Australia Eyes Iggy

Jan 29, 2012; 1:52 PM ET

LATEST TROPICAL CYCLONE SPINS OFF AUSTRALIA’S NORTH WEST

Tropical Cyclone Iggy (left) and a monsoon disturbance (upper right) in this image from the Bureau of Meteorology website. Taken 1830 UTC Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012.

Tropical Cyclone Iggy has continued to drift slowly and rather erratically off Australia’s North West, spinning within about 200 miles (330 km) of North West Cape.

Iggy has also weakened as of the latest (1800 UTC Sunday Jan. 29) advisory from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The latest top wind speed estimate was 45 knots, or a tropical storm (and Category 1 cyclone as defined by the BoM–it had earlier been deemed a Category 2 cyclone).

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) earlier (1200 UTC) put top sustained winds at 65 knots (1-minute average).

Although Iggy jogged eastward a little as of the latest BoM advisory, global numerical forecast models agree that Iggy will swing westward, away from the North West, before veering southward and southeastward. It is not out of the question that this cyclone pay Geraldton or Perth a visit after Wednesday. At this time, Iggy should be weakening over cooler water.

BIG RAIN ELSEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA

The Big Wet, as the time of summer rains of northern Australian is known, can bring cloudbursts of staggering intensity. Here are some rainfall statistics from the latest week, which were taken from sites near Cape Leveque, on Dampier Land, Western Australia.

At Cygnet Bay, four-day rainfall is 729 mm, or 28.7 inches, as of Jan. 29. At Cape Leveque itself, 684 mm, or 26.9 inches.

There was nothing “big” happening here, meteorologically speaking. Tropical rains were apparently locked in place, owing to persistent wind flow as well as the landscape.