The 1971–72 Australian region cyclone season was a very active
tropical cyclone season.
Systems
Tropical Cyclone Rhoda
Tropical Cyclone Rhoda existed from October 20 to October 26.
Tropical Low Kitty
Kitty existed from 2 to 5 December 1971 in the
Arafura Sea
Severe Tropical Cyclone Sally
Sally, 3 to 13 December 1971 crossed coast near
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 ...
.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Althea
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
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the Australian state of Queensland that lies just south of Far North Queensland. Queensland is a massive state, larger than many countries, and its tropical northern part has been ...
on December 24, 1971.
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.
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
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...
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
Bronwyn, 3 to 12 January 1972 in
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 ...
Severe Tropical Cyclone Carlotta
Carlotta, 5 to 21 January 1972 well off
Queensland
Severe Tropical Cyclone Wendy
Wendy, 30 January to 9 February 1972.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Daisy
Daisy, 7 to 14 February 1972 off Queensland, caused some flooding near
Brisbane
Severe Tropical Cyclone Tessie-Gigi
Tessie, 20 to 27 February 1972 in central Indian Ocean
Severe Tropical Cyclone Vicky
Vicky, 24 February to 4 March 1972 crossed
Western Australian coast at
Cockatoo Island.
Tropical Cyclone Angela
Angela, 29 February to 3 March 1972 near
Cocos Island and
Christmas Island
Tropical Cyclone Belinda
Belinda, 20 to 30 March 1972 near Christmas Island
Severe Tropical Cyclone Emily
Emily, 27 March to 4 April 1972 off Queensland, eight lives lost at sea
Severe Tropical Cyclone Carol
Carol, 6 to 14 April 1972 in the central Indian Ocean.
Tropical Cyclone Faith
Faith, 11 to 23 April 1972 in
Torres Strait and
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 ...
off Queensland
Severe Tropical Cyclone Gail
Gail, 11 to 18 April 1972 well off Queensland
Severe Tropical Cyclone Hannah
Hannah, 8 to 11 May near
Papua New Guinea
Severe Tropical Cyclone Ida
Ida, 30 May to 3 June 1972 near Solomon Islands causing $70 million damage.
See also
*Atlantic hurricane seasons:
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6).
The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history.
Events
Ja ...
,
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
*Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons:
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6).
The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history.
Events
Ja ...
,
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
*Western Pacific typhoon seasons:
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6).
The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history.
Events
Ja ...
,
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
*North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons:
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6).
The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history.
Events
Ja ...
,
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
References
External links
Australian Bureau of MeteorologyTropical Cyclone Warning Center Jakarta
Papua New Guinea National Weather Service
Australian region cyclone seasons
Aust
disasters in Australia
disasters in Australia
disasters in Oceania
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