1990–91 Australian region cyclone season
| First storm formed | November 23, 1990 |
|---|---|
| Last storm dissipated | May 19, 1991 |
| Strongest storm | Marian – 930 hPa (mbar), (10-minute sustained) |
| Tropical lows | 10 |
| Tropical cyclones | 10 |
| Severe tropical cyclones | 4 |
| Total fatalities | Unknown |
| Total damage | Unknown |
| Australian region cyclone seasons 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 |
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| Related articles | |
The 1990–91 Australian region cyclone season was an average cyclone season, with ten tropical cyclones occurring within the region between 90°E and 160°E. The season officially ran from November 1, 1990, to April 30, 1991 with the first disturbance of the season forming on 10 December and the last disturbance moving out of the region during 11 May. Six people were killed by Cyclone Joy when it made landfall on Australia. During the season, tropical cyclones were monitored by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, who ran Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWC) in Perth, Darwin, and Brisbane. The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and Papua New Guinea National Weather Service also monitored systems within the basin during the season. The JTWC designated systems with a number and either a S or a P suffix depending on which side of 135E. The Bureau of Meteorology and Papua New Guinea national Weather Service both used the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, and estimated windspeeds over a ten minute period, while the JTWC estimated sustained winds over a one minute period and are comparable to the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.
Seasonal summary
Storms
Tropical Cyclone Laurence
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 9 December – 16 December | ||
| Intensity | 65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min), 992 mbar (hPa) | ||
On 8 December, a cluster of clouds developed over the Timor sea and moved towards the south-east, following a large scale mid-latitude forcing event.[1] During the next day, the system developed into a tropical low about 360 km (220 mi) to the south-east of Dili, East Timor while continuing to develop and move towards the south-east.[2] During 10 January as the low became detectable on Darwin's radar, TCWC Darwin reported that the low had developed into a category one tropical cyclone and named it Laurence while reporting that the cyclone had reached its 10-minute peak intensity of 65 km/h (40 mph).[1] Early on 11 January, the JTWC designated Laurence as 05S and initiated warnings on the cyclone with 1-minute windspeeds equivalent to a tropical depression.[3] Later that day TCWC Darwin, reported that Laurence had weakened below cyclone intensity under the influence of vertical wind shear from low-level easterlies while the JTWC reported that Laurence had reached its 1-minute peak intensity of 65 km/h (40 mph).[1] The JTWC kept Laurence at its peak intensity until 2000 WST (1200 UTC) the next day when they reported that the cyclone had become equivalent to a tropical depression.[4] Laurence's remnants moved west over the next few days before dissipating near Rowley Shoals early on 16 December.[1] The only damage that was associated with the cyclone, was the sinking of a fishing boat on 11 December, however BoM considers this damage to be indirect because the boat was 150 km (95 mi) away from the cyclone centre and the radius of gales was less than 55 km (35 mi).[1]
Severe Tropical Cyclone Joy
| Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 17 December – 27 December | ||
| Intensity | 165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min), 940 mbar (hPa) | ||
On 17 December, TCWC Brisbane started to monitor a tropical low that had moved into the basin from the South Pacific. Beginning 24 December 1990, the outer bands of Cyclone Joy reached Queensland, Australia. The storm killed 5 people and caused extensive flooding. Joy reached Category 4 intensity off the coast of Cairns on 24 December 1990, before crossing the coast to the North of Townsville, on 26 December 1990 [1] The remnants of Joy created a convergence zone along the central Queensland coast, with many locations around the Mackay region recording over 2000mm of rain during the following week.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Chris
| Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 15 February – 23 February | ||
| Intensity | 120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min), 976 mbar (hPa) | ||
- Chris, 16 to 23 February 1991, off Western Australia
Severe Tropical Cyclone Daphne
| Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 15 February – 28 February | ||
| Intensity | 120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min), 976 mbar (hPa) | ||
- Daphne, 15 to 27 February 1991, Pacific Ocean, then crossed Australia to Indian Ocean
Tropical Storm Kelvin
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 24 February – 6 March | ||
| Intensity | 100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min), 980 mbar (hPa) | ||
- Kelvin, 25 February to 6 March 1991, Pacific Ocean
Severe Tropical Cyclone Elma
| Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 1 March – 4 March | ||
| Intensity | 120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min), 975 mbar (hPa) | ||
- Elma, 27 February to 3 March 1991, Indian Ocean
Severe Tropical Cyclone Errol
| Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 23 March – 31 March | ||
| Intensity | 180 km/h (110 mph) (10-min), 950 mbar (hPa) | ||
Cyclone Errol formed on 25 March 1991 and never hit land. The storm was responsible for a sinking of an Indonesian fishing boat. [2]
Severe Tropical Cyclone Marian
| Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 8 April – 19 April | ||
| Intensity | 215 km/h (130 mph) (10-min), 930 mbar (hPa) | ||
- Marian, 10 to 19 April 1991, off Western Australia
Severe Tropical Cyclone Fifi
| Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 14 April – 21 April | ||
| Intensity | 120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min), 975 mbar (hPa) | ||
A severe cyclone, Fifi struck Western Australia in mid April 1991. The storm killed 27 people and left 100,000 homes without power. [3]
Tropical Cyclone Lisa
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHS) | |||
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| Duration | 7 May – 12 May | ||
| Intensity | 110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min), 975 mbar (hPa) | ||
- Lisa, 7 to 12 May 1991, Pacific Ocean
Season effects
| Storm Name |
Dates active | Storm category at peak intensity |
Peak 10-min sustained winds |
Pressure | Areas affected | Damage (AUD) |
Damage (USD) |
Deaths | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurence | 9 – 16 December | Category 1 Tropical Cyclone | 65 km/h (40 mph) | 992 hPa (29.30 inHg) | None | None | None | None | |
| Joy | 17 – 27 December | Category 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | Queensland | ||||
| Chris | 15 – 21 February | Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone | 120 km/h (75 mph) | 976 hPa (28.82 inHg) | None | None | None | None |
See also
- List of Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1990, 1991
- Pacific hurricane seasons: 1990, 1991
- Pacific typhoon seasons: 1990, 1991
- North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1990, 1991
References
- ^ a b c d e Unattributed (1993). "Tropical Cyclone Laurence". Bureau of Meteorology. http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/laurence.shtml. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
- ^ Bannister. A.J.; Smith. K.J. (1993). "The South Pacific and south east Indian Ocean tropical cyclone season 1990-91". The Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal (Bureau of Meteorology) (42): 175–182. http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/docs/1993/bannister.pdf. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
- ^ Unattributed (1993). "Tropical cyclone warning verification statistics". 1991 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report (United States Navy): 213–220. http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/1991atcr.pdf. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
- ^ Unattributed (2002-12-12). "JTWC Tropical Cyclone 05S (Laurence) Best Track Analysis". Joint Typhoon Warning Center/Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center. United States Navy, United States Air Force. http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/best_tracks/1991/1991s-bsh/bsh051991.txt. Retrieved 2012-01-02.