during a cyclone, make sure your pets are safe and secure in a room with all the blinds closed.
Try to distract them from the noise outside and be cheerful to reassure them there's nothing to worry about.
If you're heading out to a shelter, check that pets are allowed and keep them restrained.
In Darwin, pets aren't allowed at emergency shelters, but there are a few undercover car parks people can bring their pets to if animals are properly restrained.
Don't plan to leave your pet at home alone. If have no choice, don't tie them up.
Make sure they're in a dark, secure room with food, water and bedding, and some soothing sounds on the radio to distract them.
What do I do to prepare my house?
At least once a year, check your home to make sure it won't deteriorate in a cyclone.
- Trim trees and branches so they're not near your house and clear away anything loose in the backyard
- Replace any rotten timber and check for termites
- If you're worried,hire a certified building inspector to check out your home
- Pick a room to shelter in during a cyclone. This room shouldideallyhave solid doors with extra bolts and walls which are reinforced with concrete, and few or no windows
- Build a cyclone shelter or clear out yours if you've been using it for storage
- Cover windows with shutters or plywood
- Upgrade your doors, replacing them with ones that have a solid core and three strong hinges
- If a cyclone warning is issued, you also need to move all your outdoor furniture and plants inside if you can, or tie them down if there isn't enough space inside, and turn off your electrical equipment
Have more questions? Look here.
Why do I need an emergency plan?
An emergency plan includes everything your family needs to know in case there's anemergency.
Everyone in your household should know all the plan's details.
Make sure you discuss:
- Who will pick the kids up from school in case of an emergency
- Where to go if the house is unsafe
- Emergency contact details for friends and neighbours
- How to switch off the gas and electricity
Here's a form you can fill out together.
What can people in the Top End expect this wet season?
In a typical year, the monsoon arrives in Darwin near or just after Christmas.
But this year Ms Gamble said forecasters expected a "later than average monsoon arrival".
"We would expect the monsoon to come in a bit later, more towards the start of next year, maybe in January," she said.
The timing of the monsoon's arrival is important, Ms Gamble explained, because that's when the monsoon trough comes into Australian waters and it's "very common" for tropical lows to form there — lows which may then develop into tropical cyclones.
The later arrival of the monsoon means there are "less months in the year for the cyclones to develop", Ms Gamble adds.
The Bureau is predicting average or below-average rainfall conditions right across the Northern Territory.
"As far as the Northern Territory goes, our cyclone season and our wet season have been a lot drier and hotter than average," she said.
