12
The following table shows the rainfall in points (100 to the inch) that accompanied the storm, and it will be seen that in some instances (e.g. Whim Creek) it was remarkably heavy:—
Station. | March. | April. | Total. | ||||||
28. | 29. | 30. | 31. | 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | ||
Wyndham ... | 6 | 100 | 50 | 110 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 266 |
Carlton ... | 23 | 26 | 66 | 39 | 1 | 1 | ... | ... | 156 |
Rosewood Downs ... 20 52 6 78
Argyle Downs ... 25 11 55 50 141
Lisadell ... 80 42 32 80 234
Turkey Creek ... 5 70 60 135
Ord River Station ... 2 3 17 1 23
Hall's Creek ... 25 37 62
Ruby Creek ... 80 5 25 110
Fitzroy Crossing ... 12 30 42
Yeeda ... 60 15 15 20 25 135
Derby ... 85 109 8 202
Obagama ... 5 20 80 109 69 5 288
Broome ... 225 114 10 5 13 367
Thangoo ... 166 60 94 130 44 494
La Grange Bay ... 200 42 70 84 92 488
Wallal ... 1 1 21 220 176 27 446
Condon ... 73 136 138 8 355
De Grey River ... 175 46 100 321
Mulgie ... 607
Muccan ... 190 338 192 720
Eel Creek ... 10 115 330 445 890
Coongon ... 41 331 232 604
Warrawagine ... 56 110 226 484 876
Bamboo Creek ... 15 13 350 565 665 1,608
Marble Bar ... 3 153 536 255 947
Corunna Downs ... 110 475 125 710
Nullagine ... 7 106 220 180 513
Tambourah ... 252 452 113 817
Mulga Downs ... 83 329 412
Mount Florence ... 127 545 672
Tambray ... 40 705 745
Millstream ... 350 350
Pilbarra ... 88 1,404 154 1,646
Woodbrooke ... 380 878 1,258
Whim Creek ... 5 4 708 2,941 3,658
Boodarrie ... 35 405 310 750
Causeway Camp ... 37 469 220 726
Cossack ... 16 244 1,282 1,512
Roebourne ... 320 1,144 1,464
Fortescue ... 65 38 103
Mardie ... 33 2 35
- Signifies "no record." ... Signifies "nil"
The s.s. "Albany" experienced the full force of the hurricane at sea. She was coming down the coast from Derby to Cossack, and the following extracts from Captain Odman's log will, doubtless, prove interesting. He states as a positive fact that the men'S dungaree suits and his own canvas one were blown to ribbons during the storm:—
Voyage from Derby, via Broome, to Cossack.
Extracts from Log s.s. "Albany."
"After leaving Derby, weather became rainy, squally, and overcast. On 30th March rained heavily at times; weather threatening and strong wind from S.E.; at 8 p.m. strong E.S.E. gale.
"At 4 a.m. on the 31st, wind moderating and hauling N.E., weather clearing; 2·30 p.m., while at Broome, the weather was fine, with light N.E. winds; about midnight on the 31st the wind increased, with rains, squalls, and overcast.
"At 4 a.m. on 1st April, strong N.E. winds and squally, with rain; 8 a.m., wind and weather about the same; noon, strong N.E. winds and clear; 3 p.m., blowing N.E. gale, with heavy rains; 8 p.m., wind increasing, weather the same; 11 p.m., blowing and raining, the force of the wind being indescribable, which continued with fearful hurricane force up till 10 a.m. on the 2nd, when it suddenly and without warning became calm—in fact we could not feel a breath of wind or tell from which direction it came. The barometer then stood at 27·80, and continued stationary till 11 a.m., when it rose suddenly to 27·90, and the wind could be heard roaring and the sea boiling before we felt it, when it suddenly struck the ship from the S.W. (in an entirely opposite direction to that previously experienced), and, with the rain, became almost as dark as night, and continued to blow at much greater hurricane force than it had done before, the barometer steadily rising. The gale still continued with violent force up to midnight on the 2nd, the barometer still rising and the wind decreasing from then.
"At 4 a.m. on the 3rd, the wind moderated considerably: at 8 a.m. on the same date, the weather was fine and the sea moderately smooth, and continued so till arrival at Cossack; the wind blowing itself out steadily from the S.W."