1971–72 Australian region cyclone season

1971–72 Australian region cyclone season

Season summary map
First system formed	20 October 1971
Last system dissipated	3 June 1972
Strongest storm^1	Emily – 942 hPa (mbar),
Tropical lows	18
Tropical cyclones	18
Severe tropical cyclones	10
Total fatalities	Unknown
Total damage	Unknown
^1Strongest storm is determined by lowest pressure
Australian region tropical cyclone seasons 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971-72, 1972–73, 1973–74
Related articles
1971–72 South Pacific cyclone season 1971–72 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

The 1971-72 Australian region season saw above average activity.

Storms

Tropical Cyclone Rhoda

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	October 20 – October 26
Peak intensity	100 km/h (60 mph) (10-min)  980 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Rhoda existed from October 20 to October 26.

Tropical Cyclone Kitty

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	December 2 – December 5
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min)  1000 hPa (mbar)

Kitty, 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)
Duration	December 3 – December 11
Peak intensity	165 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

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	December 19 – December 29
Peak intensity	165 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)
Duration	January 2 – January 12
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min)  993 hPa (mbar)

Bronwyn, 3 to 12 January 1972 in Gulf of Carpentaria

Tropical Cyclone Carlotta

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 5 – January 11 (Crossed 160°E)
Peak intensity	105 km/h (65 mph) (10-min)  976 hPa (mbar)

Carlotta, 5 to 21 January 1972 well off Queensland

Tropical Cyclone Wendy

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	February 6 (Crossed 160°E) – February 9
Peak intensity	115 km/h (70 mph) (10-min)  976 hPa (mbar)

Wendy, 30 January to 9 February 1972 very intense off Queensland, possible pressure as low as 890hPa.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Daisy

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	February 6 – February 14
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 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 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	February 20 – February 27 (Crossed 80°E)
Peak intensity	155 km/h (95 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)
Duration	February 24 – March 4
Peak intensity	140 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)
Duration	February 29 – March 3
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 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)
Duration	March 20 – March 29
Peak intensity	100 km/h (60 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)
Duration	March 27 – April 2
Peak intensity	170 km/h (105 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)
Duration	April 6 – April 14
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 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)
Duration	April 10 – April 24
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 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)
Duration	April 11 – April 14 (Crossed 160°E)
Peak intensity	170 km/h (105 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)
Duration	May 8 – May 11
Peak intensity	130 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)
Duration	May 30 – May 31 (Crossed 160°E)
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 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.