The Arrival Of The Wet Season ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal, Mid to Late Summer, Weeks 5 & 6 2025

For reasons that will become apparent with further reading, I'm posting one journal entry for the two weeks from Jan 26 to Feb 8.

 

Garden Journal Entry - Week 5 

Seasons:  Mid-Summer & Wet Season

Daytime Temps:  26°C - 35°C              ("Quite a range!", you might say.  Yes, you are correct.  Read on.)

Night Time Temps: 23°C - 27°C

Humidity Levels: between 70% & 100%     

Hours of daylight:  13 hours

Rainfall:  123 mm (4 inches)  from 9.00 am Sunday to 9.00 am Friday (the last day of January), 

then .... 284 mm (11 inches) from 9.00 Friday to 9.00 Saturday 

and then .... another 260 mm (10 inches) from 9.00 Saturday to 9.00 am Sunday!!!!!!   

Wet season is always an interesting time for gardeners, but this year, after a rather benign start, it's suddenly become quite a challenging period for both plants and gardeners alike.  Let's see how things changed.

The Story of January 2025:  From Dry Heat To A Deluge

January 2025 was a month of extremes.  For most of the month, we experienced relentlessly hot, humid and dry conditions, with daytime highs running about 2°C above the long-term average.  While that may not seem like a significant increase, over a month-long period, it makes a noticeable difference, amplifying the stress on the garden and the discomfort of the gardener.  The high humidity made those temperatures feel closer to 40°C on some days, making even simple gardening tasks a challenge.

The total rainfall for January was a mere 148 mm - less than half the historical average recorded since 1941.  The primary reason?  The delayed arrival of the monsoon trough.

This image shows some of the global rainfall daily averages for the months of January and July.  The monsoon trough is usually positioned over northern Australia in the southern summer month of January (as shown of the left), and then moves northward to sit along the equator during our southern winter.
It is the monsoon trough that brings areas of low pressure and sustained heavy rainfall.  This happens during what we refer to as "the wet season".  The beginning of a wet season is variable, but it usually happens during January. 

When The Rains Came 

On the very last day of January, after weeks of oppressive heat and inadequate rainfall, Townsville and its surrounding areas were suddenly hit in the afternoon and evening with a staggering 280 to 300 mm of rain, and then the deluge continued the next day with another 260 to 280 mm (recorded at the Townsville airport in the city).  That's a lot of rain - 21 to 22 inches in 48 hours. 

An area of low pressure had converged over Townsville and its surrounds and remained there for the following week.   The downpours were relentless.  Here in my outlying rural suburb, we received almost 500 mm (almost 20 inches) in that same period.

A Year's Worth Of Rainfall In Just Five Weeks

To put things into perspective, Townsville's annual average rainfall is 1137 mm.  With 1139 mm recorded up to the end of Week 5, the city has already exceeded its yearly average just five weeks into the year.

This milestone comes after a record-breaking December 2024, when Townsville Airport (in the inner city) set a new rainfall record with 487 mm, bringing the three-month total to a staggering 1626mm! 

In the days leading up to this torrential rain, at the start of Week 5, my garden was already enjoying a respite from the heat, with three days of light showers keeping the plants fresh.  Blooms were adorned with raindrops that lingered all day, creating a scene I hadn't witnessed in over a year.  A gentle stream trickled down our driveway, and the wallabies revelled in the new abundance of greenery.  

Despite the damp conditions, I was still able to get outside between showers to tackle the ever-persistent pests - tiny bright green grasshoppers and caterpillars that were feasting on many of the plants; and a stubborn infestation of mealybugs in the shade house and pergola gardens.

Another of my gardening tasks during this time was tending to the pergola garden space which had suffered while I was away just a fortnight before.  Between pest management and nurturing struggling plants, it was a busy period.  But once the deluge of rain arrived, all of these activities came to a screeching halt.

Garden Journal Entry - Week 6

Seasons:  Late-Summer & Wet Season
Daytime Temps:  25°C - 30°C            
Night Time Temps: 21°C - 24°C
Humidity Levels: between 90% & 100%     
Hours of daylight:  13 hours, but there was almost constant cloud cover from horizon to horizon
Rainfall:  482 mm  (18 inches)

The month of February began on the final day of Week 5, so Week 6 covers the first week of February.  Gardening chores were put on hold this past week, as it's been raining almost constantly, sometimes quite heavily.  Everything is sodden underfoot with some areas of the garden slightly under water and very slippery.  My Week 6 entry is therefore mostly about the weather event that has impacted the region of Northern Queensland where I live.

When A Common Weather System Turns Extreme

Northern Queensland, is no stranger to tropical weather, but this week has been nothing short of extraordinary.  While no destructive cyclone made landfall, a series of unfavourable conditions transformed a relatively common weather system in to a record-breaking weather event.  For some, it's been a catastrophic event, surpassing all expectations in terms of rainfall and impact.

A tropical low, which originally formed off the coast of Cairns (around 600 km to the north of my home city of Townsville) on January 28, has inundated the northern region with staggering amounts of rain.  Some areas recorded nearly two metres of rainfall in just a few days.  The event claimed two lives, with the potential for more rain in the forecast.

What Caused The Torrential Rain?

Tropical lows are a routine part of our northern Australian wet season, often seen as the early stages of cyclones before their winds reach destructive strength.  While lows form multiple times a year, most do not raise major concerns.  Typically, these systems bring moderate rain and are manageable withing the region's preparedness frameworks.

However, two critical factors intensified this particular system:

-  Slow movement of the low.  After forming, the tropical low drifted away from the coast for several days where it stalled, continuously drawing moisture from the warm ocean waters.  When it turned and headed back inland, this sustained moisture influx resulted in torrential downpours days on end, overwhelming local drainage systems and causing widespread flooding. 

-  Unusually warm Coral Sea.  The sea surface temperatures in the Coral Sea have been significantly warmer than usual.  Warmer waters lead to increased evaporation, which in turn fuels heavy cloud formation and intense rainfall.

Photos taken around Townsville

The Impact Of Record Rainfall

This past week has been one of the most challenging times for my city of Townsville and its surrounding communities, as relentless rainfall and severe flooding wreaked havoc across northern Queensland.  A 735 km stretch of coastline from Cairns to Mackay has been impacted, with Townsville, Ingham and Cardwell among the worst hit by flash floods and overflowing waters.

Both Ingham (270 km north of Townsville) and Cardwell (320 km north) were completely cut off, with highways closed due to floodwaters.  Residents faced power outages and a compromised water supply, forcing authorities to cut off access to drinking water.  With roads impassable, grocery supplies dwindled rapidly, leaving communities struggling to secure essentials.

Townsville - the largest city in northern Queensland - is a sprawling city covering an area of almost 3,750 km2, and includes 98 suburbs.  Normally, rainfall is inconsistent across the city.  The inner city can be drenched while the outer suburbs remain dry.  During this weather event, all suburbs received rain, but as usual, it varied across the city. 

Many of the northwest suburbs recorded massive rainfall totals at the start of the week compared to the suburbs located on the outskirts to the south.  The suburb of Rollingstone, 60 km northwest of the Townsville city centre, recorded a whopping 702 mm over the 24 hours to 9.00 am on February 2nd, while the Townsville Airport (in the inner city where the weather station is located) recorded 545 mm, and my suburb received around 486 mm over that same period of time.

This graphic shows the difference in rainfall totals across the Townsville local council area from 9.00 am on the 2nd of February to 9.00 am on the 3rd.  The black box in the top left hand corner shows the 24 hour total for the northern suburb of Paluma, while the yellow box on the left shows the 24 hour total for my rural suburb on the southern outskirts.  All the red dots in the centre indicate the varied totals for the inner city suburbs.

By Sunday, February 3rd, low-lying inner city suburbs, such as Rosslea, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Stuart, were declared "black zone" areas and residents were told to evacuate.  Police went door to door informing home owners that it was in their best interest to leave their home and go to the nearest emergency shelter.  Small armies of support workers were there to provide everything from bedding and towels to pet food and counselling.

Suburbs located along the Ross River were also included in the "black zone" area as the river's water level rose quickly.  Water levels in the city's Ross River Dam, which fed into Ross River, rose over the dam's 100% capacity and our local authority began releasing water through spillways to relieve pressure.  This of course added to the already increased volume in the Ross River.  Many residents in homes close to the swollen river began sandbagging their properties in an effort to keep out the rising water. 

Townsville's Ongoing Flood Risk:  Dam Levels, River Rises and More Rain To Come.

A contributing factor in the city's flooding has been the Ross River Dam.

The following graphic shows the level of our dam over this past week:

The blue line indicates that the dam's capacity has been consistently above 100% (the straight black line) since the 1st of February.

This excess water has contributed to the rapid rise of the Ross River, which reached between moderate and major flood levels earlier this week. 

While river levels have begun to drop, the threat is far from over, as new tropical lows continue to form along the monsoon trough bringing the potential for further heavy rainfall in the coming days.

When the flooding peaked at the start of this week, Townsville came to a complete halt.  Roads across the city were closed due to the rising water, cutting off entire suburbs.  Shops shut their doors, unable to operate amid the chaos.  Schools were closed.  Bus services and the airport ceased operations.

By mid-week, the most intense rainfall had eased, allowing floodwaters to begin receding.  However, with new lows developing, authorities remain on high alert for another potential surge.  

With the wet season still ongoing, the big question remains - how much more rain will fall?  

The February rainfall record for Townsville has already been broken, and we're only eight days into the month!  2025 is  shaping up to be a year for the record books.

The latest radar and satellite imagery (8.45 pm on Saturday, February 8):

The monsoon trough still lies across Northern Queensland in an environment rich with tropical moisture, allowing the development of slow-moving heavy showers and severe thunderstorms.  Significant rainfall is predicted to continue into next week.

A Rural Perspective:  My Property's Experience

Living in a rural suburb on the southern outskirts of Townsville, my experience of the flood event has been somewhat different from those in the inner city and north-western suburbs.

Rainfall totals in my area have been slightly lower, meaning flooding has not been as severe.  

Photos from around my suburb at the start of the week

Roads providing access to our suburb from the highway were under water for a couple of days at the start of this week, but they cleared fairly quickly.  Properties were also flooded but very few homes were actually inundated with flood water.

My property sits in an elevated position, allowing excess water to drain away quickly.

While two flat areas have gone underwater - the shade house garden floor and the paved courtyard garden - the water only reached a few centimetres deep.

Though these minor floods have made some outdoor areas slippery and unsafe, my garden has benefited significantly from the extra rainfall.  Most plants are flourishing in this historic wet season. 

Challenges Continue ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal, Mid-Summer, Week 4, January 2025

Garden Journal Entry - Week 4

Seasons:  Mid-Summer & Wet Season

Daytime Temps:  32°C - 35°C

Night Time Temps: 24°C - 26°C

Humidity Levels: between 70% & 90%

Hours of daylight:  13 hours

Rainfall:  3.4 mm

Surviving The Heatwave - Trials In The Garden

The garden has been a place of triumphs and challenges this week as we endure some of the hottest, most humid days of the season. With temperatures hovering between 32 and 35°C and the humidity making it feel closer to 41 or 42°C, gardening has been less of a joy and more of an endurance test. Even the early mornings provide little respite, with the sun blazing fiercely from the moment it rises and the UV index climbing from moderate to extreme before midday.

After a week away visiting family down south—where, ironically, it was even hotter—we were eager to return to the comforts of home.  We had left the garden in what we thought were capable hands and arrangements had been made to water the potted and hanging plants, as well as the newly planted garden beds under the pergola. What could possibly go wrong during a single week?

A Dramatic Homecoming

Returning from our brief getaway, we were greeted not by tranquility, but by unexpected chaos. The anticipation of a relaxing cuppa quickly gave way to shock.

Two enormous trees—each over 30 feet tall—had toppled, crushing the old chook pen and shed beneath them. This corner of our property, admittedly a bit neglected, has now become an unplanned project of Herculean proportions. The Eucalyptus platyphylla and Tabebuia heterophylla giants are too large for us to tackle alone, leaving us pondering the next steps while their uprooted trunks serve as an unmissable reminder of nature’s unpredictability.

The top photo in the collage above shows the uprooted trees lying gracefully over the chook pen fence and shed. The bottom photo gives you an idea of just how tall these trees are / were - that black box indicates the top of the Eucalyptus platyphylla (the tree with the white trunk).

These are immense trees, both of which have wood that is dense and heavy. It will take such a lot of hard work to cut up these trees and remove all the debris. My dear hubby would have tackled that job in days gone by, but now it's beyond him, so we're not sure what we're going to do. The trees will likely remain in place for some time!

A Garden In Distress

Unfortunately, the surprises didn’t end there. Wandering through the garden revealed the extent of the damage caused by the heat and missed waterings.

Under the pergola, my newly established, thriving garden bed was a heartbreaking sight. Plants that had been vibrant before we left were now sunburnt and shrivelled. My beloved Tree Fern, a standout in its pot, appears beyond saving, whilst the lovely Blechnum 'Silver Lady' Fern shows signs of distress and heat damage. Months of work undone in a mere seven days.

The photo above shows the difference between what it looked like before we left, and what it now looks like after I had to cut back all the obviously parched and burnt plants. I had mentioned in my last post that this area was one of my latest garden projects and it's disheartening to see the progress of months undone in a matter of days, with this space now requiring intensive rescue efforts.

Worse still, my shadehouse garden had become a battleground against an army of mealy bugs. Nearly all of my hanging baskets of Calibrachoa were infested, requiring drastic pruning.

But the real devastation lay with my beloved Coleus plants—all 15 of them, both potted and in the ground.

Every leaf and stem was weighed down by the sheer number of these tiny, white, hairy pests.

Despite my efforts before our trip—hosing them off, dabbing with methylated spirits, and squashing them—the infestation absolutely exploded in our absence.

I've never seen an infestation like it!

Plans For Recovery

Now begins the hard work of reclaiming the garden. The Coleus have been cut back to their barest stalks, and I’m preparing to hit them hard with a combination of neem oil and metho treatments frequently in the coming weeks. It’s a daunting task, but one I’m determined to tackle. We're almost two-thirds through our horrid summer, so let's see how it all goes through the continuing heat, humidity and rainfall that's predicted!

A Reminder Of Resilience

Gardening, as always, is a lesson in patience and perseverance. This week’s setbacks have been frustrating, but they also highlight the resilience of plants—and gardeners. I’ll rebuild what’s been lost, and perhaps next week will bring better news. After all, what’s a garden without a few challenges to keep us growing alongside it?

This Week's Garden Highlights: What's Blooming?

Let me end this week's journal with a cheerier note. Here's a few of the gorgeous blooms on show right now, mostly in outdoor garden beds.

The Start Of A New Gardening Year ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal, Mid-Summer, Week 2, January 2025

Garden Journal Entry - Week 2

Seasons:  Mid-Summer & Wet Season

Daytime Temps:  30°C - 33°C

Night Time Temps: 22°C - 24°C

Humidity Levels: between 60% & 90%

Hours of daylight:  13 hours

Rainfall:  0.4 mm

January marks the beginning of a new gardening year for me, though I know other Australian gardeners might differ in opinion.  Many consider the arrival of spring as the true start of a gardening year.  However, here in the tropical north of Australia, January - mid-summer and well into the wet and cyclone seasons - feels like a natural starting point. 

January's typical unpredictable weather often brings challenges that define the gist of what needs to happen for the rest of the year.  Preparing for the arrival of a lengthy dry season though, which typically runs from April to November, begins now.

The Unusual Weather Patterns of January 2025

This January, the weather has already been particularly peculiar. While November traditionally marks the beginning of the wet and the cyclone seasons, both of which typically last until mid-March or April, this year’s wet season seems stuck in a holding pattern. The usual monsoon trough—our “rainmaker”—has been notably absent, and the expected tropical cyclones have yet to appear.

In the first week of the year, we’ve experienced only isolated showers, amounting to a mere 1.6 mm (less than half an inch) of rain. This follows a record-breaking December rainfall total, but even then, the showers and storms last month were sporadic, hinting at the delayed onset of the monsoon trough. The absence of monsoonal rains so far into this wet season is highly unusual and has left us wondering how the rest of the 2025 monsoon and cyclone season will play out.

Garden Observations and Preparations

January’s unpredictable weather so far has reminded me of the need to adapt and prepare. Strong winds, sudden downpours, or extended dry spells can all disrupt the garden, so I’m focusing on the following tasks:

• Pruning Shrubs: Cyclone season can bring fierce winds, so it’s essential to ensure the foliage of  shrubs in exposed spaces is pruned back to reduce wind resistance.

• Soil Care: Adding organic matter to improve soil resilience in preparation for the long dry season ahead, but also to ensure the growth of strong root systems to anchor plants firmly in the ground and guard against them blowing over.

• Weed Management: The sporadic rain received so far has encouraged weed growth, so staying on top of this now will save effort later.

• Watering Regime: During the spring, a watering regime was adopted that entailed watering thoroughly, but infrequently, so the water soaked down deep into the soil to encourage the roots of plants to grow deep down into the soil.

Looking Ahead

The absence of the monsoon and cyclones is both a relief and a concern. Without these defining weather patterns, the wet season feels incomplete, and it’s uncertain how this will impact the garden in the months ahead. For now, I’ll remain vigilant and adaptable, taking each day as it comes while planning for the dry season.

It’s a strange and fascinating start to the gardening year—one that promises to be full of challenges and lessons.

On-Going Garden Projects

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Courtyard Garden

The area on one side of the steps under the pergola has undergone a significant transformation.

Previously dominated by Nephrolepis biserrata (Giant Sword Fern), Russelia and Neomarica longifolia (Yellow Walking Iris) for the past 20 years, it has been cleared entirely. 

Over the last months of last year, I slowly worked to improve this space by adding enriched soil, small rocks, and stones to create tiers and edging. With these changes came the introduction of many new plants.

This garden now has two distinct sections:

• An Upper Section which has:

• Coleus

• Begonia semperflorens

• Impatiens

• Cyathea cooperi (Australian Tree Fern)

• Blechnum (Silver Lady Fern)

• Alyssum

• A Lower Section which has:

• Dwarf  Tabernaemontana corymbosa (Dwarf Pinwheel)

• Viola hederacea (Native Violet)

• Torenia

The goal for the lower section is to encourage a wildflower-meadow-like appearance.  My hope is that the Violets will spread more, and the Torenias will self-seed everywhere, eventually creating a dense, natural-looking, vibrant and colourful patch of flowers.

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Shade House Garden

This garden space had also become overrun with Giant Sword Fern and Yellow Walking Iris.

Both were removed from the garden beds flanking the pathway and small patio.  The Giant Sword Fern, however, has been left to thrive on the rock wall that borders one side of the shade house garden.

My vision for this space is a rainforest-like ambiance, achieved by incorporating plants at varying heights, including ground plants, potted plants, and hanging baskets.

So far,

• The In-Ground Plants include:

• Dracaena reflexa (Song of India)

• Begonia semperflorens

• Dracaena marginata 'Bicolour' 

• Colocasia (Elephant Ear)

• Impatiens

• Schefflera (Dwarf Variegated Umbrella Tree)

• Evolvulus 'Blue Eyes'

• Microsorum scolopendria, synonym Phymatosorus scolopendria (Monarch Fern)

• Caladiums

• The Potted Plants include:

• Coleus

• Costus productus (Orange Spiral Ginger)

• Syngoniums (Arrowheads)

• Rex Begonia

• Alocasia amazonica

• Strobilanthes

• Davallia (Rabbits Foot Fern)

• Phyllotaenium or Xanthosoma lindenii - Caladium lindenii

• Microsorum musifolium (Crocodile Fern)

• Crossandra infundibuliformis (Firecracker Plant)

• The Hanging Baskets presently have:

• Calibrachoa

• Dianthus

The addition of colourful hanging baskets should enhance the space, introducing pops of colour to complement the lush greenery.   Over time, I'll be changing the plants in these hanging baskets to things like:  Acalypha herzogiana (Dwarf Cat's Tails), Fittonias, Streptocarpus and Dragonwing Begonias.

Hanging Baskets, set at differing heights, are part of the layered approach that I hope will gradually transform the Shade House Garden from the impenetrable jungle it had become into the serene, multi-dimensional rainforest retreat I envision.

Re-Discovering The Joy Of Gardening ... My Dry Tropics Garden Journal, Mid-Summer, Week 1, January 2025

It's been a very long time since my last blog post.  Ten years in fact, and a lot has happened in my corner of Australia between then and now!  All that aside, I'm so very happy to be back working in my garden full time now and I have every intention of re-activating my garden journal for 2025.

After a 40 year career in education, I've retired, and my time is now my own!!  I can think of nothing better for my emotional, mental, spiritual and physical health than getting back to nurturing all the garden spaces that have fallen into decline through no fault of their own.  I'm definitely in my happy place when I'm outdoors wandering around our place and tending the garden.  So ... 

Garden Journal Entry: January 4, 2025

As we step into a new year, I thought it fitting to begin this journal by looking back and reflecting on the last decade of gardening at my place. I'll keep it as concise as possible while sharing the highs and lows of the journey.

The Impact of Life's Demands

Between 2015 and 2023, my work commitments increased significantly due to changes in my role in education and a return to full-time work. Balancing these demands left little time for gardening. Family life, too, grew more complex and demanding, with children and grandchildren navigating their own challenges. Time with them became a priority whenever I wasn’t working, leaving even less room for serious garden care. As a result, the garden often took a back seat, becoming overwhelming to manage and leading to significant losses and transformations.

Losses in the Garden

The most poignant of these was the loss of two magnificent Mussaendas. The pink one in the front garden, and the stunning white one at the back of the courtyard, both gave up the ghost. These towering beauties, standing at around six feet and adorned with blooms during their prime, had been a part of my garden for two decades. Perhaps they simply reached the end of their natural lifespan, but their absence left a noticeable void.

The Tabebuias (on the left) were ripped to shreds during Cyclone Kirrly
and the Poinciana (on the right) simply fell over and crashed to the ground! 

The loss of large mature trees was another significant challenge. In 2018, we lost a 15-foot Acacia (outside the shade house garden) and a 30-foot Poinciana (at the end of the car shed), which drastically altered the light conditions in the garden spaces underneath. Many plants that had thrived in the shade of these trees struggled or perished in the new environment. 

Then came the devastating Tropical Cyclone Kirrily in 2024, which wreaked havoc on the property. Several towering trees, including two 20-foot Tabebuias, were lost, and the Durantas lining our driveway were reduced from their majestic 10-foot height to a humble three feet due to heavy pruning necessitated by storm damage.

There were also many shrubs and ground cover plants that died off

in the gravel-driveway garden beds (Hibiscus, Russelia, Cuphea), 

in the front-of-house garden beds (Galphimia, Hibiscus, Azalea) 

and the back-of-the-courtyard garden bed (Acalypha, Aralia).

The Courtyard Garden’s Decline

The courtyard garden, once the heart of my gardening efforts and a space of vibrant beauty, suffered greatly during this time. Before 2015, it boasted over 100 potted plants, each meticulously cared for. 

By last year, that number had dwindled to just 10, most of which were struggling to survive. This once-thriving sanctuary became a shadow of its former self.

The Shade House Takeover

The shade house garden experienced its own challenges. The relentless growth of the giant Sword Fern turned it into an almost impassable jungle. The fern’s dominance stifled other plants and made accessing the space a chore I rarely undertook. It felt as though the garden itself was reflecting the chaos and neglect brought on by the whirlwind of life.

Moving Forward

As I reflect on these changes, I’m reminded of the resilience of gardens and the potential for renewal. While the past decade brought significant losses and challenges, it also provides an opportunity to rebuild and re-imagine these spaces. My hope for this year is to rediscover the joy of gardening, one small step at a time, and to nurture these spaces back to life.