User:Jason Rees/Cyclone Megan

Severe Tropical Cyclone Megan

Cyclone Megan in the Gulf of Carpentaria on 17 March
Meteorological history
Formed	13 March 2024 (2024-03-13)
Remnant low	18 March 2024
Dissipated	21 March 2024 (2024-03-21)
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (BOM)
Highest winds	165 km/h (105 mph)
Highest gusts	230 km/h (145 mph)
Lowest pressure	950 hPa (mbar); 28.05 inHg
Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds	165 km/h (105 mph)
Lowest pressure	960 hPa (mbar); 28.35 inHg
Overall effects
Casualties	None
Damage	Unknown
Areas affected	Northern Territory
IBTrACS
Part of the 2023–24 Australian region cyclone season

Severe Tropical Cyclone Megan was

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

Saffir–Simpson scale

  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown

Storm type

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

On 4 March, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) noted the formation of a tropical low over south of Indonesia's Sumatra or Java, designating it as 09U. Over the next couple of days, the BoM reported that it was developing over the western Timor Sea within the trough. Analysis from the JTWC indicated that the disturbance was in a favourable environment for development—featuring sea surface temperatures of 29 to 31 °C (84 to 88 °F), and low to moderate wind shear. By 15 March, the JTWC issued a TCFA on the tropical low and warned that there was a high potential for the disturbance to develop into a tropical cyclone. The tropical low moved into the Gulf of Carpentaria, whereupon it gradually organised and began to intensify. The same day, the JTWC upgraded the system to Tropical Cyclone 19S, approximately 367 km (230 mi) east of Darwin, Northern Territory. Later the next day, the BoM reported that the tropical low had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone and assigned the name Megan. Rapid intensification began the same day, with Megan reaching Category 2 tropical cyclone. The BoM upgraded the storm to a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone at 12:00 UTC, Operationally, the BoM classified Megan a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone with winds of 155 km/h (100 mph), but during post-cyclone reanalysis concluded a peak wind speed of 165 km/h (105 mph) based on Synthetic-aperture radar measurements. Gradually approaching the southwestern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, the JTWC indicated that one-minute sustained winds had reached 185 km/h (115 mph), equivalent to a Category 3 major hurricane on the SSHWS. Megan made landfall on the southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria coast just after 06:00 UTC on 18 March. Shortly after the landfall, the JTWC discontinued warnings on the system. After moving ashore, the cyclone turned generally southeast and tracked along the inland of Borroloola. The following day, the system was downgraded to a tropical low by the BoM as it approached the inland coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Megan moved inland, tracking across the Northern Territory, before the BoM stopped monitoring the low on 21 March.

Preparations

A planned evacuation in Borroloola was cancelled as planes were not able to land.

Impact

Groote Eylandt got 600 mm (25 in) of rain.