ADA
1969-70 season · AU196970_02U
History
Severe Tropical Cyclone Ada originated as a disorganised weather system over the eastern Coral Sea around 3–5 January 1970, slowly completing a clockwise loop near the Solomon Islands before the Bureau of Meteorology named it Ada on 15 January. The system was exceptionally compact, with a gale radius of only 55 km, and reached Category 3 intensity with 10-minute sustained winds of 150 km/h by 12:00 UTC on 17 January. The cyclone's core crossed the Whitsunday Islands from around 14:00 UTC that day, and its eye made landfall at Shute Harbour on the Whitsunday Coast at 18:30 UTC. Ada then stalled northwest of Mackay before dissipating on 19 January.
The cyclone caused widespread destruction across the Whitsunday Islands, obliterating resort facilities on Daydream, Hayman, South Molle, Long, and Hook islands, with estimated wind gusts exceeding 220 km/h. Hundreds of stranded tourists required emergency rescue. Coastal communities including Airlie Beach, Cannonvale, and Shute Harbour suffered extensive structural damage. Rainfall totalling up to 1,250 mm triggered severe river flooding between Bowen and Mackay, cutting roads and isolating communities. Fourteen people died, eleven of them at sea, including seven aboard the fishing trawler Whakatane. Total damage reached A$12 million. The disaster exposed significant shortcomings in public warning systems and prompted improved cyclone awareness programs credited with saving lives in later storms.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (40 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970-01-02 23:00:00 | 1 | -15.8, 165.1 | 1002 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-03 11:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 163.5 | 1002 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-03 23:00:00 | 1 | -16.4, 162.1 | 1002 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-04 11:00:00 | 1 | -16.8, 160.6 | 1002 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-04 23:00:00 | 1 | -17.0, 159.2 | 1002 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-05 11:00:00 | 1 | -17.0, 158.0 | 1002 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-05 23:00:00 | 1 | -16.7, 156.6 | 1003 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-06 11:00:00 | 1 | -16.4, 156.2 | 1003 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-06 23:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 155.9 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-07 11:00:00 | 1 | -15.5, 155.9 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-07 23:00:00 | 1 | -15.0, 156.0 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-08 11:00:00 | 1 | -14.8, 156.1 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-08 23:00:00 | 1 | -14.2, 156.4 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-09 11:00:00 | 1 | -13.9, 156.7 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-09 23:00:00 | 1 | -13.0, 157.7 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-10 11:00:00 | 1 | -12.4, 158.6 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-10 23:00:00 | 1 | -12.0, 159.7 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-11 11:00:00 | 1 | -11.6, 160.7 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-11 23:00:00 | 1 | -11.4, 161.8 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-12 11:00:00 | 1 | -11.7, 162.9 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-12 17:00:00 | 1 | -12.0, 163.3 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-12 23:00:00 | 1 | -12.4, 163.4 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-13 11:00:00 | 1 | -13.5, 163.1 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-13 23:00:00 | 1 | -14.3, 162.4 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-14 11:00:00 | 1 | -15.2, 161.4 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-14 23:00:00 | 1 | -15.9, 160.2 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-15 11:00:00 | 1 | -17.2, 158.0 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-15 23:00:00 | 1 | -18.2, 155.8 | 1004 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-16 08:00:00 | 1 | -18.8, 154.2 | 996 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-16 11:00:00 | 1 | -18.9, 153.5 | 992 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-16 14:00:00 | 1 | -19.1, 152.8 | 985 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-16 23:00:00 | 1 | -19.6, 151.0 | 972 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-17 11:00:00 | 1 | -19.9, 149.3 | 963 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-17 13:00:00 | 1 | -20.0, 149.1 | 962 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-17 15:00:00 | 1 | -20.1, 149.0 | 962 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-17 17:00:00 | 3 | -20.2, 148.9 | 962 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-17 23:00:00 | 2 | -20.5, 148.7 | 964 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-18 05:00:00 | 2 | -20.8, 148.5 | 982 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-18 08:00:00 | 2 | -21.0, 148.5 | 996 hPa | — |
| 1970-01-18 11:00:00 | 2 | -21.1, 148.5 | 998 hPa | — |