1994–95 Australian region cyclone season

The 1994–95 Australian region cyclone season was a below average Australian cyclone season. It was also an event in the ongoing cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It ran from 1 November 1994 to 30 April 1995. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan also defines a tropical cyclone year separately from a tropical cyclone season, and the "tropical cyclone year" ran from 1 July 1994 to 30 June 1995.

1994–95 Australian region cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed12 December 1994
Last system dissipated23 April 1995
Strongest storm
NameChloe
  Maximum winds220 km/h (140 mph)
(10-minute sustained)
  Lowest pressure920 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows19
Tropical cyclones6
Severe tropical cyclones6
Total fatalities1
Total damageUnknown
Related articles

Tropical cyclones in this area were monitored by four Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs): the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in Perth, Darwin, and Brisbane; and TCWC Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

Systems

Severe Tropical Cyclone Annette

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration12 December – 20 December
Peak intensity185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min)  925 hPa (mbar)

Annette formed on 12 December 1994. The storm moved southeastward while intensifying to a Category 4 cyclone. Annette made landfall at Mandora Station on 18 December. There was considerable damage to homes and crops and about 1,000 cattle were lost in the storm.[1]

Tropical Low Heida

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
 
Duration3 February – 4 February (Exited basin)
Peak intensity55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min)  995 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Low Heida developed on 3 February and exited the basin on the next day.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Bobby

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration19 February – 27 February
Peak intensity195 km/h (120 mph) (10-min)  925 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Bobby, a Category 4 cyclone with estimated winds up to 270 km/hour near the centre, crossed the Western Australian Pilbara coast to the east of Onslow between midnight and 0100 on the 25 February 1995. Seven lives were lost when two fishing trawlers were sunk off the coast from Onslow. A bulk ore carrier also ran aground in the cyclone. There was very minor property damage reported from the Karratha area and approximately 20 houses in Onslow suffered superficial roofing damage. Cyclone Bobby also brought heavy rains and extensive flooding to the south of the Pilbara area, which damaged roads, bridges and crops and seriously affected mining production. A motorist was drowned inland from Carnarvon while attempting to cross a flooded creek.[2][3][4]

Severe Tropical Cyclone Violet

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration2 March – 8 March
Peak intensity155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min)  960 hPa (mbar)

During the afternoon of 2 March a tropical low formed over the Coral Sea. The low moved south-westwards and proceeded to deepen, becoming a Category 1 Tropical Cyclone on 3 March, being named Violet. During the afternoon of 5 March, Violet turned south-eastwards and continued to intensify, up until its peak intensity of 150 km/h winds and a central pressure of 960 hPa as a Category 3 severe Tropical Cyclone. Violet then weakened slowly as it turned to a south-westwards direction during the evening of 6 March. During the next day, Violet began a transition into a deep extratropical low, with a central pressure of 980 hPa.[5]

The low made its closest approach to the coast on the 7 March, passing 50 km off the northern New South Wales coast. The low proceeded to do a loop towards the southeast before dissipating on the 8 March. The only report of damage from Violet was beach erosion at Lord Howe Island and around northern New South Wales.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Warren

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
Duration4 March – 7 March
Peak intensity150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min)  960 hPa (mbar)

On 4 March a tropical low had developed in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The low proceeded to move southwards and started to intensify, quickly becoming a category 1 tropical cyclone later the same day, being named Warren. Warren then turned in a south-western direction and proceeded to rapidly intensify, reaching category 1 hurricane strength on the 5 March just north of Mornington Island on the 5 March. Warren reached peak intensity with mean winds of 140 Kilometers per Hour and a central pressure of 960 hPa 6 hours later. Warren made landfall near the southern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria and weakened rapidly as it moved inland, eventually dissipating near the Queensland-Northern Territory border on the 6 March.[6]

Severe Tropical Cyclone Chloe

Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration3 April – 9 April
Peak intensity220 km/h (140 mph) (10-min)  920 hPa (mbar)

The third major cyclone to strike Australia in the season, Severe Tropical Cyclone Chloe reached a peak intensity of Category 5, before weakening slightly to Category 4 prior to making landfall in the uninhabited section of the coast of the Kimberley region of Western Australia on 7 April 1995. The storm dissipated well inland.[1]

Tropical Depression 20P

Tropical depression (SSHWS)
 
Duration3 April – 4 April
Peak intensity45 km/h (30 mph) (1-min)  1004 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Depression 20P existed from 3 April to 4 April.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Agnes

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration16 April – 23 April
Peak intensity185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min)  945 hPa (mbar)

During the evening of 16 April, a tropical low formed near Papua New Guinea in the Gulf of Papua. The low started intensifying rapidly, becoming a category 1 tropical cyclone early on 17 April, being named Agnes. Agnes then moved around erratically over the next few days, eventually reaching peak intensity as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone, with wind gusts of 165 km/h and a central pressure of 945 hPa. Agnes proceeded to weaken, becoming a tropical low on the 22 April before dissipating late that day.

Season Effects

Name Dates Peak intensity Areas affected Damages
(AU$)
Damages
(US$)
Deaths
Category Wind speed
(km/h (mph))
Pressure
(hPa)
Annette12 – 20 DecemberCategory 4 severe tropical cyclone195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.31 inHg)Western AustraliaMinorMinorNone
Heida3 – 4 FebruaryTropical Low55 km/h (35 mph)995 hPa (29.38 inHg)NoneNoneNoneNone
Bobby19 – 27 FebruaryCategory 4 severe tropical cyclone195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.31 inHg)Northern Territory, Western Australia$11,000,000$8,500,0008
Violet2 – 8 MarchCategory 3 severe tropical cyclone150 km/h (90 mph)960 hPa (28.34 inHg)QueenslandNoneNoneNone
Warren4 – 7 MarchCategory 3 severe tropical cyclone140 km/h (85 mph)960 hPa (28.34 inHg)Queensland, Northern TerritoryNoneNoneNone
Chloe3 – 9 AprilCategory 5 severe tropical cyclone205 km/h (125 mph)920 hPa (27.17 inHg)Northern Territory, Western AustraliaNoneNoneNone
20P3 – 4 AprilTropical Depression45 km/h (30 mph)1004 hPa (29.64 inHg)NoneNoneNoneNone
Agnes16 – 23 AprilCategory 4 severe tropical cyclone165 km/h (100 mph)945 hPa (27.90 inHg)Papua New GuineaNoneNoneNone
Season aggregates
8 systems12 December – 23 April205 km/h (125 mph)920 hPa (27.17 inHg)$8.5 million8

See also

References

  1. "Western Australia Tropical Cyclone Season Summary 1994–95". Bom.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  2. Bureau of Meteorology
  3. "Tropical Cyclones".
  4. "Bobby and the Banded Stilts". Archived from the original on 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
  5. Bureau of Meteorology. "Tropical Cyclone Violet". Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  6. Bureau of Meteorology. "Tropical Cyclone Warren". Retrieved June 10, 2017.
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