What is a Tropical Cyclone?
Tropical cyclones are low pressure systems with gale force winds that move in a large spiral around the centre. They form over warm, tropical waters. The winds of a cyclone are generally greater than 63 kilometres per hour. They can cause a large amount of damage from torrential rain and storm surges. In Australia, cyclones usually occur in areas along the northern coastlines of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Did you Know?
Tropical cyclones are called hurricanes in the Atlantic, after the Mayan God of Winds, Hunraken. They are called simply cyclones or coiled springs in the Indian Ocean. In the Western Pacific, they are called typhoons, after Tai Fung, Chinese for great wind.
Are you interested in the history of Australia's Tropical Cyclones?
Follow these links to the Bureau of Meteorology website and read about a cyclone of interest:-
Cyclone Yasi 30 January - 3 February 2011W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Anthony 23 - 31 January 2011W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia 14 - 18 January 2011W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Robyn 1 - 7 April 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Paul22 March - 3 April 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Sean April 2010W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ului12 - 21 March 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Olga19 - 30 January 2010W, N ,E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Magda 19 - 24 January 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Neville14 - 23 January 2010W, N ,E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence8 - 23 December 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa 17 - 24 March 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish5 - 12 March 2009W, N ,E. Tropical Low Gabrielle* 28 February - 6 March 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Freddy 3 - 13 February 2009W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Ellie31 January - 2 February 2009W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Dominic 24 - 27 January 2009W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Charlotte11 - 12 January 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Billy 15 December 2008 - 5 January 2009W, N, ETropical Cyclone Anika 17 - 22 November 2008W, N, EJasper2009/2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Durga 20 - 25 April 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Rosie 20 - 24 April 2008W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Pancho 23 - 30 March 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Ophelia 1 - 6 March 2008W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Nicholas 11 - 20 February 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Helen 1 - 7 January 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Melanie 27 December 2007 - 2 January 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Guba 15-19 November 2007W, N ,ETropical Cyclone Lee-Ariel 11 - 15 November 2007W, N, E. Unnamed Tropical Cyclone 29 - 30 July 2007W, N, ETropical Cyclone Pierre 16 - 17 May 2007W, N ,ESevere Tropical Cyclone Kara 23 - 30 March 2007W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Jacob 3 - 12 March 2007W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone George 27 February - 10 March 2007W, N, ETropical Cyclone Nelson 5 - 7 February 2007W, N, ETropical Low Isobel 30 December 2006 - 5 January 2007W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Monica 17 - 25 April 2006W, N, ETropical Cyclone Hubert 2 - 7 April 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Glenda 27 - 31 March 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Floyd 18 - 27 March 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Wati 19 - 26 March 2006W, N ,ESevere Tropical Cyclone Larry 17 - 20 March 2006W, N ,ETropical Cyclone Emma 26 February - 1 March 2006W, N, ETropical Cyclone Kate 22 - 23 February 2006W, N ,ESevere Tropical Cyclone Jim 27 January - 1 February 2006W, N ,ETropical Cyclone Daryl 17 - 23 January 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Clare 6 - 11 January 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Bertie-Alvin 18 - 24 November 2005W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Adeline 1 - 5 April 2005W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Ingrid 4 - 16 March 2005W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Willy 9 - 14 March 2005W, N, ETropical Cyclone Vivienne 4 - 9 February 2005W, N, ETropical Cyclone Harvey 3 - 7 February 2005W, N, ETropical Cyclone Tim 23 - 25 January 2005W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Kerry 8 - 17 January 2005W, N ,E Tropical Cyclone Sally 7 - 9 January 2005W, N, E Tropical Cyclone Raymond 1 - 2 January 2005W, N, E Tropical Cyclone Phoebe 1 - 4 September 2004W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Fay 16 - 28 March 2004W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Oscar 21 - 28 March 2004W, N, ETropical Cyclone Grace 21 - 23 March 2004W, N ,E. Tropical Cyclone Nicky 8 - 10 March 2004W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Evan 27 February - 4 March 2004W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Monty 27 February - 3 March 2004W, N, ETropical Cyclone Fritz 10 - 15 February 2004W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Linda 28 January - 1 February 2004W, N, ETropical Low Ken* 1 - 5 January 2004
Cyclone Yasi 30 January - 3 February 2011W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Anthony 23 - 31 January 2011W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia 14 - 18 January 2011W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Robyn 1 - 7 April 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Paul22 March - 3 April 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Sean April 2010W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ului12 - 21 March 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Olga19 - 30 January 2010W, N ,E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Magda 19 - 24 January 2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Neville14 - 23 January 2010W, N ,E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence8 - 23 December 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa 17 - 24 March 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish5 - 12 March 2009W, N ,E. Tropical Low Gabrielle* 28 February - 6 March 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Freddy 3 - 13 February 2009W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Ellie31 January - 2 February 2009W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Dominic 24 - 27 January 2009W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Charlotte11 - 12 January 2009W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Billy 15 December 2008 - 5 January 2009W, N, ETropical Cyclone Anika 17 - 22 November 2008W, N, EJasper2009/2010W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Durga 20 - 25 April 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Rosie 20 - 24 April 2008W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Pancho 23 - 30 March 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Ophelia 1 - 6 March 2008W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Nicholas 11 - 20 February 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Helen 1 - 7 January 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Melanie 27 December 2007 - 2 January 2008W, N, ETropical Cyclone Guba 15-19 November 2007W, N ,ETropical Cyclone Lee-Ariel 11 - 15 November 2007W, N, E. Unnamed Tropical Cyclone 29 - 30 July 2007W, N, ETropical Cyclone Pierre 16 - 17 May 2007W, N ,ESevere Tropical Cyclone Kara 23 - 30 March 2007W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Jacob 3 - 12 March 2007W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone George 27 February - 10 March 2007W, N, ETropical Cyclone Nelson 5 - 7 February 2007W, N, ETropical Low Isobel 30 December 2006 - 5 January 2007W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Monica 17 - 25 April 2006W, N, ETropical Cyclone Hubert 2 - 7 April 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Glenda 27 - 31 March 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Floyd 18 - 27 March 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Wati 19 - 26 March 2006W, N ,ESevere Tropical Cyclone Larry 17 - 20 March 2006W, N ,ETropical Cyclone Emma 26 February - 1 March 2006W, N, ETropical Cyclone Kate 22 - 23 February 2006W, N ,ESevere Tropical Cyclone Jim 27 January - 1 February 2006W, N ,ETropical Cyclone Daryl 17 - 23 January 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Clare 6 - 11 January 2006W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Bertie-Alvin 18 - 24 November 2005W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Adeline 1 - 5 April 2005W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Ingrid 4 - 16 March 2005W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Willy 9 - 14 March 2005W, N, ETropical Cyclone Vivienne 4 - 9 February 2005W, N, ETropical Cyclone Harvey 3 - 7 February 2005W, N, ETropical Cyclone Tim 23 - 25 January 2005W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Kerry 8 - 17 January 2005W, N ,E Tropical Cyclone Sally 7 - 9 January 2005W, N, E Tropical Cyclone Raymond 1 - 2 January 2005W, N, E Tropical Cyclone Phoebe 1 - 4 September 2004W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Fay 16 - 28 March 2004W, N, ESevere Tropical Cyclone Oscar 21 - 28 March 2004W, N, ETropical Cyclone Grace 21 - 23 March 2004W, N ,E. Tropical Cyclone Nicky 8 - 10 March 2004W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Evan 27 February - 4 March 2004W, N, E. Severe Tropical Cyclone Monty 27 February - 3 March 2004W, N, ETropical Cyclone Fritz 10 - 15 February 2004W, N, E. Tropical Cyclone Linda 28 January - 1 February 2004W, N, ETropical Low Ken* 1 - 5 January 2004