BAMOS
Jun 2020
21
After the completion of the review and update of the
Queensland tornado database the following were considered
to be the main statistics of note:
Strongest recorded tornado event in Queensland between
1970–2017: F4 at Bucca on 29 November 1992 (see Figure 2)
New F3 tornado events added to the database:
• Burrum Heads on 26 January 2013
• North Rockhampton on 2 November 2000
• Brisbane on 4 November 1973
Number of recorded tornado events in Queensland between
1970–2017: 108 (2.25 events per year)
Breakdown of the assigned Fujita numbers for each of the
tornado events in Queensland between 1970–2017:
• F5: 0
• F4: 1
• F3: 4
• F2: 16
• F1: 20
• F0: 67
Peak month for recorded tornado events in Queensland
between 1970–2017: December
Local Government Areas (based on boundaries in 2018) with
the most recorded tornado events in Queensland between
1970–2017:
The review and update of the Queensland tornado database
between 1970–2017 will be of value to a number of interested
stakeholders including operational meteorologists, researchers,
emergency services and state and local governments. One user
that will benefit from this update and review is Queensland Fire
and Emergency Services who are responsible for preparing a
State Natural Hazard Risk assessment for the state. They utilise
the output of the Severe Storms Archive to assist stakeholders in
understanding their disaster risk (part of the Sendai Framework
for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030).
Acknowledgement must be given to the Meteorologists
in the Queensland Forecasting Centre at the Bureau of
Meteorology who provided valuable input in sharing their
memories of tornado events in Queensland. A specific word
of acknowledgement goes to Tony Wedd, Senior Severe
Weather Meteorologist, and Andrew Bufalino, Severe Weather
Meteorologist, who provided a fair degree of peer review in the
assignment of non‐zero Fujita numbers to any of the tornado
events and for their valuable contribution in providing guidance
on where to source information on the more significant events.
References
1. Fujita, T. T., 1971. Proposed characterisation of tornadoes
and hurricanes by area and intensity, University of Chicago
SMRP Research Paper 91, 42.
1) Bundaberg Regional Council: 11
2) Fraser Coast Regional Council: 11
3) Moreton Bay Regional Council: 8
Figure 2: Bucca tornado on 29 November 1992.
Source: Emergency Management Australia