Severe Tropical Cyclone strikes since 1998/99 season
Severe Tropical Cyclone Thelma (December 1998)
Tropical Cyclone Thelma made landfall on the Kimberley coast as a Category 5 cyclone around 2200 UTC on 10 Dec. Based on the last advice from Darwin and the first from Perth as that office assumed warning responsibility, wind gusts of 160-175 kts likely were experienced on the coast. Thelma's landfall occurred about 75 nm (140 km) northeast of Kuri Bay or about 180 nm (330 km) northeast of Cape Leveque. This location is also about 80 nm (145 km) west of Kalumburu.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Vance (March 1999)
Severe Tropical Cyclone Vance initially reached its peak intensity of 915 mb estimated central pressure and 110 kts MSW by 2200 UTC on
20 Mar and maintained this strength until landfall near 0000 UTC on 22 Mar. JTWC's estimated peak 1-min MSW of 125 kts is in excellent agreement with Perth's, apparently being based on a Dvorak rating of T6.5 (127 kts). The Australian TCWC's use a conversion factor of 0.88 to reduce the nominal Dvorak 1-min MSW values to an equivalent 10-min MSW value.
Severe Tropical Cyclone John (December 1999)
Tropical Cyclone John crossed the coast at 8:00 am (0000 UTC) on Wednesday, 15 Dec near Whim Creek with very destructive and dangerous winds with estimated gusts of 155 kts near the cyclone's centre. Central pressure was 915 mb with a Severity Category of 5. By 0100 UTC the central pressure had risen to 920 mb as John began to slowly weaken as it moved inland in the Whim Creek area. The eye of the cyclone had completed its coastal crossing by 0200 UTC and had weakened to a Category 4 cyclone with a CP of 930 mb and maximum wind gusts of 140 kts near the centre.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Rosita (April 2000)
Severe Tropical Cyclone Rosita reached its peak intensity of 105 kts (10-min avg) with an attendant CP estimated at 930 mb at 1000 UTC on 19 April when the cyclone's center was only 70 nm west-northwest of Broome. JTWC assigned a peak MSW (1-min avg) of 125 kts just before the cyclone made landfall at 1630 UTC about 25 nm south-southwest of Broome, tracking east-southeastward at 9 kts.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Sam (December 2000)
At 0600 UTC on 8 December JTWC increased the 1-min avg MSW estimate to the peak value for the storm of 125 kts. The eye, well-defined and about 15 nm in diameter, was centered about 40 nm west-northwest of Bidyadanga, moving south-eastward at about 7 kts. The center of Severe Tropical Cyclone Sam crossed the coast just west of Bidyadanga around 1100 UTC (7:00 pm WST) on 8 December at its peak intensity.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Chris (February 2002)
Severe Tropical Cyclone Chris reached its peak intensity of 110 kts, with an estimated central pressure of 915 mb, at 1700 UTC as it neared the coastline of Western Australia, making it a Category 5 cyclone on the Australian Cyclone Severity Scale. The intense cyclone's center was only about 27 nm west-northwest of Wallal and 100 nm east-northeast of Port Hedland. As it neared the coast, Chris took a jog to the south-west which carried the center inland a little west of Wallal--between Wallal and Pardoo. JTWC's peak 1-min avg MSW estimate of 125 kts was based on CI estimates of 127 kts, and was in perfect agreement with Perth's maximum intensity of 110 kts (10-min avg).
Severe Tropical Cyclone Fay (March 2004)
At 25/1000 UTC Fay was estimated to be 75 nautical miles north-northeast of Pardoo and 115 nautical miles northeast of Port Hedland (near 18.9S/119.9E) and had re-intensified into a Category 4 cyclone. Fay was about to commence on a track to the south at 3-5 knots which would be maintained until landfall. Fay's coastal crossing was in a remote part of the coastline between the pastoral stations of Pardoo and Wallal at approximately 26/2200 UTC. Fay possessed an estimated central pressure of 940 hPa just prior to landfall with estimated peak 10-min avg winds of 90 knots (115 knots 1-min avg per JTWC) near the centre.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Ingrid (March 2005)
