native name for a storm onNorth-west of Australia.
1894. `The Age,' Jan. 20, p. 13, col. 4 [Letter by `Bengalee']:
«Seeing in your issue of this morning a telegraphic report of a`willy willy' in the north-west portion of West Australia, itmay be of interest to hear a little about these terrific stormsof wind and rain. The portion of the western coast mostseverely visited by these scourges is said to be between theNorth-wet Cape and Roebuck Bay; they sometimes reach as farsouth as Carnarvon and north as far as Derby. The approach ofone of these storms is generally heralded by a day or too ofhot, oppressive weather, and a peculiar haze. Those havingbarometers are warned of atmospheric disturbances; at othertimes they come up very suddenly. The immense watercourses tobe seen in the north-west country, the bed of the Yule River,near Roebourne, for instance, and many other large creeks andrivers, prove the terrible force and volume of water that fallsduring the continuance of one of these storms. The bed of theYule River is fully a mile wide, and the flood marks on some ofthe trees are sufficient proof of the immense floods thatsometimes occur. Even in sheltered creeks and harbours thewind is so violent that luggers and other small craft are blownclean over the mangrove bushes and left high and dry, sometimesa considerable distance inland. The willy willy is the namegiven to these periodical storms by the natives in thenorth-west.»
1895. C. M. Officer, Private Letter:
«In the valley of the Murray between Swan Hill and Wentworth,in the summer time during calm weather, there are to be seennumerous whirlwinds, carrying up their columns of dust manyyards into the air. These are called by the name willy willy.»