Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | 23 March 2017 |
Remnant low | 30 March 2017 |
Dissipated | 7 April 2017 |
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone | |
10-minute sustained (Aus) | |
Highest winds | 175 km/h (110 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 949 hPa (mbar);28.02 inHg |
Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS) | |
Highest winds | 215 km/h (130 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 937 hPa (mbar);27.67 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 14 total |
Damage | $2.73 billion (2017 USD) (Second-costliest tropical cyclone in the Australian region basin) |
Areas affected | Queensland,New South Wales,New Zealand |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2016–17 Australian region cyclone season |
Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017 was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Queensland since Marcia in 2015,and was the costliest tropical cyclone in Australia since Yasi in 2011. Forming as a tropical low on 23 March,the low gradually intensified into a named tropical cyclone on 25 March. After steadily strengthening offshore to a Category 4 system,Debbie eventually made landfall near Airlie Beach,at 12:40 AEST on 28 March. [1] Afterwards,Debbie rapidly weakened into a tropical low by late 28 March,but continued to travel south,causing significant damage and flooding in the populous areas of South East Queensland and Northern Rivers. [1] In total,the storm caused A$3.5 billion (US$2.67 billion) in damage and fourteen deaths across Australia,primarily as a result of extreme flooding. This makes Debbie the deadliest cyclone to hit Australia since Fifi in 1991. [2]
On 22 March 2017, a well-defined but weak area of low pressure developed over the Coral Sea, near the Louisiade Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. Strong wind shear aloft kept the accompanying convection poorly organised and displaced west of the surface circulation. [3] With environmental conditions forecast to improve and favour cyclogenesis, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Brisbane classified the system as a tropical low on 23 March. [4] Throughout the following day, decreasing shear enabled convection to wrap around the low; [5] however, convective activity remained largely transient. A mid-level ridge to the east and an approaching trough over the Tasman Sea steered the low generally south. [6] High sea surface temperatures of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) and excellent dual-channel outflow fuelled rapid consolidation on 24 March. This prompted the United States-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to issue a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert, indicating the system was likely to acquire gale-force winds within 24 hours. [7]
A scatterometer pass at 11:56 UTC revealed surface winds of up to 75 km/h (47 mph) and subsequent satellite intensity estimates supported gale-intensity, and the JTWC accordingly classified the system as Tropical Cyclone 13P by 21:00 UTC. With exceptionally favourable environmental conditions ahead of the storm, the agency noted a high probability for rapid deepening before landfall in Queensland. [8] The BOM followed suit soon thereafter, classifying the system as a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian cyclone intensity scale at 00:00 UTC on 25 March. Concurrently, they assigned it the name Debbie. [9]
The cyclone continued to track generally southwards, developing into a Category 2 cyclone later that day. After attaining that strength, Debbie assumed a generally southwestwards track—a track it would maintain, with minor fluctuations, until about 14 hours after landfall. [1] After a day-long period of arrested development, environmental conditions became highly favourable for renewed intensification. Beginning early on 27 March, Debbie strengthened rapidly from Category 2 to a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone in just 12 hours, and achieving peak sustained winds of 175 km/h (109 mph) and a minimum pressure of 949 hPa (28.02 inHg). [1] After that, the Dvorak intensity given that the storm weakened slightly. Debbie passed over the Whitsunday Islands in the morning of 28 March local time with winds of 165 km/h (103 mph), still at Category 4 intensity. Nonetheless, the cyclone weakened to Category 3 before making landfall in Airlie Beach at 02:40 UTC with winds of 150 km/h (93 mph). [1] [10]
Following landfall, Debbie began to weaken steadily while interacting with North Queensland's rugged terrain. The cyclone weakened below severe tropical cyclone status while passing Collinsville at 12:00 UTC on 28 March. [1] The system was downgraded to Category 1 in the early hours of 29 March local time, and then weakened further to a tropical low six few hours afterwards. [1] The tropical low then executed a long turn to the southeast, and proceeded towards South East Queensland, moving roughly parallel to the coast. [1] The remnants of Debbie brought heavy rainfall—torrential rains in many areas—that resulted in flooding in large parts of the land areas across which it tracked, before moving out over the Pacific Ocean on Friday 31 March. [1]
Major storm surge was seen as one of the most dangerous factors associated with the approaching cyclone. With the storm potentially coinciding with high tide, it was estimated that water rise in some areas could potentially exceed 7 m (23 ft). [11] Residents in low-lying areas across Bowen, Proserpine and Airlie Beach were ordered to evacuate their homes. Late on 27 March, just over 12 hours prior to landfall, 25,000 residents in low-lying areas of Mackay were ordered to evacuate. [12] Approximately 5,500 people in the Bowen area were also urged to leave. [11] Across Queensland, more than 400 schools and education centres were closed. [13] All flights at Townsville Airport, Proserpine/Whitsunday Coast Airport, Mackay Airport, Hamilton Island Airport and Moranbah Airport were cancelled from 27 March, [11] and Queensland Rail suspended train services between Rockhampton and Townsville. North Queensland Bulk Ports closed the ports at Mackay, Abbot Point and Hay Point. [14] A total of 1,000 emergency personnel and more than 200 Energex workers were deployed to the region to assist with Ergon Energy's preparations and clean up operations. [15] [11]
The Australian Defence Force formed Joint Task Force 661, dubbed "Operation Queensland Assist", to provide assistance with aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue, road clearance, restoration of essential services, emergency accommodation and the delivery of stores if required. [16] The Royal Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Choules set sail from Sydney to Queensland to support post-storm recovery. Normally, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide would be deployed; however, propulsion issues with the two vessels kept them docked for repairs. [17] Three MRH-90 helicopters from HMAS Albatross were also deployed to Queensland. [18] The Royal Australian Air Force put transport aircraft on standby at Townsville, RAAF Base Amberley and RAAF Base Darwin. [19] The Australian Defence Force's pre-deployment of resources was the largest in the nation's history in advance of a natural disaster; [13] approximately 1,200 personnel were deployed. [20]
There was criticism of the intense coverage of the cyclone by commercial TV media, including some unsafe actions by reporters. [21] Former Deputy Leader of Australian Greens, Adam Bandt, was criticised by the conservative government's Federal Energy Minister for suggesting that construction of new coal plants would cause climate change, and hence increase the intensity of extreme weather events like Cyclone Debbie. [22]
An unexpected turn to the south during the cyclone's final approach to the Queensland coast brought the storm directly on top of Hamilton Island, where no evacuations took place. [23] Damage was reported on the Whitsunday Islands, as strong winds lifted some roofs from houses; on Hamilton Island, sustained winds reached 191 km/h (119 mph) with gusts up to 263 km/h (163 mph) around 10:28 a.m. local time on 28 March. [24] [25] Winds in excess of 100 km/h (62 mph) battered the island for more than 24 hours. [26] Power outages affected at least 63,000 properties across Queensland, and numerous trees were uprooted during the storm, with some crashing onto homes. Many animals would have been left to die. [27] Major damage was reported across Bowen, where most homes had been built before stricter building codes were enforced. [28] Approximately 300 people, primarily tourists, on Daydream Island were left stranded and in dire need of supplies. [27] Attempts were made to evacuate residents from the island; however, ships were unable to dock as the jetty was destroyed. [20]
A flock of cockatoos was caught in the storm near Airlie Beach, and many died while clinging to tree branches. One particular bird, later nicknamed Debbie, was found stripped of its feathers by Townsville Bulletin photographer Alix Sweeney and rescued as the cyclone's eye passed through. The story of Debbie became a viral headline. [29] Although seemingly in good spirits once the storm cleared, [30] the bird died during the overnight of 29–30 March likely due to internal injuries. [31] [32]
Inclement weather and evacuations associated with the cyclone were blamed for a fatal car accident near Proserpine on 27 March, where one person died on-scene whilst two others were hospitalised. [33] [34] A man in Proserpine also suffered an injury and was hospitalised after a wall collapsed on him on 28 March. [35]
Torrential rains—described by the Bureau of Meteorology as "phenomenal" [36] —affected large portions of Queensland, particularly in the Pioneer Basin. Forty-eight-hour accumulations in the area exceeded 1,000 mm (39 in)—these areas see an average of 1,500 to 2,000 mm (59 to 79 in) of rain per year. [20] West of Mackay, the Kinchant and Middle Creek dams overflowed, prompting additional evacuation of residents. [36] Multiple sections of the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Mackay were submerged by floodwaters, prompting its closure. [37] The ex-tropical cyclone went on to cause damage further south, particularly around the Logan and Albert Rivers, flooding infrastructure such as the Beenleigh railway station and resulting in the death of a 77-year-old man in Eagleby. [38]
Damage to Queensland's sugar industry is expected to cost A$150 million (US$114.5 million). The majority of these costs lie in Proserpine and Mackay. 35% of all sugarcane in the Proserpine region and 20% of all sugarcane in the Mackay region were damaged, costing A$50 million (US$38.2 million) and A$81 million (US$61.8 million) respectively. [39] Damage to winter crops in the Bowen–Gumlu region reached A$100 million (US$76.4 million). [40] Insured losses across Australia reached A$1.65 billion (US$1.26 billion), with 73,000 damage claims being filed. [41] Total economic losses reached A$3.5 billion (US$2.67 billion). [1] In addition, a total of eight deaths were reported throughout Queensland. [42]
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie continued to move south and merged with a cold front moving up the north coast of New South Wales. [43] This triggered heavy rainfall in the Northern Rivers and led to significant flooding in the Tweed, Lismore, Byron, Richmond Valley, Kyogle and Ballina local government areas. A woman drowned in floodwaters at a rural property south of Murwillumbah, while the Pacific Motorway was cut off by floodwaters at Chinderah. [44] New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared the regions as disaster zones, thus enabling the residents to access disaster assistance funding. [45] Two more people were confirmed to have drowned in floodwaters on 1 April, another south of Murwillumbah and one at Gungal. [46]
On 3 April, a mother and two of her children drowned when their car plunged into the flooded Tweed River at Tumbulgum. [47] In total, Debbie killed six people in New South Wales. [42]
A week after becoming extratropical, the remnants of Cyclone Debbie passed over New Zealand, causing flash flooding over many areas. The township of Edgecumbe in the Bay of Plenty region was evacuated on April 6 due to flooding, and a state of emergency declared. [48] The insurance claims reached NZ$91.5 million (US$63.8 million). [49]
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pledged A$ 1,000,000 (US$ 754,205) to assist the Australian Red Cross Society, Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul Society of Queensland, and UnitingCare Community in distributing supplies. [27]
Debbie was the only name from the 2016–2017 season to be retired by the Bureau of Meteorology, It was replaced by Dara in mid-2018. [50]
The 1999–2000 Australian region cyclone season was a slightly above average tropical cyclone season. It ran from 1 November 1999 to 30 April 2000. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan also defines a "tropical cyclone year" separately from a "tropical cyclone season", with the "tropical cyclone year" for this season lasting from 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000.
The 1998–99 Australian region cyclone season was an above average tropical cyclone season that featured Gwenda, the most intense tropical cyclone in the Australian Region. It began on 1 November 1998 and ended on 30 April 1999. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan also defines a tropical cyclone year separately from a tropical cyclone season, which runs from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999.
The 1996–97 Australian region cyclone season was an above average tropical cyclone season. It ran from 1 November 1996 to 30 April 1997. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan also defines a tropical cyclone year separately from a tropical cyclone season, and the "tropical cyclone year" ran from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997.
The 1969–70 Australian region cyclone season was an above-average tropical cyclone season. It ran from 1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan also defines a "tropical cyclone year" separately from a "tropical cyclone season", with the "tropical cyclone year" for this season lasting from 1 July 1969 to 30 June 1970.
The 1971–72 Australian region cyclone season was a very active tropical cyclone season.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Ului was one of the fastest intensifying tropical cyclones on record, strengthening from a tropical storm to a Category 5 equivalent cyclone within a 30-hour span in March 2010. Throughout Queensland, Australia, infrastructural damage from the storm amounted to A$20 million (US$18 million) and agricultural losses reached A$60 million (US$54 million).
Severe Tropical Cyclone Aivu was a powerful late-season tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage across parts of Queensland, Australia in April 1989.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that made landfall in northern Queensland, Australia in early 2011, causing major damage to the affected areas. Originating as a tropical low near Fiji on 26 January, the system intensified to tropical cyclone status during the evening of 30 January. Yasi deepened rapidly over the next 24 hours, and was classified as a Category 3 cyclone at about 5 PM AEST on 31 January 2011. Late on 1 February, the cyclone strengthened to a Category 4 system; then, early on 2 February, the cyclone intensified into a Category 5 Severe Tropical Cyclone. The system had a well-defined eye and continued to track west-southwestward, maintaining a central pressure of 930 hPa and a Dvorak intensity of T6.5 into the evening.
The 2013–14 Australian region cyclone season was a slightly below-average tropical cyclone season, with 10 tropical cyclones occurring within the Australian region. It officially started on 1 November 2013, and ended on 30 April 2014. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan defines a "tropical cyclone year" separately from a "tropical cyclone season"; the "tropical cyclone year" began on 1 July 2013 and ended on 30 June 2014.
The 2016–17 Australian region cyclone season, despite a very high number of tropical lows, was a slightly below-average season in terms of activity, with nine tropical cyclones, three of which intensified further into severe tropical cyclones; though it was much more active than the previous season. The season was the first to have a severe tropical cyclone since the 2014–15 season. It was the period of the year when most tropical cyclones form in the Southern Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans between 90°E and 160°E. The season officially ran from 1 November 2016 to 30 April 2017, however, a tropical cyclone could form at any time between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017 and would count towards the season total. The first named storm, Yvette, developed during 21 December, and the final named storm, Greg, left the region on 3 May as a remnant low. This season was also the second-costliest tropical cyclone season on record in the Australian region basin, behind only the 2010–11 season, with a total of AUD$3.7 billion in damages incurred by the various storms, mostly from Cyclone Debbie.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Joy struck Australia in late 1990, causing the third highest floods on record in Rockhampton, Queensland. This cyclone began as a weak tropical low near the Solomon Islands, and initially moved westward. On 18 December, it was named Joy, becoming the 2nd named storm of the 1990–91 Australian region cyclone season. After turning southwest, Joy developed a well-defined eye and strengthened to maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h (103 mph) while approaching Cairns in Far North Queensland. Brushing the city with strong winds, the cyclone soon weakened and turned southeast. Joy later curved back southwest, making landfall near Townsville, Queensland on 26 December. It dissipated the next day; remnant moisture continued as torrential rainfall over Queensland for two weeks.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Winifred was the worst tropical cyclone to make landfall in northern Queensland and the first since Althea in 1971 to inflict significant damage on the northeastern coast of Australia. The sixth named storm of the 1985–86 Australian region cyclone season, Winifred originated as a tropical low north of Cairns, Queensland on 27 January 1986. Slowly organizing, the system was recognized as a tropical cyclone after gaining tropical characteristics on 30 January, christened with the name Winifred the same day. Meandering southward, the cyclone began to curve southeastward that evening before suddenly turning toward the coast, southwestward, on 31 January, steadily intensifying in that time. By the time it came ashore near Silkwood, Queensland at 0445 UTC on 1 February, it was producing Category 3-force winds on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale and a minimum atmospheric pressure of 957 mbar (28.38 inHg). Weakening as it drifted inland, Winifred persisted as a tropical depression for another five days after landfall before finally dissipating on 5 February.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Peter was the wettest tropical cyclone on record in Australia, until it was surpassed by Cyclone Jasper in 2023. The third system and first severe tropical cyclone of the 1978–79 season, Peter developed on 29 December from a weak low pressure area over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Peter moved southeastward and deepened while brushing Arnhem Land. Initially a tropical low, it strengthened into a Category 1 cyclone by 12:00 UTC on 29 December. Peter intensified further on 30 December and became a Category 2 cyclone. On the following day, the cyclone peaked with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h (70 mph). Peter weakened to a Category 1 cyclone before making landfall near the mouth of the Edward River in Queensland. While crossing the Cape York Peninsula, the storm weakened slowly. After reaching Pacific Ocean near Cooktown, the storm decelerated and meandered offshore, but dissipated just offshore on 4 January.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Tessi was a small but potent tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage along the coast of North Queensland in early April 2000. The ninth cyclone and fourth severe tropical cyclone of the 1999–2000 Australian region cyclone season, Tessi developed on 1 April from a persistent trough of low pressure in the Coral Sea and slowly tracked west-southwestward. Tessi was an unusually compact storm that strengthened rapidly just before landfall, peaking as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale with 10-minute average maximum winds of 140 km/h. Around 22:00 UTC on 2 April, Tessi moved ashore about 75 km northwest of Townsville and rapidly diminished as it progressed inland. At the height of the storm, Magnetic Island experienced sustained winds of 109 km/h (68 mph), while gusts as high as 130 km/h (81 mph) were recorded in Townsville.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Althea was a powerful tropical cyclone that devastated parts of North Queensland just before Christmas 1971. One of the strongest storms ever to affect the Townsville area, Althea was the fourth system and second severe tropical cyclone of the 1971–72 Australian region cyclone season. After forming near the Solomon Islands on 19 December and heading southwest across the Coral Sea, the storm reached its peak intensity with 10-minute average maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h (80 mph) – Category 3 on the Australian cyclone scale. At 09:00 AEST on Christmas Eve, Althea struck the coast of Queensland near Rollingstone, about 50 km (30 mi) north of Townsville. Although early weather satellites provided only occasional glimpses into the cyclone's formative stages, its landfall was monitored closely by land-based radar that depicted an ongoing eyewall replacement cycle. Althea produced copious rainfall over central and western Queensland as it turned toward the southeast, and on 26 December the cyclone emerged over open waters. After briefly re-intensifying, the system dissipated on 29 December.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Ada was a small but intense tropical cyclone that severely impacted the Whitsunday Region of Queensland, Australia, in January 1970. It has been described as a defining event in the history of the Whitsunday Islands, and was the most damaging storm in the mainland town of Proserpine's history at the time. Forming over the far eastern Coral Sea in early January, the weather disturbance that would become Ada remained weak and disorganised for nearly two weeks as it slowly moved in a clockwise loop. Accelerating toward the southwest, the system was named Ada on 15 January. All observations of the fledgling cyclone were made remotely with weather satellite imagery until it passed over an automated weather station on 16 January. The extremely compact cyclone, with a gale radius of just 55 km (35 mi), intensified into a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone just before striking the Whitsunday Islands at 14:00 UTC on 17 January. At 18:30 UTC, Ada's eye crossed the coast at Shute Harbour. The cyclone made little inland progress before stalling northwest of Mackay and dissipating on 19 January.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Nora was a strong tropical cyclone that affected Far North Queensland and the northeastern Northern Territory during March 2018. The ninth named storm and third severe tropical cyclone of the 2017–18 Australian region cyclone season, Nora developed from a tropical low which formed near the Torres Strait on 19 March. The system initially moved quickly to the west-northwest, and then began tracking slowly southwestwards over the Arafura Sea while gradually developing. A turn to the east on 22 March brought the tropical low into a favourable environment for strengthening, and the system reached tropical cyclone intensity later that day. Nora then underwent a period of rapid intensification as it moved southeastwards into the Gulf of Carpentaria. The storm peaked on 23 March as a high-end Category 3 severe tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 155 km/h (96 mph) and a minimum barometric pressure of 958 hPa (28.29 inHg). Nora made landfall north of Pormpuraaw at about 13:00 UTC on 24 March as a minimal Category 3 system. Nora weakened steadily as it tracked southwards along the coast, and was downgraded to a tropical low the following day. Nora's remnants meandered over land for several days before moving back over the Gulf of Carpentaria and dissipating on 28 March.
The following is a list of all reported tropical cyclones within the Australian region between 90°E and 160°E, after the start of World War II in September 1939 and before the start of the satellite era during the 1969–70 Season.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Owen was an erratic and long-lived tropical cyclone that affected numerous regions within its long trek, especially Queensland, during December 2018. It was the fourth tropical low, the first tropical cyclone, and first severe tropical cyclone of the 2018–19 Australian region cyclone season. Owen developed on 29 November 2018 from an area of low pressure that was situated over the Solomon Islands; the system struggled to strengthen in a conflicting environment and degenerated to a tropical low on 3 December. The low drifted westward, and on 9 December, it made its first landfall in Queensland, before moving over the Gulf of Carpentaria, where more favourable conditions allowed it to re-organise. The system regenerated into a tropical cyclone on 12 December and rapidly intensified into a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone that night. At midnight on 13 December, Owen made landfall in the Northern Territory, before turning eastward and reaching peak intensity, with sustained winds of 150 km/h (95 mph) and a minimum barometric pressure of 958 hPa (28.3 inHg). On 13 December, Owen made landfall on Queensland again, just north of the mouth of the Gilbert River near Kowanyama. The cyclone weakened rapidly after its third landfall, and the final advisory on Owen was issued on 15 December, after it had degenerated into a tropical low. However, the system persisted over the Coral Sea for another several days, before dissipating on 20 December.
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