List of Australia tropical cyclones
The country of Australia regularly experiences the damaging and deadly effects of tropical cyclones each year, primarily in the states of Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. Each year on average, four tropical cyclones strike the country, and can occur as early as November or as late as May. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) classifies warnings on a scale from one to five, with five as the strongest. The most recent Category 5 cyclone to make landfall in the country was Cyclone Ilsa in April 2023. The most recent cyclone of at least Category 1 intensity to hit Australia was Dianne, which hit Western Australia in March 2025.
Background, climatology, and records
[edit]| Category | Sustained winds |
Gusts |
|---|---|---|
| Five | >107 kn (198 km/h; 123 mph) | >151 kn (280 km/h; 174 mph) |
| Four | 86–107 kn (159–198 km/h; 99–123 mph) | 122–151 kn (226–280 km/h; 140–174 mph) |
| Three | 64–85 kn (119–157 km/h; 74–98 mph) | 90–121 kn (167–224 km/h; 104–139 mph) |
| Two | 48–63 kn (89–117 km/h; 55–72 mph) | 68–89 kn (126–165 km/h; 78–102 mph) |
| One | 34–47 kn (63–87 km/h; 39–54 mph) | 49–67 kn (91–124 km/h; 56–77 mph) |
Each year on average, four tropical cyclones make landfall in Australia.[1] The country's cyclone season lasts from November to April. On 21 November 1973, Cyclone Ines became the earliest seasonal landfall in the country. One of the latest storms in a season to affect the country was Cyclone Herbie, which hit Shark Bay, Western Australia, on 21 May, 1988.[2]
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology issues warnings on tropical cyclones, naming them when the cyclone attains gale-force winds. The agency also classifies storms using the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, with the strongest being a Category 5 on the scale.[3]
Cyclone Mahina struck Bathurst Bay along Cape York Peninsula as a Category 5 cyclone. The cyclone wrecked four schooners, killing 307 people and becoming the deadliest on record in Australia. While moving ashore, the cyclone produced a storm surge of 12 m (39 ft).[4]
On 10 April 1996, Cyclone Olivia moved over Barrow Island of Western Australia and produced the strongest non-tornadic winds ever recorded on Earth, with peak gusts of 408 kilometres per hour (254 mph). The BoM was initially unsure of the veracity of the reading, although a team at the 1999 Offshore Technology Conference presented the reading as the highest wind gust on Earth.[5]
States
[edit]Northern Territory
[edit]
| Name | Category | Date of closest approach | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adeline | Category 3
|
28 January
|
1973 |
| Wilma | Category 2
|
14 March
|
1975 |
| Kim | Category 1
|
2 December
|
1976 |
| Tracy | Category 4
|
24 December
|
1974 |
| Rosa | Category 3
|
3 March
|
1979 |
| Doris | Category 1
|
17 March
|
1980 |
| Ferdinand | Category 3
|
3 March
|
1984 |
| Jim | Category 3
|
9 March
|
1984 |
| Kathy | Category 4
|
22 March
|
1984 |
| Sandy | Category 2
|
25 March
|
1985 |
| Gretel | Category 2
|
12 April
|
1985 |
| Phil | Category 1
|
26 December
|
1996 |
| Sid | Category 1
|
27 December
|
1997 |
| Les | Category 1
|
25 January
|
1998 |
| Thelma | Category 3
|
11 December
|
1998 |
| Steve | Category 1
|
1 March
|
2000 |
| Winsome | Category 1
|
10 February
|
2001 |
| Wylva | Category 1
|
16 February
|
2001 |
| Abigail | Category 3
|
26 February
|
2001 |
| Craig | Category 2
|
10 March
|
2003 |
| Debbie | Category 3
|
20 December
|
2003 |
| Fritz | Category 2
|
12 February
|
2004 |
| Monty | Category 3
|
1 March
|
2004 |
| Evan | Category 1
|
1 March
|
2004 |
| Harvey | Category 3
|
7 February
|
2005 |
| Ingrid | Category 5
|
13 March
|
2005 |
| Monica | Category 5
|
24 April
|
2006 |
| Helen | Category 2
|
4 January
|
2008 |
| Paul | Category 2
|
29 March
|
2010 |
| Grant | Category 2
|
25 December
|
2011 |
| Alessia | Category 1
|
24 November
|
2013 |
| Lam | Category 4
|
19 February
|
2015 |
| Nathan | Category 3
|
22 March
|
2015 |
| Marcus | Category 3
|
16 and 18 March
|
2018 |
| Owen | Category 3
|
11 December
|
2018 |
| Trevor | Category 4
|
23 March
|
2019 |
| Tiffany | Category 2
|
12 January
|
2022 |
| Ellie | Category 1
|
22 December
|
2022 |
| Lincoln | Category 1
|
16 February
|
2024 |
| Megan | Category 3
|
18 March
|
2024 |
Queensland
[edit]
| Name | Category | Date of closest approach | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ada | Category 3
|
17 January
|
1970 |
| Althea | Category 3
|
24 December
|
1971 |
| Daisy | Category 3
|
11 February
|
1972 |
| Emily | Category 3
|
2 April
|
1972 |
| Madge | Category 3
|
4 March
|
1973 |
| Wanda | Category 2
|
24 January
|
1974 |
| Yvonne | Category 2
|
10 February
|
1974 |
| David | Category 2
|
19 January
|
1976 |
| Beth | Category 1
|
22 February
|
1976 |
| Dawn | Category 2
|
5 March
|
1976 |
| Ted | Category 4
|
19 December
|
1977 |
| Otto | Category 1
|
7&9 March
|
1977 |
| Gwen | Category 1
|
27 February
|
1978 |
| Hal | Category 1
|
7 April
|
1978 |
| Peter | Category 1
|
31 December
|
1978 |
| Greta | Category 2
|
10 January
|
1979 |
| Kerry | Category 2
|
1 March
|
1979 |
| Stan | Category 1
|
13 April
|
1979 |
| Cliff | Category 1
|
11 February
|
1981 |
| Cliff | Category 1
|
14 February
|
1981 |
| Dominic | Category 5
|
7 April
|
1982 |
| Pierre | Category 3
|
21 February
|
1985 |
| Rebecca | Category 3
|
22 February
|
1985 |
| Tanya | Category 1
|
1 April
|
1985 |
| Winifred | Category 3
|
1 February
|
1986 |
| Manu | Category 1
|
26 April
|
1986 |
| Jason | Category 2
|
13 February
|
1987 |
| Charlie | Category 3
|
29 February
|
1988 |
| Aivu | Category 3
|
4 April
|
1989 |
| Felicity | Category 1
|
15 December
|
1990 |
| Joy | Category 2
|
December 26
|
1991 |
| Mark | Category 1
|
9 January
|
1992 |
| Fran | Category 2
|
15 March
|
1993 |
| Mahina | Category 5
|
4 March
|
1899 |
| Sadie | Category 1
|
30 January
|
1994 |
| Warren | Category 2
|
5 March
|
1995 |
| Barry | Category 3
|
5 January
|
1996 |
| Ethel | Category 2
|
9 March
|
1997 |
| Justin | Category 2
|
22 March
|
1997 |
| May | Category 1
|
26 February
|
1998 |
| Rona | Category 3
|
18 February
|
1999 |
| Steve | Category 2
|
27 February
|
2000 |
| Tessi | Category 3
|
2 April
|
2000 |
| Fay | Category 4
|
27 March
|
2004 |
| Ingrid | Category 4
|
10 March
|
2005 |
| Larry | Category 4
|
20 March
|
2006 |
| Monica | Category 3
|
19 April
|
2006 |
| Nelson | Category 2
|
6 February
|
2007 |
| Charlotte | Category 1
|
12 January
|
2009 |
| Ellie | Category 1
|
2 February
|
2009 |
| Olga | Category 1
|
30 January
|
2010 |
| Ului | Category 3
|
21 March
|
2010 |
| Tasha | Category 1
|
25 December
|
2010 |
| Anthony | Category 2
|
30 January
|
2011 |
| Yasi | Category 5
|
3 February
|
2011 |
| Oswald | Category 1
|
21 January
|
2013 |
| Dylan | Category 2
|
31 January
|
2014 |
| Ita | Category 4
|
11 April
|
2014 |
| Marcia | Category 5
|
20 February
|
2015 |
| Nathan | Category 3
|
20 March
|
2015 |
| Debbie | Category 3
|
28 March
|
2017 |
| Nora | Category 3
|
24 March
|
2018 |
| Owen | Category 3
|
15 December
|
2018 |
| Penny | Category 1
|
1 January
|
2019 |
| Trevor | Category 4
|
19 March
|
2019 |
| Esther | Category 1
|
23 February
|
2020 |
| Imogen | Category 2
|
3 January
|
2021 |
| Tiffany | Category 1
|
10 January
|
2022 |
| Jasper | Category 1
|
13 December
|
2023 |
| Kirrily | Category 1
|
25 January
|
2025 |
| Alfred | Category 1
|
7 March
|
2025 |
Western Australia
[edit]
| Name | Category | Date of closest approach | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerry | Category 4
|
21 January
|
1973 |
| Marcelle | Category 2
|
8 May
|
1973 |
| Ines | Category 2
|
21 November
|
1973 |
| Erica | Category 2
|
31 December
|
1973 |
| Fiona | Category 2
|
8 January
|
1974 |
| Trixie | Category 4
|
19 February
|
1975 |
| Beverly | Category 3
|
31 March
|
1975 |
| Joan | Category 5
|
7 December
|
1975 |
| Wally | Category 2
|
27 February
|
1976 |
| Leo | Category 4
|
26 March
|
1977 |
| Vern | Category 3
|
1 February
|
1978 |
| Hazel | Category 4
|
13 March
|
1979 |
| Amy | Category 5
|
10 January
|
1980 |
| Dean | Category 4
|
1 February
|
1980 |
| Enid | Category 4
|
17 February
|
1980 |
| Bruno | Category 2
|
19 January
|
1982 |
| Graham | Category 2
|
31 January
|
1982 |
| Ian | Category 2
|
6 March
|
1982 |
| Jane | Category 4
|
9 January
|
1983 |
| Ken | Category 3
|
2 March
|
1983 |
| Lena | Category 2
|
7 April
|
1983 |
| Quenton | Category 4
|
29 November
|
1983 |
| Chloe | Category 3
|
29 February
|
1984 |
| Frank | Category 2
|
27 December
|
1985 |
| Gertie | Category 3
|
31 January
|
1985 |
| Lindsay | Category 3
|
9 March
|
1985 |
| Hector | Category 1
|
19 January
|
1986 |
| Connie | Category 3
|
19 January
|
1987 |
| Elsie | Category 4
|
25 February
|
1987 |
| Ilona | Category 3
|
17 March
|
1988 |
| Orson | Category 4
|
22 April
|
1989 |
| Tina | Category 2
|
27 January
|
1990 |
| Ian | Category 3
|
2 March
|
1992 |
| Naomi | Category 3
|
17 December
|
1993 |
| Annette | Category 4
|
18 December
|
1994 |
| Bobby | Category 3
|
25 February
|
1995 |
| Chloe | Category 3
|
7 April
|
1995 |
| Gertie | Category 3
|
20 December
|
1995 |
| Kirsty | Category 4
|
12 March
|
1996 |
| Olivia | Category 4
|
10 April
|
1996 |
| Rachel | Category 3
|
11 January
|
1997 |
| Les | Category 1
|
29 January
|
1998 |
| Vance | Category 4
|
22 March
|
1999 |
| Gwenda | Category 2
|
7 April
|
1999 |
| Ilsa | Category 1
|
17 December
|
1999 |
| John | Category 5
|
15 December
|
1999 |
| Steve | Category 1
|
6&9 March
|
2000 |
| Vance | Category 5
|
22 March
|
2000 |
| Rosita | Category 4
|
19 April
|
2000 |
| Sam | Category 5
|
8 December
|
2000 |
| Terri | Category 2
|
31 January
|
2001 |
| Chris | Category 5
|
6 March
|
2002 |
| Graham | Category 1
|
28 February
|
2003 |
| Fay | Category 4
|
27 March
|
2004 |
| Raymond | Category 1
|
2 January
|
2005 |
| Ingrid | Category 4
|
15 March
|
2005 |
| Clare | Category 1
|
9 January
|
2006 |
| Emma | Category 1
|
27 February
|
2006 |
| Glenda | Category 3
|
30 March
|
2006 |
| Hubert | Category 1
|
1 April
|
2006 |
| George | Category 5
|
8 March
|
2007 |
| Nicholas | Category 2
|
20 February
|
2008 |
| Billy | Category 2
|
22 December
|
2008 |
| Dominic | Category 2
|
27 January
|
2009 |
| Laurence | Category 5
|
21 December
|
2009 |
| Magda | Category 3
|
21 January
|
2010 |
| Carlos | Category 2
|
22 January
|
2011 |
| Heidi | Category 3
|
11 January
|
2012 |
| Lua | Category 3
|
17 March
|
2012 |
| Rusty | Category 3
|
27 February
|
2013 |
| Christine | Category 4
|
31 December
|
2013 |
| Olwyn | Category 3
|
13 March
|
2015 |
| Stan | Category 2
|
31 January
|
2016 |
| Blanche | Category 3
|
6 March
|
2017 |
| Unnamed | Category 1
|
23 March
|
2017 |
| Hilda | Category 2
|
28 December
|
2017 |
| Joyce | Category 2
|
12 January
|
2018 |
| Kelvin | Category 3
|
18 February
|
2018 |
| Blake | Category 1
|
6 January
|
2020 |
| Damien | Category 3
|
8 February
|
2020 |
| Seroja | Category 3
|
11 April
|
2021 |
| Anika | Category 2
|
25 January
|
2022 |
| Ilsa | Category 5
|
13 April
|
2023 |
| Zelia | Category 4
|
14 February
|
2025 |
| Dianne | Category 2
|
29 March
|
2025 |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Tropical cyclones". Australian Climate Service. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Tropical cyclone climatology". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Tropical Cyclone: Frequently Asked Questions". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
- ^ "Cyclone Mahina". National Museum of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ J. Courtney; et al. (2012). "Documentation and verification of the world extreme wind gust record: 113.3 m s–1 on Barrow Island, Australia, during passage of tropical cyclone Olivia" (PDF). Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal. 62 (62): 1–9. doi:10.22499/2.6201.001. Retrieved January 13, 2016.