Cyclone Laurence
Encyclopedia
Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence (BoM designation: 01U; JTWC
designation: 06S) was the first Category 5 cyclone to make landfall in Australia since Cyclone George
in 2007.
. As the system moved west north of the Top End on 10 December, TCWC Darwin issued a Tropical Cyclone Watch for coastal areas from Croker Island to Bathurst Island but excluding Darwin
. Later that day, TCWC Perth cancelled all previous warnings and issued new watches for Kalumburu
, south to Wyndham
and west to Mitchell Plateau. The system hovered in the same general region for a day, before strengthening into to an category one cyclone, and was named by the TCWC Darwin as Tropical Cyclone Laurence. During the morning of 15 December, the cyclone strengthened into a category 2 cyclone before strengthening further into a category 3 system. In the early hours of 16 December Severe TC Laurence was upgraded to a strong category 4 with an eye starting to develop; later developing into a category 5 system. The cyclone crossed the Kimberley coast southeast of Cockatoo Island
on 16 December and Derby
was in the projected path.
On 17 December the cyclone weakened as it meandered over land dumping heavy rain over northern Kimberley. The cyclone's track during the day veered south-west and re-intensification was likely by 18 December as it moved over warm waters. On 19 December, the storm re-intensified into a category one cyclone and began moving slowly southwest, and further intensified into a category 2 the same day. On 20 December it intensified into a category 3 severe tropical cyclone, and showed signs of further intensification. On 21 December, the cyclone rapidly intensified into a category 4, and then 5 by the afternoon. The cyclone made landfall on the Western Australia coast near Eighty Mile Beach as a category 5 storm with significant damage to structures reported, although no injuries have been reported. Telephone services to the affected area were disrupted. Overnight, the system began moving inland and rapidly picking up speed, while gradually weakening into a category 3 tropical cyclone. By early 23 December the cyclone had weakened to category 1 but not before inundating eastern Pilbara region with rain and flash flooding. Laurence accelerated even further and was expected to cause gale force winds and flooding rain as far as South Australia.
in a 24-hour span. One person was seriously injured after falling off a roof in the Kimberley, Western Australia.
After making its final landfall along the Pilbara coastline as a Category 5 cyclone, Laurence wrought severe damage. Numerous trees were uprooted by wind gusts reaching 295 km/h (183.3 mph) and several homes sustained substantial damage. Rainfall in the region was estimated to have exceeded 250 mm (9.8 in). Power and phone service to most of the Pilbara was lost during the storm and several residents sought shelter in public buildings. Although no people were killed by the storm, hundreds of livestock were feared to have been killed in the affected region.
Heavy rain and gale force winds associated with the cyclone forced the closure of Newcrest Mining
Ltd's Telfer
gold mine for a day as all non-essential workers were flown from the site.
New South Wales
' river systems were put on flood alert as rain fell widely. Systems affected were:
The name Laurence was retired. It was replaced with Lincoln
Damage from the storm amounted to A$10 million ($9 million USD).
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
designation: 06S) was the first Category 5 cyclone to make landfall in Australia since Cyclone George
Cyclone George
Severe Tropical Cyclone George was the third tropical cyclone to affect the Australian region and the first to affect Western Australia in 2007...
in 2007.
Meteorological history
Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence was first identified by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) on 8 December 2009 over the Arafura SeaArafura Sea
The Arafura Sea lies west of the Pacific Ocean overlying the continental shelf between Australia and New Guinea.-Geography:The Arafura Sea is bordered by Torres Strait and through that the Coral Sea to the east, the Gulf of Carpentaria to the south, the Timor Sea to the west and the Banda and Ceram...
. As the system moved west north of the Top End on 10 December, TCWC Darwin issued a Tropical Cyclone Watch for coastal areas from Croker Island to Bathurst Island but excluding Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
. Later that day, TCWC Perth cancelled all previous warnings and issued new watches for Kalumburu
Kalumburu, Western Australia
Kalumburu and Kalumburu Community are both bounded localities within the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley Western Australia. Kalumburu Community is the northernmost settlement in Western Australia...
, south to Wyndham
Wyndham, Western Australia
Wyndham is the oldest and northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, located on the Great Northern Highway, northeast of Perth. It was established in 1885 as a result of a gold rush at Halls Creek, and it is now a port and service centre for the east Kimberley with a...
and west to Mitchell Plateau. The system hovered in the same general region for a day, before strengthening into to an category one cyclone, and was named by the TCWC Darwin as Tropical Cyclone Laurence. During the morning of 15 December, the cyclone strengthened into a category 2 cyclone before strengthening further into a category 3 system. In the early hours of 16 December Severe TC Laurence was upgraded to a strong category 4 with an eye starting to develop; later developing into a category 5 system. The cyclone crossed the Kimberley coast southeast of Cockatoo Island
Cockatoo Island
Cockatoo Island may refer to the following places in Australia:*Cockatoo Island, New South Wales in Sydney Harbour, New South Wales...
on 16 December and Derby
Derby, Western Australia
Derby is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Derby had a population of 3,093. Along with Broome and Kununurra, it is one of only three towns in the Kimberley to have a population over 2,000...
was in the projected path.
On 17 December the cyclone weakened as it meandered over land dumping heavy rain over northern Kimberley. The cyclone's track during the day veered south-west and re-intensification was likely by 18 December as it moved over warm waters. On 19 December, the storm re-intensified into a category one cyclone and began moving slowly southwest, and further intensified into a category 2 the same day. On 20 December it intensified into a category 3 severe tropical cyclone, and showed signs of further intensification. On 21 December, the cyclone rapidly intensified into a category 4, and then 5 by the afternoon. The cyclone made landfall on the Western Australia coast near Eighty Mile Beach as a category 5 storm with significant damage to structures reported, although no injuries have been reported. Telephone services to the affected area were disrupted. Overnight, the system began moving inland and rapidly picking up speed, while gradually weakening into a category 3 tropical cyclone. By early 23 December the cyclone had weakened to category 1 but not before inundating eastern Pilbara region with rain and flash flooding. Laurence accelerated even further and was expected to cause gale force winds and flooding rain as far as South Australia.
Preparations and impact
As a tropical low, the precursor to Laurence produced 250 mm (9.8 in) of rain in Darwin, Northern TerritoryDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
in a 24-hour span. One person was seriously injured after falling off a roof in the Kimberley, Western Australia.
After making its final landfall along the Pilbara coastline as a Category 5 cyclone, Laurence wrought severe damage. Numerous trees were uprooted by wind gusts reaching 295 km/h (183.3 mph) and several homes sustained substantial damage. Rainfall in the region was estimated to have exceeded 250 mm (9.8 in). Power and phone service to most of the Pilbara was lost during the storm and several residents sought shelter in public buildings. Although no people were killed by the storm, hundreds of livestock were feared to have been killed in the affected region.
Heavy rain and gale force winds associated with the cyclone forced the closure of Newcrest Mining
Newcrest Mining
Newcrest Mining Limited engages in the exploration, development, mining and sale of gold and gold-copper concentrate. Newcrest is an Australian based Company which initially incorporated in Victoria in 1980. Today it has become Australia’s leading gold mining company...
Ltd's Telfer
Telfer, Western Australia
Telfer is a minesite in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, within the Great Sandy Desert. Telfer was previously the state's most isolated town, located north-east of the state capital Perth...
gold mine for a day as all non-essential workers were flown from the site.
New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
' river systems were put on flood alert as rain fell widely. Systems affected were:
- Castlereagh RiverCastlereagh RiverThe Castlereagh River is located in the State of New South Wales, Australia. The river rises in the heart of the Warrumbungle mountains and initially flows east through the town of Coonabarabran...
, - Bogan RiverBogan RiverThe Bogan River is an inland river in the central west of New South Wales, Australia.This river rises at Goonumbla, 19 kilometres north-west of Parkes and flows in a generally north-north-westerly direction past Tottenham, Peak Hill and through Nyngan. The Bogan River is about 590 km in length...
, - Lower Namoi RiverNamoi RiverThe Namoi River is a major tributary of the Darling River in inland New South Wales, Australia.- Course :The headwaters of the Namoi, including the Macdonald River, the Peel River, the Cockburn River and the Manilla River, rise on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range on the Northern...
, and - Lower Macquarie Rivers, and
- the Barwon RiverBarwon River (New South Wales)The Barwon River flows through New South Wales, virtually as a continuation of the Macintyre River / Border Rivers system, before joining with the Culgoa River to form the Darling River...
and associated Darling RiverDarling RiverThe Darling River is the third longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth, New South Wales. Including its longest contiguous tributaries it is long, making it the longest river system in Australia.The...
between WalgettWalgett, New South WalesWalgett is a town in North-West New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Walgett Shire. It is at the junction of the Barwon and Namoi rivers and near the junction of the Kamilaroi and Castlereagh Highways...
and BourkeBourke, New South Wales-Transportation:Bourke can be reached by the Mitchell Highway, with additional sealed roads from town to the north , east and south . The town is also served by Bourke Airport and has Countrylink bus service to other regional centres, like Dubbo...
.
The name Laurence was retired. It was replaced with Lincoln
Damage from the storm amounted to A$10 million ($9 million USD).