The annual August trade winds arrived in Sydney with a blast last Sunday. A little late they may have been, but their force was nevertheless brutal.

Trees blew over, plate glass windows on some older high rise buildings burst inward, fences were destroyed, ironing sheeting flapped in the gale, signs and billboards disintegrated, house roofs vanished, and one unfortunate person was killed when a massive tree fell on his car.

Power and water supplies were disputed, as were some sewage services, various roads were closed, and, surely much to the joy of their students, so were some storm battered schools.

Normally Sydney seems to hold up relatively well during this annual weather phenomenon which usually marks the beginning of winter?s end. It was quite apparent early on Sunday though that this particular wind storm was much fiercer than normal, and that the devastation would be higher than usual.

Emergency services, hospitals, and property owners, plus insurance companies I am told, are on alert again this weekend, as more storm force gales are forecast.