Tropical Cyclone Tiffany was a strong

tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

that made landfall in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

and the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

. The tenth tropical low and the fifth tropical cyclone of the 2021–22 Australian region cyclone season, Tiffany originated from a tropical low south of

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

, before intensifying into a tropical cyclone and named Tiffany, peaking as a category 2 tropical cyclone before making landfall in northern Queensland. Damage from Tiffany totaled at least 50,000

Australian dollar The Australian dollar (sign: $; code: AUD) is the currency of Australia, including its external territories: Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island. It is officially used as currency by three independent Pacific Island s ...

s ($36,000

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

), and 1 fatality was reported.

Meteorological history

On 4 January, the

Bureau of Meteorology The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM or BoM) is an executive agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together ...

(BoM) began to monitor the northern

Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the Fre ...

for potential

tropical cyclogenesis Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occurs. Tropi ...

, as the monsoon trough was forecast to have renewed activity. Four days later, the BoM reported that a tropical low had formed, and designated it as ''10U''. At the same time, the

Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...

(JTWC) gave it a low chance of formation into a tropical cyclone within 24 hours, and the unofficial identifier ''Invest 90P''. At the time, the low was located within a marginal environment for further development, with warm,

sea surface temperatures Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masse ...

, moderate to high

wind shear Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal ...

, and radial outflow aloft. Within the next 12 hours, the system's

low-level circulation center The eye is a region of mostly calm weather at the center of tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area, typically in diameter. It is surrounded by the ''eyewall'', a ring of towering thunderstorms where the most severe weat ...

began consolidating, along with deep convection persisting around it, prompting the JTWC to upgrade its chances of development into medium, before subsequently issuing a

Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Fleet Weather Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone forming ...

(TCFA) at 23:30 UTC that same day, noting a small eye feature and improved curved banding on microwave imagery. At 06:00 UTC the next day, the BoM upgraded the tropical low into a category 1 tropical cyclone in the Australian scale, and named it ''Tiffany''. The JTWC subsequently upgraded Tiffany into a tropical storm in the Saffir-Simpson scale three hours later, noting the rapid organization of the system in 12 hours. Moving west under a deep-layered subtropical ridge to its south, Tiffany went on a

rapid intensification In meteorology, rapid intensification is a situation where a tropical cyclone intensifies dramatically in a short period of time. The United States National Hurricane Center defines rapid intensification as an increase in the maximum sustained w ...

phase, with the BoM upgrading the storm to a Category 2 tropical cyclone six hours later. Tiffany then peaked at 21:00 UTC that same day, with 10-minute sustained winds of , and 1-minute sustained winds of , becoming a category 1-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Tiffany then rapidly weakened into a category 1 tropical cyclone due to wind shear as it moved over the

Princess Charlotte Bay Princess Charlotte Bay is a large bay on the east coast of Far North Queensland at the base of Cape York Peninsula, 350 km north northwest of Cairns. Princess Charlotte Bay is a part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and it is a habit ...

, before subsequently making landfall in the

Cape York Peninsula Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupación ...

at 06:00 UTC on 10 January. The JTWC downgraded the cyclone to a tropical storm three hours later. Tiffany then weakened into a tropical low as it traversed the peninsula, before emerging over the

Gulf of Carpentaria The Gulf of Carpentaria (, ) is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the eastern Arafura Sea (the body of water that lies between Australia and New Guinea). The northern boundary is ...

on 11 January. Upon entering the Gulf of Carpentaria, it started to restrengthen, under a favorable environment of moderate wind shear being offset by very warm, sea surface temperatures, and strong outflow. At 12:00 UTC that same day, the BoM upgraded Tiffany back into a category 2 tropical cyclone, as the system continued to reintensify. Tiffany then reached its secondary peak intensity later that day, with 10-minute sustained winds of , and 1-minute sustained winds of . At 00:00 UTC (09:30 ACST) 12 January, Tiffany made its final landfall at

Ngukurr Ngukurr ( , ), formerly Roper River Mission (1908−1968), is a remote Aboriginal community on the banks of the Roper River in southern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. A number of different clans and language groups are represented in the tow ...

in the

. The JTWC subsequently issued their final advisory on the system three hours later. Tiffany then weakened into a remnant low and remained traceable overland as it moved west, reaching the

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

region on 13 January, before turning southeast in response to a mid-latitude trough moving from the west. It was last noted on 17 January, over central Australia.

Preparations and impact

Papua New Guinea

No direct impacts on Papua New Guinea were reported, though of rainfall fell in the southern half of the country.

Australia

As the system was strengthening to the west of the Cape York Peninsula, cyclone warnings were issued over the region. Tiffany hit many areas still recovering from swells caused by

Cyclone Seth Tropical Cyclone Seth was a strong tropical cyclone whose main impacts came after it degenerated into a remnant low. The eighth tropical low and the fourth tropical cyclone of the 2021–22 Australian region cyclone season, Seth originated from ...

. One person died in

after floodwaters struck them, and another person is currently missing. Damage in the

was minimal, though many people were urged to hide in shelters or basements. Many people across Queensland, most in

Cooktown Cooktown is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. Cooktown is at the mouth of the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland where James Cook beached his ship, the Endeavour, for repairs ...

, were urged to hide or evacuate. A levee failed, and floodwaters rushed into towns. Over 200mm of rain were dumped in many areas of Queensland within a 24-hour period. The highest rainfall total reported was in Whyanbeel Valley on 11 January, with of rain in a 24-hour period. As Tiffany approached the Northern Territory, cyclone warnings were also issued in parts of the region. In Groote Eylandt, many areas saw power outages, though damage was generally minimal. In

Top End The Top End of Australia's Northern Territory is a geographical region encompassing the northernmost section of the Northern Territory, which aside from the Cape York Peninsula is the northernmost part of the Australian continent. It covers a ra ...

, no major damage was reported, though fallen power lines and flooded roads were reported. One house in

Katherine, Northern Territory Katherine is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is situated on the Katherine River, after which it is named, southeast of Darwin. It is the fourth largest settlement in the Territory and is known as the place where "The outbac ...

saw over A$50,000 in damage due to Tiffany, and a car was destroyed by flying branches. In

Mataranka, Northern Territory Mataranka is a town and locality in the Northern Territory of Australia located about 420 km (260 mi.) southeast of the territory capital of Darwin, and 107 km (66 mi.) south of Katherine. At the 2016 census, Mataranka re ...

, many trees were downed and flying debris and sticks were reported, causing minor damage to some houses. Katherine saw over 100 millimeters of rain in just 24 hours. The highest rainfall total reported in the region was in Maranboy Hill on 13 January, with of rain in a 24-hour period, and a 3-day period total of .

Broome, Western Australia Broome, also known as Rubibi by the Yawuru people, is a coastal pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. In the the population was recorded as 14,660. It is the largest town in the Kimberley reg ...

was battered by strong rain, winds, and hail, and many trees were uprooted. Damaging winds also struck

Northern Kimberley The Northern Kimberley, an interim Australian bioregion, is located in the northern Kimberley region of Western Australia,Ellenbrae Ellenbrae, also commonly referred to as Ellenbrae Station, is a pastoral lease that operates as a cattle station in Western Australia. It is situated about south of Wyndham and north of Halls Creek not far off the Gibb River Road. The Dur ...

on 14 January, with of rain in a 24-hour period, and in

Keep River The Keep River is a river located in the Victoria Bonaparte bioregion of Western Australia and the Northern Territory in Australia. Location and features The river rises just south of the Newry Station homestead then flows in a northerly dir ...

with a 7-day period total of .

References

External links