Cyclone Tasha

{{storm path|Tasha 2010 track.png}}

Tropical Cyclone Tasha was first identified on 24 December 2010 by the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) as a weak area of low pressure accompanied by increasing deep convection. At the surface, the structure of the storm's circulation was uncertain as feeder bands provided a clear indication of its centre; however, the lack of westerly winds at the surface refuted this. Situated roughly {{convert|370|km|mi}} east-northeast of Cairns, Queensland, favourable environmental conditions, such as low wind shear, would allow for further development of the low.{{cite web|work=Joint Typhoon Warning Centre |publisher=United States Navy |date=24 December 2010 |accessdate=26 December 2010 |title=Significant Tropical Weather Outlook for the Western and South Pacific Oceans |url=http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/ab/abpw10.pgtw..txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100808112842/http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/ab/abpw10.pgtw..txt |archivedate=8 August 2010 |df=dmy }} Later on 24 December, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) classified the system as a tropical low.{{cite web|work=Queensland Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre |publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology |date=24 December 2010 |accessdate=26 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone Advice Number One |url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012241414.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240522062131/https://www.webcitation.org/5vDcjJyvF?url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012241414.htm |archivedate=22 May 2024 |df=dmy }} Shortly thereafter, the system rapidly consolidated as deep convection formed around a well-defined low-level circulation. This prompted the JTWC to issue a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert as they anticipated the system to intensify into a tropical cyclone within the following 24 hours.{{cite web|work=Joint Typhoon Warning Centre |publisher=United States Navy |date=24 December 2010 |accessdate=26 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert |url=http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtps21.pgtw..txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203132239/http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtps21.pgtw..txt |archivedate=3 December 2010 |df=dmy }} At 16:00 UTC, the BOM upgraded the low to a Category 1 cyclone, assigning with the name Tasha.{{cite web|work=Queensland Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre |publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology |date=24 December 2010 |accessdate=26 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone Advice Two |url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012241611.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240522062211/https://www.webcitation.org/5vDdxV8rH?url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012241611.htm |archivedate=22 May 2024 |df=dmy }}

Within hours of the BoM declaring Tasha a tropical cyclone, the JTWC followed suit and issued their first advisory on the storm, designating it as Tropical Cyclone 04P. Situated along the northwestern edge of a subtropical ridge, Tasha tracked southwestward towards Queensland, Australia and intensified.{{cite web|work=Joint Typhoon Warning Centre |publisher=United States Navy |date=24 December 2010 |accessdate=27 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone 04P (Tasha) Advisory 001 |url=http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtps31.pgtw..txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203131616/http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtps31.pgtw..txt |archivedate=3 December 2010 |df=dmy }} The storm attained its peak intensity on 24 December with winds of 75 km/h (45 mph) and a barometric pressure of 993 mbar (hPa; 29.32 inHg).{{cite web|work=Queensland Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre |publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology |date=24 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin 1853 UTC 24 December 2010 |url=http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/ax/axau21.abrf..txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702215656/http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/ax/axau21.abrf..txt |archivedate=2 July 2010 |df=dmy }} Hours later, the centre of Tasha made landfall between Cairns and Innisfail at this intensity.{{cite web|work=Queensland Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre |publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology |date=24 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone Advice Number Three |url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012241907.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240522062256/https://www.webcitation.org/5vDruTwg6?url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012241907.htm |archivedate=22 May 2024 |df=dmy }} Later that day, the BOM issued their final advisory on Tasha as it weakened to a tropical low over Queensland;{{cite web|work=Queensland Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre |publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology |date=24 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone Advice Four |url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012242210.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240522062330/https://www.webcitation.org/5vE8130pz?url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/IDQP0005_201012242210.htm |archivedate=22 May 2024 |df=dmy }} the JTWC followed suit shortly thereafter.{{cite web|work=Joint Typhoon Warning Centre |publisher=United States Navy |date=25 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=Tropical Cyclone 04P (Tasha) Advisory 002 |url=http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtps31.pgtw..txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203131616/http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtps31.pgtw..txt |archivedate=3 December 2010 |df=dmy }} The remnants of Tasha persisted in the region for several more days, bringing heavy rains to much of Queensland.

{{see also|2010–11 Queensland floods}}

Following the Bureau of Meteorology's first advice for the tropical low on 24 December, a cyclone warning was declared for areas between Port Douglas and Lucinda, Queensland. Some parts of Queensland were already suffering from flooding and additional rainfall was expected to worsen the situation.

Although a relatively weak storm, Tasha produced widespread torrential rains in Queensland, amounting to more than {{convert|250|mm|in|abbr=on}} in some areas. Thousands of hectares of cropland were inundated by floods and many towns and cities were underwater. In Theodore, much of the area was flooded after the Dawson River reached its highest level in 50 years, cresting around {{convert|14|m|ft|abbr=on}}. This surpassed the previous record by more than {{convert|50|cm|ft|abbr=on}}.{{cite news|author=Staff Writer |work=BBC News |date=28 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=Australians evacuate flood-hit Queensland towns |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12084735 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228222528/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12084735 |archivedate=28 December 2010 |df=dmy }} Efforts to evacuate the entire town of 300 were made as water levels continued to rise. Thousands of people were evacuated by local authorities using military helicopters.{{cite web|author=Staff Writer |publisher=RTT News |date=28 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=Flooding Forces Mass Evacuations in Australia |url=http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id%3D1515163%26SM%3D1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606094704/http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1515163&SM=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 June 2022 }} The town of Ingham was isolated as the Herbert River reached a level of {{convert|12.2|m|ft|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|author=Josh Robertson, Andrew MacDonald and Peter Michael |work=The Courier-Mail |publisher=The Australian National News |date=27 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=Cyclone Tasha leaves Queensland waterlogged and facing $1b damages bill |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/half-of-queensland-is-waterlogged-and-more-rain-to-come-with-expected-1b-damage-bill/story-e6frfkvr-1225976510284 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229064056/http://www.news.com.au/national/half-of-queensland-is-waterlogged-and-more-rain-to-come-with-expected-1b-damage-bill/story-e6frfkvr-1225976510284 |archivedate=29 December 2010 |df=dmy }} The town of Dalby was split in two by the swollen Myall Creek, leaving more than 100 homes flooded.{{cite news|author=Australian Associated Press |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=28 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=More Qld evacuations as floods rage on |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/more-qld-evacuations-as-floods-rage-on-20101229-199ft.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240522062412/https://www.webcitation.org/5vJtlAWEQ?url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/more-qld-evacuations-as-floods-rage-on-20101229-199ft.html |archivedate=22 May 2024 |df=dmy }} One fatality took place in Mareeba, near where Tasha made landfall, where a man drowned after being swept off a footbridge.{{Cite web|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/man-found-dead-in-flooded-creek-20101230-19aga.html|title = Man found dead in flooded creek|date = 29 December 2010}}

Areas as far south as Brisbane were affected by Tasha.{{cn|date=February 2023}} In New South Wales, 175 people were evacuated to emergency shelters as the flooding spread south. An additional 800 people were isolated in the towns of Urbenville and Bonalbo on 28 December as flood waters blocked off roads.

By 28 December, nearly half of Queensland was flooded and preliminary damage estimates exceeded A$1.4 billion. Total economic losses also reached A$6 billion, roughly 0.5% of the nation's gross domestic product.{{cite news|author=David Uren and Andrew Fraser |newspaper=The Australian |date=28 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |title=Floods deal $6bn blow to economy as 1000 evacuated in Queensland deluge |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/floods-deal-6bn-blow-to-economy-as-1000-evacuated-in-queensland-deluge/story-fn59niix-1225977551930 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119100017/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/floods-deal-6bn-blow-to-economy-as-1000-evacuated-in-queensland-deluge/story-fn59niix-1225977551930 |archivedate=19 January 2011 |df=dmy }} In response to the severe flooding, the Government of Queensland declared numerous towns as disaster areas, allowing for federal funds to be used. By 27 December, flood waters began to recede in Babinda and Gordonvale, leaving behind debris and thick black mud. The following day, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that additional Blackhawk helicopters would be sent to assist in evacuation efforts.

The name Tasha was retrospectively retired after the 2022–23 season and it will never be used to name another storm in that basin again. It was replaced by Taliah for future seasons.{{Cite web | url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/tropical-cyclone-knowledge-centre/understanding/tc-names/ | title=Naming tropical cyclones | website=www.bom.gov.au}}

{{Portal|Tropical cyclones}}

• 2010–11 Queensland floods – Severe flooding in Queensland that took place alongside Tasha's precipitation impact
• List of Queensland tropical cyclones

:*Cyclone Yasi

:*Cyclone Oswald – storm of similar strength to Tasha, which was a catalyst in the 2013 Eastern Australia floods.

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070421094952/http://www.wmo.int/index-en.html World Meteorological Organization]
• [http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/cyclone/ Australian Bureau of Meteorology (TCWC's Perth, Darwin & Brisbane)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112010420/http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/cyclone/ |date=12 November 2009 }}
• [http://www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301105349/http://www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC |date=1 March 2010 }}

{{2010–11 Australian region cyclone season buttons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tasha 2010}}

{{Retired Australian cyclones}}

Category:Category 1 Australian region cyclones

Category:2010 disasters in Australia

Category:2010–11 Australian region cyclone season

Category:Tropical cyclones in Queensland

Tasha

Category:Tropical cyclones in New South Wales