1972–73 Australian region cyclone season

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
	<img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Jean_1973-01-12.png/150px-Jean_1973-01-12.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="292" data-file-height="292"> <img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Jean_1973_track.png/150px-Jean_1973_track.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="93" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="2700" data-file-height="1669">
Duration	10 January – 17 January
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min);; 964 hPa (mbar)

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
	<img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Temporary_cyclone_south.svg/150px-Temporary_cyclone_south.svg.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="125" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="150"> <img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Ivy-Beatrice_1972_track.png/150px-Ivy-Beatrice_1972_track.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="127" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="2700" data-file-height="2280">
Duration	7 December – 9 December (Crossed 80°E)
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);; 994 hPa (mbar)

1972–73 Australian region cyclone season
1972–73 Australian region cyclone season
	Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	7 December 1972
Last system dissipated	6 May 1973
Strongest storm
By maximum sustained winds	Madge
• Maximum winds	165 km/h (105 mph); (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	952 hPa (mbar)
By central pressure	Thirteen
• Maximum winds	150 km/h (90 mph); (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	950 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows	15
Tropical cyclones	15
Severe tropical cyclones	9
Total fatalities	1,650+ ; (Deadliest Australian region cyclone season recorded)
Total damage	Unknown
Related articles
	1972–73 South Pacific cyclone season; 1972–73 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season;
	Australian region tropical cyclone seasons; 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75

The 1972–73 Australian region cyclone season was an above-average tropical cyclone season, in terms of activity. Additionally, it is also the deadliest tropical cyclone season recorded in the Australian region, with the Flores cyclone killing an estimated 1,650 people alone, making it single-deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the entire Southern Hemisphere.^[1]

Season summary

Systems

Tropical Cyclone Ivy-Beatrice

Tropical Cyclone Ivy developed over the eastern Indian Ocean on 7 December. The cyclone entered the southwest Indian Ocean basin after crossing 80°E and was renamed Beatrice.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Jean

On 10 January Jean developed northwest of Western Australia. It strengthened into a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone, before being last noted on 17 January.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Kerry

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	19 January – 24 January
Peak intensity	165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 960 hPa (mbar)

At Wickham on 21 January 1973 more than 30 houses were partly unroofed and some houses received major damage. There was no damage to buildings in Dampier, Roebourne or Karratha as the cyclone crossed the coast well to the east. Kerry passed close to a number of oil-drilling rigs causing damage and lost productivity time that cost over one million dollars. Maximum recorded gust was 140 km/h at Cape Lambert.^[2]

Tropical Cyclone Leila-Gertrude

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	21 January – 23 January (Crossed 80°E)
Peak intensity	100 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Leila formed offshore Western Australia on 21 January. Moving generally westward, the storm crossed 80°E on 23 January and was renamed Gertrude.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Adeline

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	27 January – 29 January
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Adeline developed in the Gulf of Carpentaria on 27 January. Moving south-southwestward, Adeline made landfall near the Northern Territory–Queensland border, shortly before dissipating on 29 January.

Tropical Cyclone Maud

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	28 January – 31 January
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Maud existed offshore Western Australia from 28 January to 31 January.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirsty

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	24 February – 1 March
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min); 975 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Kirsty developed southwest of the Solomon Islands on 24 February. Heading generally southward, Kirsty dissipated well east of New South Wales on 1 March.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Leah

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	27 February – 11 March
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min); 973 hPa (mbar)

The next system, Cyclone Leah, formed near the coast of Western Australia on 27 February. Moving southwestward, Leah eventually dissipated on 11 March.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Madge

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	28 February – 18 March
Peak intensity	165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 952 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Madge, the strongest tropical cyclone of the season, originated in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands on 28 February. Tracking west-southwestward, Madge struck the Cape York Peninsula early on 4 March. By late the following day, the cyclone made landfall near Numbulwar, Northern Territory. Moving across Northern Territory and Queensland, Madge emerged into the Indian Ocean on 10 March. The storm headed generally westward for the next several days, until dissipating on 18 March.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Nellie

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	13 March – 23 March
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min); 964 hPa (mbar)

On 13 March Cyclone Nellie formed offshore Queensland. It moved generally west-southwestward before dissipated on 23 March.

Tropical Cyclone Bella

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	20 March – 25 March
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 998 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Bella developed over the Arafura Sea on 20 March. It struck North Territory before dissipating on 25 March.

Tropical Cyclone Paula

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	26 March – 1 April
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 997 hPa (mbar)

The next system, Cyclone Paula, formed southwest of Indonesia on 16 March. Paula moved southwestward and dissipated about six days later.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Thirteen

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	26 April – 29 April
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min); 950 hPa (mbar)

The most intense tropical cyclone of the season developed in the Banda Sea on 26 April. The storm peaked with a barometric pressure of 950 mbar (28 inHg). The storm struck the island of Flores before dissipating on 29 April. Widespread destruction of houses, schools, and bridges was reported in four of the island's districts. 53 on Flores were killed, and 21 perished in the sinking of a Timorese fishing ship, the O Arbiru.^[3] Additionally, over 1,500 fisherman were reported lost at sea. The area's remoteness kept information about the cyclone's effects from reaching the news for over a month.^[4] The storm killed a total of 1,650 people, making it the deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.^[1]^[5]

Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcelle

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	29 April – 9 May
Peak intensity	120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min); 975 hPa (mbar)

Marcelle, the final tropical cyclone of the season, developed well west of Indonesia on 29 April. The storm struck near Busselton, Western Australia late on 7 May. Marcelle dissipated well south of Australia about two days later.

References

^ ^a ^b Masters, Jeff. "Africa's Hurricane Katrina: Tropical Cyclone Idai Causes an Extreme Catastrophe". Weather Underground. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ "BoM – Tropical Cyclones affecting Karratha/Dampier".
^ "Tropical Cyclone Unnamed (Flores Sea)". www.bom.gov.au. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2018-04-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Jeff Masters (1 April 2019). "Death Toll From Idai Rises Above 800: 3rd Deadliest Southern Hemisphere Cyclone on Record". Weather Underground. Retrieved 22 June 2019.

[Africa's_Katrina-1] Masters, Jeff. "Africa's Hurricane Katrina: Tropical Cyclone Idai Causes an Extreme Catastrophe". Weather Underground. Retrieved 23 March 2019.

[roebourne-2] "BoM – Tropical Cyclones affecting Karratha/Dampier".

[3] "Tropical Cyclone Unnamed (Flores Sea)". www.bom.gov.au. Retrieved December 9, 2022.

[4] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2018-04-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[death_toll_from_Idai-5] Jeff Masters (1 April 2019). "Death Toll From Idai Rises Above 800: 3rd Deadliest Southern Hemisphere Cyclone on Record". Weather Underground. Retrieved 22 June 2019.

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