1971–72 Australian region cyclone season

The 1971–72 Australian region cyclone season was a very active tropical cyclone season.

1971–72 Australian region cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed20 October 1971
Last system dissipated1 June 1972
Strongest storm
NameEmily
 • Maximum winds185 km/h (115 mph)
(10-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure942 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows18
Tropical cyclones17
Severe tropical cyclones12
Total fatalitiesUnknown
Total damageUnknown
Related articles

Systems

Tropical Cyclone Rhoda
Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationOctober 20 – October 26
Peak intensity110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min);
980 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Rhoda existed from October 20 to October 26.

Tropical Low Kitty
Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
 
DurationDecember 2 – December 5
Peak intensity55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min);
1000 hPa (mbar)

Kitty existed from 2 to 5 December 1971 in the Arafura Sea

Severe Tropical Cyclone Sally
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationDecember 3 – December 11
Peak intensity165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min);
950 hPa (mbar)

Sally, 3 to 13 December 1971 crossed coast near Broome, Western Australia.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Althea
Main article: Cyclone Althea
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationDecember 19 – December 29
Peak intensity165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min);
952 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Althea was a Category 4 cyclone when it hit the coast some 50 km north of Magnetic Island and Townsville in North Queensland on December 24, 1971.[1] Althea produced peak gust wind speeds between 123 and 145 miles per hour (197 and 233 km/h). Three people died and property damage was estimated at A$115 million loss (1990 value). On Magnetic Island 90% of the houses were damaged or destroyed.[2] In Townsville houses were lifted from their foundations and most trees stripped of foliage. Althea was also notable at the time, as it had struck a major city.

Although there was a dangerous storm surge associated with TC Althea (between 2.8 and 3.6 metres) little flooding occurred because the cyclone made landfall on a low tide. However, the combination of storm surge and wave action demolished The Strand sea wall and houses in low-lying areas were inundated with up to 0.6 metres of water.

Tropical Cyclone Bronwyn
Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 2 – January 12
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
993 hPa (mbar)

Bronwyn, 3 to 12 January 1972 in Gulf of Carpentaria

Severe Tropical Cyclone Carlotta
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 5 – January 11 (Crossed 160°E)
Peak intensity120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min);
976 hPa (mbar)

Carlotta, 5 to 21 January 1972 well off Queensland

Severe Tropical Cyclone Wendy
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 6 (Crossed 160°E) – February 9
Peak intensity150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min);
976 hPa (mbar)

Wendy, 30 January to 9 February 1972.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Daisy
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 6 – February 14
Peak intensity155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min);
959 hPa (mbar)

Daisy, 7 to 14 February 1972 off Queensland, caused some flooding near Brisbane

Severe Tropical Cyclone Tessie-Gigi
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 20 – February 27 (Crossed 80°E)
Peak intensity175 km/h (110 mph) (10-min);
950 hPa (mbar)

Tessie, 20 to 27 February 1972 in central Indian Ocean

Severe Tropical Cyclone Vicky
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 24 – March 4
Peak intensity140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min);
961 hPa (mbar)

Vicky, 24 February to 4 March 1972 crossed Western Australian coast at Cockatoo Island.

Tropical Cyclone Angela
Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 29 – March 3
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
994 hPa (mbar)

Angela, 29 February to 3 March 1972 near Cocos Island and Christmas Island

Tropical Cyclone Belinda
Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 20 – March 29
Peak intensity110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min);
980 hPa (mbar)

Belinda, 20 to 30 March 1972 near Christmas Island

Severe Tropical Cyclone Emily
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 27 – April 2
Peak intensity185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min);
942 hPa (mbar)

Emily, 27 March to 4 April 1972 off Queensland, eight lives lost at sea

Severe Tropical Cyclone Carol
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationApril 6 – April 14
Peak intensity150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min);
965 hPa (mbar)

Carol, 6 to 14 April 1972 in the central Indian Ocean.

Tropical Cyclone Faith
Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationApril 10 – April 24
Peak intensity85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Faith, 11 to 23 April 1972 in Torres Strait and Coral Sea off Queensland

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gail
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationApril 11 – April 14 (Crossed 160°E)
Peak intensity185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min);
945 hPa (mbar)

Gail, 11 to 18 April 1972 well off Queensland

Severe Tropical Cyclone Hannah
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationMay 8 – May 11
Peak intensity130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min);
970 hPa (mbar)

Hannah, 8 to 11 May near Papua New Guinea

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ida
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationMay 30 – June 1 (Crossed 160°E)
Peak intensity130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min);
970 hPa (mbar)

Ida, 30 May to 3 June 1972 near Solomon Islands causing $70 million damage.

See also
  • Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1971, 1972
  • Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1971, 1972
  • Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1971, 1972
  • North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1971, 1972

References
  1. "Severe Tropical Cyclone Althea. Summary". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  2. "Severe Tropical Cyclone Althea. Summary". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
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