Olga (almost) at Tolga

Yesterday, I tweeted my (mild) disappointment that the path of Tropical Cyclone Olga meant that I wouldn't be able to make a reference to Olga at Tolga (a small town north of Atherton). According to the TV news, TC Olga crossed the coast near Daintree Village yesterday afternoon and turned into a low over land. Both commercial and ABC evening news programmes had live crosses to damp reporters in Port Douglas. ABC news even called it 'a false alarm'. Really? We must have different definitions. Yes, it was a small system (category 2), everyone was prepared and it didn't cause significant damage to life or property. But there was nothing false about it.

Anyway, TC Olga became ex-TC Olga and (apparently) headed west towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. Attention turned to ex-TC Neville, which was now making its way along the coast and kicking up high seas as it went.

But that wasn't the complete story. I retired to bed very late last night, because I was a) on a writing roll and b) listening to the BBC's reading of Jekyll and Hyde. The rain was heavy. Then it got very heavy. Then it was so heavy I couldn't hear the BBC podcast, so I gave up and slept.

About 90 minutes later, an intense storm passed over the area. I could see the lightning through the rainforest canopy. Not sheet lightning, mind you. Proper stuff striking to earth somewhere close. Spectacular. But the rain and thunder couldn't keep me awake. Zzzzzzz.

This morning I checked the latest version of the cyclone tracking map. Turns out that Olga only skimmed the coast at Daintree Village and actually made landfall to the south, between Cairns and Innisfail. My place lies right under the line that marks the ex-TC's path from 10 pm Jan 24 to 10 am Jan 25.

So Olga almost went to Tolga. (It appears to have passed to the SE, but close enough.) There, I got the chance to say it. Also, be careful what you wish for.