A night to remember: huge storm on Macca

3 June 2003

Macquarie Island was lashed with a fierce storm in the early hours of Sunday 1 June, the first day of winter - and what a way to start it!

Surf washes up over the isthmus, helped along by a strong westerly wind. 1 June 2003. Photo G. Mills

The weather forecast the previous day stated that a deep low pressure system was to pass across the island bringing with it 40–50 knot westerly winds and a 9 metre swell. Had the change come during the day we would have expected to see a few waves washing over the isthmus. The weather on Saturday was bad enough with winds gusting over 50 knots, horizontal snow, sleet, rain, sea spray, fog: you name it we had it!

Clinton's creative Formula 1 table setting design. 31 May 2003. Photo H. Banon

Clinton the chef had been preparing all week for his Monaco Grand Prix theme night for Saturday dinner. We all headed into the dining room for the main course and the main event – formula 1 races in modified wheelie bins around a circuit course.

Formula 1 circuit racing, a few scraps but no injuries. 31 May 2003. Photo H. Banon

We had a number of teams each of which each had a race on the course, but without winners. We were all laughing too hard and became totally confused in the general hilarity to declare a winner.

Storm outside roars as we roar around inside – max gust 92 knots – 170 km/h as shownon the meteorology wind speed meter. 31 May 2003. Photo H. Banon

Meanwhile outside a storm was brewing. We could hear the wind howling over the engine sound effects, and we watched the meteorology display monitor gusts of up to 92 knots (170 km/h). Although we heard bits of cowling being blown off the roof, we couldn't see much in the dark of night. We arose at first light the next morning and were shocked to see the extent of the damage.

Artefact corral and store annex showing storm damage. 1 June 2003. Photo G. Mills

The main brunt of the storm was on the Hasselborough Bay side of the isthmus, and the sea broke across in several places, most notably over the helipads and across the 'main road' between the main station and science area. A huge wave, or series of waves, came in on high tide just before midnight and amongst other things smashed into a large storage shed on the west side of the isthmus.

Store annex after the storm. 1 June 2003 Photo G. Mills

On the east side the huge swell took a large chunk out of the isthmus and washed it out to sea leaving cables and pipes exposed and the water pipe broken.

East isthmus has partly washed away. 1 June 2003. Photo H. Banon

The shape of the isthmus had undergone a change with a large slice of the west side beach washed away and the surf lapping up to some of the buildings which were once quite a distance from the waters edge! 

Radio Beach showing the extent of the storm damage. 1 June 2003. Photo G. Mills

Fortunately after more detailed inspections it seems that the damage to most buildings is fairly superficial, with only the store annex damaged beyond repair. The animals too do not seem to have suffered. Even though we now have a bit of cleaning up, repairing and re-building to do, the best thing is that no one got hurt!

Wind Speed Chart for the period of the storm

This week's TWIA was written by Henry Banon, Communications Technical Officer on Macquarie Island.