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Originally Posted by RWhite
Greetings from Ukraine!
I was monitoring different sources of satellite imagery of eclipse path, and I see that outback areas almost completely guarantee fine weather in November, and in many cases even Cairns city would be enough good.
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Hi Roman,
Thanks for the post and greetings to you there in the Ukraine.
Unfortunately with regards the possibility of the weather being fine in that
part of the world in November, unfortunately the opposite is true.
Cairns sits between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn and it
experiences tropical weather patterns. The period of November to May
sees high rainfall, high temperatures and high chance of cloud coverage.
The hinterlands and to the north of Cairns are tropical rainforests or what
were tropical rainforests and have subsequently been cleared for farming.
Tropical cyclones (hurricanes) at that time of the year are also not uncommon.
Though the interior tends to be drier, the weather systems are sometimes vast and
extend across the entire Cape. To give you some idea, here is the track
of Tropical Cyclone Larry that made its way across in March 2006.
See
http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/cyclone/tc_larry/
It was a Category 4 cyclone with winds up to 240 km/h and caused half a billion
dollars worth of damage.
Even when the weather is generally sunny, it is not uncommon to encounter local
small showers over reef atolls or up in the Atherton Tablelands or in the
rainforests of Cape Tribulation and Daintree.
The interior can be drier (it is not desert without reason) but there are very few
interior locations where the roads (some of which are just rough 4WD
dirt tracks) run north-south that intercept the eclipse path and one of them is
subject to a long running dispute by the land owners that would be best avoided.
In fact, should there be rain, some of the roads in the far interior which are
just dirt tracks turn to mud and become impassable even in a 4WD.
The roads in and around Cairns itself are sealed and passable in all but the
most severe weather conditions.
Like all eclipses, the general mindset is that if we get lucky with the weather,
we might see it, but if you asked me might we have a cyclone on the day,
I would not bet against it.
One of the disappointing things about Cairns at that time of the year is that it
can be very hot, very humid and there is this beautiful Pacific Ocean to swim in,
but even that is not recommended as there is a chance of being stung by
a deadly marine stinger at that time of the year.
So please come on down, we would love to see you down here. We will be there!
But if we see the eclipse, we are all considering it as a bonus.
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But as a beginner in solar eclipse chasing (no totals, 3 partials), I have many reasons to be afraid of unsuccessful trip. First of all, I have much doubt on whether there be any available accomodation in the area? Can you guys please tell me what reasonable time should be kept in advance for booking accomodation? Is it possible if one can experience absolutely no places if booking within 3-4 months before the event? Maybe you have something to recommend?
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Cairns itself has an abundance of accommodation ranging from parks where
you can pitch a tent, to budget hostels for backpackers to motel accommodation
to luxury multi-star resort hotels. Depending upon your budget, you should have
little difficulty finding somewhere to stay. Cairns is first and foremost
a tourist destination and is a major setting off point to the Great Barrier Reef.
Normally, November would be regarded as "off-season" because the weather can
be bad, and you can't go for a swim in the ocean. I would be surprised if you
still could not find somewhere 3 to 4 months out as it is a big place with
a lot of rooms.
Google "Cairns northern beaches accommodation" for something more comfortable.
Google "Cairns backpacker accommodation" for budget rooms, some of which
might smell like a wet dog and have a party going on all night in the next room
but that can be cheap.
However, read the reviews as some of them are quite good
and offer reasonable value and are a good opportunity to meet other travelers.
Best Regards
Gary