Category 4 is the second-highest classification on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale which is used to classify tropical cyclones, that have 10-minute sustained winds of at least wind speeds of 86–107 knots (159–198 km/h; 99–123 mph). As of 2019 47 tropical cyclones have peaked Category 4 severe tropical cyclones in the Australian tropical cyclone basin, which is denoted as a part of the Indian and Pacific Oceans to the south of the equator and between 90°E–160°E. The earliest tropical cyclone to be classified as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone was Gyan which was classified as a Category 4 during 22 December 1981, as it impacted New Caledonia. The latest was Pola as it passed between Fiji and Tonga. This list does include any tropical cyclones that peaked as a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone, while in the Australian region.

Background

The Australian region tropical cyclone basin is located to the south of the Equator between 90°E and 160°E.[1] The basin is officially monitored by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology as well as the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), and the Papua New Guinea National Weather Service.[1] The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and other national meteorological services such as New Zealand's MetService, Météo-France and the Fiji Meteorological Service, also monitor parts of the basin in an unofficial capacity.[1] Within the basin a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone is defined as a tropical cyclone that has 10-minute mean maximum sustained wind speeds of 86–107 knots (159–198 km/h; 99–123 mph) on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale.[1][2] A named storm can also be classified as a Category 4 tropical cyclone if it is estimated to have 1-minute mean maximum sustained wind speeds of between 113–136 knots (209–252 km/h; 130–157 mph) on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.[1][3] This scale is not officially used by any of the warning centres for the region, but tropical cyclones are compared to it by various agencies, including NASA.[1] On both scales a Category 5 tropical cyclone is expected to cause widespread devastation if it significantly impacts land at or near its peak intensity.[2][3]

Systems

1970s

Name Duration Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Refs
Wind speed Pressure
Kerry21–22 January 1973165 km/h (105 mph)960 hPa (28.35 inHg)Wesrern Australia[4]
Madge8–18 March 1973165 km/h (105 mph)952 hPa (28.11 inHg)Northern Territory, Queensland[5]
Pam30 January – 8 February 1974195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.32 inHg)Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu
New Caledonia, Queensland
SignificantUnknown[6][7][8]
Tracy21–26 December 1974175 km/h (110 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Northern Territory[9][10]
Vanessa (1976)January 1976175 km/h (110 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Western Australia[11]
Watorea165 km/h (105 mph)970 hPa (28.64 inHg)[12]
Ted15–21 December 1976185 km/h (115 mph)945 hPa (27.91 inHg)Queensland[13]
Leo (1977)
Trudy (1978)
Winnie (1978)
Kerry (1979)
Hazel (1979)
Idylle (1979)

1980s

Name Duration Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Refs
Wind speed Pressure
Brian (1980)
Fred (1980)
Simon21–28 February 1980165 km/h (105 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Queensland, New ZealandMinorNone[14]
Doris–Gloria (1980)
Alice–Adelaide (1980)
Felix (1980)
Neil (1981)
Olga (1981)
Chris-Damia (1982)
Bernie (1982)
Jane2–11 January 1983165 km/h (105 mph)947 hPa (27.96 inHg)Western AustraliaNoneNone
Elinor10 February – 3 March 1983165 km/h (105 mph)935 hPa (27.61 inHg)QueenslandMinorNone[15]
Quenton (1983)
Bobby (1984)
Chloe (1984)
Daryl (1984)
Odette16–20 January 1985185 km/h (115 mph)930 hPa (27.46 inHg)Cape York Peninsula, Vanuatu
Sandy20–24 March 1985195 km/h (120 mph)953 hPa (28.14 inHg)Northern Territory, Western AustraliaN/ANone[16]
Victor (1986)
Billy–Lila5–12 May 1986170 km/h (105 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Western AustraliaNoneNone[17][18]
Elsie22–27 February 1987185 km/h (115 mph)940 hPa (27.76 inHg)Western AustraliaN/ANone
Gwenda-Ezenina (1988)
Ned25 March – 1 April 1989185 km/h (115 mph)941 hPa (27.79 inHg)Western AustraliaMinorNone[19]

1990s

Name Duration Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Refs
Wind speed Pressure
Ivor15–26 March 1990165 km/h (105 mph)965 hPa (28.50 inHg)Cape York Peninsula[20][21][22]
Joy15–27 December 1990165 km/h (105 mph)940 hPa (27.76 inHg)Solomon Islands, Queensland[23][24]
Errol (1991)
Marian (1991)
Betsy165 km/h (105 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New ZealandUnknownUnknown[25]
Harriet-Heather (1992)
Ian27 February – 3 March 1992195 km/h (120 mph)930 hPa (27.46 inHg)Western Australia[26]
Esau24 February – 7 March 1992195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.32 inHg)Vanuatu Minimal1[27][28]
Jane-Irna (1992)
Nina21 December 1992 – 5 January 1993150 km/h (90 mph)970 hPa (28.64 inHg)Queensland, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Wallis and Futuna$1 million32[29][30]
Oliver5–14 February 1993185 km/h (115 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Queensland[31]
Sharon12–22 March 1994195 km/h (120 mph)930 hPa (27.46 inHg)Indonesia, Western Australia[32]
Annette12–20 December 1994195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.32 inHg)Western Australia, South Australia[33]
Bobby19–27 February 1995195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.32 inHg)Northern Territory, Western Australia[34]
Agnes16–22 April 1995185 km/h (115 mph)945 hPa (27.91 inHg)[35]
Frank6–13 December 1995175 km/h (110 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Western Australia
Barry4–7 January 1996185 km/h (115 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Queensland[36]
Kirsty7–14 March 1996185 km/h (115 mph)935 hPa (27.61 inHg)Western Australia[37]
Olivia5–12 April 1996195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.32 inHg)Western Australia, South Australia[38]
Drena (1997)
Rhonda11–17 May 1997175 km/h (110 mph)935 hPa (27.61 inHg)Cocos Islands, Western Australia[39][40]
Katrina1–25 January 1998165 km/h (105 mph)940 hPa (27.76 inHg)Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Queensland[41]
Tiffany (1998)
Elaine16–20 March 1999165 km/h (105 mph)945 hPa (27.91 inHg)Western Australia
Frederic–Evrina (1999)

2000s

Name Duration Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Refs
Wind speed Pressure
Norman (2000)
Fiona (2003)
Monty25 February – 3 March 2004185 km/h (115 mph)935 hPa (27.61 inHg)Western Australia
Oscar–Itseng (2004)
Bertie–Alvin (2005)
Larry15–20 March 2006185 km/h (115 mph)935 hPa (27.61 inHg)Queensland
Floyd (2006)195 km/h (120 mph)916 hPa (27.05 inHg)[42]
Pancho (2008)
Billy (2008)
Ilsa (2009)

2010s

Name Duration Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Refs
Wind speed Pressure
Ului14–21 March 2010195 km/h (120 mph)939 hPa (27.73 inHg)Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, QueenslandUnknownUnknown[43]
Zelia12–16 January 2011185 km/h (115 mph)943 hPa (27.85 inHg)NoneNoneNone[44]
Bianca21–30 January 2011175 km/h (110 mph)949 hPa (28.02 inHg)Western AustraliaNoneNone[45]
Narelle5–15 January 2013195 km/h (120 mph)930 hPa (27.46 inHg)Western AustraliaNoneNone[46]
Rusty21 February – 1 March 2013165 km/h (105 mph)944 hPa (27.88 inHg)Western AustraliaUnknownUnknown[47]
Christine25 December 2013 – 1 January 2014165 km/h (105 mph)948 hPa (27.99 inHg)Western AustraliaUnknownUnknown[48]
Lam14–20 February 2015185 km/h (115 mph)943 hPa (27.85 inHg)Northern AustraliaUnknownUnknown[49][50]
Nathan4–8 April 2015165 km/h (105 mph)963 hPa (28.44 inHg)Northern AustraliaUnknownUnknown[51]
Ikola4–8 April 2015175 km/h (110 mph)953 hPa (28.14 inHg)NoneNoneNone[52]
Quang27 April – 1 May 2015185 km/h (115 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Western AustraliaMinorNone[53]
Debbie23 March – 7 April 2017175 km/h (110 mph)949 hPa (28.02 inHg)Queensland, New South Wales>$1 billionNone[54]
Savannah8–17 March 2019175 km/h (110 mph)953 hPa (28.14 inHg)Cocos IslandsMinorNone[55]
Trevor11–26 March 2019175 km/h (110 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Papua New Guinea, Queensland, Northern TerritoryUnknownUnknown[56]

2020s

Name Duration Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Refs
Wind speed Pressure
Ferdinand22 February – 1 March 2020175 km/h (110 mph)951 hPa (28.08 inHg)NoneNoneNone[57]
Vernon22 February – 3 March 2022185 km/h (115 mph)948 hPa (27.99 inHg)NoneNoneNone[58]
Charlotte16–24 March 2022165 km/h (105 mph)956 hPa (28.23 inHg)Timor-Leste, Western AustraliaNoneNone[59]
Freddy4–14 February 2023175 km/h (110 mph)951 hPa (28.08 inHg)NoneNoneNone[60]

Other systems

  • Chris–Damia – Cat 4 in SWIO.[61]
  • Walter–Gregoara – Cat 4 in SWIO.[62]
  • Harriet–Heather – Cat 4 in SWIO.[63]
  • Uriah – Cat 4 in SWIO.

Over the years, the intensity estimates of tropical cyclones have been reanalysed for various reasons and were found to have been underestimated by the various warning centres.[64][65] In particular, during a database repair project that took place between 2005 and 2007, the BoM discovered that Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam of 1974, had been reanalysed at some point after 1979.[8] This reanalysis showed that Pam had moved out of the South Pacific region and into the Australian region, as a category 5 severe tropical cyclone.[8] However, a later reanalysis by the BoM during 2021 downgraded it to a category 4 severe tropical cyclone, as it was thought that the width of the southern eyewall was too narrow for a category 5 severe tropical cyclone.[8]

Impacts

Records and statistics

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 RA V Tropical Cyclone Committee (2023). Tropical Cyclone Operational Plan for the South-East Indian Ocean and the Southern Pacific Ocean 2023 (PDF) (Report). World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  2. 1 2 2017/2018 Tropical Cyclone Season Summary of Alerts and Warnings Procedures for Fiji (PDF) (Report). Fiji Meteorological Service. October 23, 2017. pp. 3 & 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Schott, Timothy; Landsea, Christopher; Hafele, Gene; Lorens, Jeffrey; Taylor, Arthur; Thrum, Harvey; Ward, Bill; Willis, Mark; Zaleski, Walt (January 2, 2019). The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (PDF) (Report). United States National Hurricane Center. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  4. "1973 Tropical Cyclone Kerry (1973019S15120)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  5. Tropical Cyclone Madge (PDF) (Report). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
  6. "1974 Tropical Cyclone PAM (1974030S15182)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  7. 1973-1974 dans le pacifique sud-ouest. MetMar (Report). 1976. p. 51. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Courtney, Joseph B; Foley, Gary R; van Burgel, Johannes L; Trewin, Blair; Burton, Andrew D; Callaghan, Jeffrey; Davidson, Noel E (2021). "Revisions to the Australian tropical cyclone best track database". Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science. 71 (2): 219. doi:10.1071/ES21011. S2CID 244220599.
  9. "1974 Tropical Cyclone Tracy (1974354S08135)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  10. Courtney, Joe; Shepherd, Ian J (26 October 2010). "The benefit of hindsight: re-examining the maximum winds during Tropical Cyclone Tracy" (PDF). Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal. 60 (3): 159–168. doi:10.22499/2.6003.004. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  11. "1974 Tropical Cyclone Tracy (1974354S08135)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  12. "1976 Tropical Cyclone Watorea (1976113S04156)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  13. "1976 Tropical Cyclone Ted (1976351S13141)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  14. "Severe Tropical Cyclone Simon". Bureau of Meteorology. 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  15. "Severe Tropical Cyclone Elinor". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  16. "Severe Tropical Cyclone Sandy". Bureau of Meteorology. 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
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  22. C. Thurlow (30 March 1990). "Cyclone Ivor Damage Likely to Reach $15M". QNP. Queensland, Australia: Courier-Mail. (Accessed through LexisNexis)
  23. "Death Toll Rises to Six, Losses In Hundreds of Millions". Rockhampton, Australia: Associated Press. 12 January 1991. (Accessed through LexisNexis)
  24. Greg Roberts (15 January 1991). "Town Prepares for Evacuation". Brisbane, Australia: Sydney Morning Herald. p. 3.  via Lexis Nexis (subscription required)
  25. "1992 Severe Tropical Cyclone Betsy (1992005S07172)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  26. "Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian". Bureau of Meteorology. 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
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  33. Perth Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (2014). Severe Tropical Cyclone Annette (PDF). Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Report). Government of Australia. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  34. Severe Tropical Cyclone Bobby. Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Report). Government of Australia. 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  35. Tropical Cyclone Agnes. Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Report). Government of Australia. 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  36. Tropical Cyclone Barry. Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Report). Government of Australia. 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
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  38. Severe Tropical Cyclone Olivia. Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Report). Government of Australia. 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
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  42. "Severe Tropical Cyclone Floyd". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
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  55. Earl-Spurr, Craig. Severe Tropical Cyclone Savannah (PDF) (Report). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  56. Severe Tropical Cyclone Trevor (Report). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
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  63. "1992 Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Harriet:Heather (1992056S11102)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
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