User:Jarda2020/2022–23 Australian region cyclone season

2022–23 Australian region cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	28 September 2022
Last system dissipated	Season ongoing
Strongest storm
Name	Lincoln
• Maximum winds	230 km/h (145 mph) (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	913 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows	21
Tropical cyclones	8
Severe tropical cyclones	3
Total fatalities	32
Total damage	> $93.2 million (2023 USD)
Related articles
2022–23 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season 2022–23 South Pacific cyclone season

The 2022–23 Australian region cyclone season is the period of the year when most tropical cyclones form in the Southern Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans between 90°E and 160°E. The season officially started on 1 November 2022 and will finish on 30 April 2023, however, a tropical cyclone could form at any time between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 and would count towards the season total. During the season, tropical cyclones will be officially monitored by one of the three tropical cyclone warning centres (TCWCs) for the region which are operated by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, National Weather Service of Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics. The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and other national meteorological services including Météo-France and the Fiji Meteorological Service will also monitor the basin during the season.

Season forecasts

Region	Chance of more	Average number
Whole	73%	11
Western	69%	7
North-Western	70%	5
Northern	61%	3
Eastern	74%	4
Western South Pacific	65%	4
Eastern South Pacific	43%	6
Source: BoM's Seasonal Outlooks for Tropical Cyclones.

During October 2022, Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), New Zealand's MetService, and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) issued its tropical cyclone outlook for the 2022–23 season. The outlook called for an above-average number of tropical cyclones for the 2022–23 season, with eleven tropical cyclones, predicted to occur. For the Australian region, the BoM predicted that the season would feature, only a 73% chance of more tropical cyclones. For the Western region, it was predicted that activity would be above average, with a 69% chance of tropical cyclone activity. The northern region and northwestern subregion would also see fewer tropical cyclones, with only a 61% and 70% chance of more tropical cyclones than average.

The BoM issued two seasonal forecasts for the Southern Pacific Ocean, for their self-defined eastern and western regions of the South Pacific Ocean. They predicted that the South-West Pacific region between 142.5°E and 165°E, had a 65% chance of seeing activity above its average of 4 tropical cyclones. The BoM also predicted that the South-East Pacific region between 165°E and 120°W, had a 43% chance of seeing activity above its average of 6 tropical cyclones.

Climate models also suggest that El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) will return to neutral conditions in 2023. The BoM noted that sea surface temperature anomalies across the equatorial Indian Ocean. Warmer-than-average waters are expected to persist to the north of Australia for the next three months, increasing the likelihood of tropical cyclones. The BoM also predicted that the Eastern Region had a 74% chance of seeing activity above its average of 4 tropical cyclones. These outlooks accounted included the state of the ENSO. A higher average risk of tropical cyclones was also predicted by NIWA for nations east of the International Date Line.

Season summary

Systems

Tropical Low 01U

See also: List of off-season Australian region tropical cyclones

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	28 September – 4 October
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 991 hPa (mbar)

On 28 September, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reported that a tropical low had developed within a monsoon trough near the western end of Java, approximately 200 km (125 mi) north-northeast of Christmas Island. The system was assigned the official identifier code 01U upon formation. Initially located in an unfavourable environment for intensification, the tropical low began to encounter somewhat improved conditions as it tracked towards the southeast. On 29 September, warm sea surface temperatures and strong diffluence in the upper troposphere fuelled the development of deep convection around the system's low-level circulation centre. Referencing the tropical low's quickly improving structure and the presence of a weak eye feature in microwave satellite imagery, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert for the system at 05:30 UTC. After tracking in a clockwise path around the northeastern side of Christmas Island, Tropical Low 01U became quasi-stationary on 30 September. Deep convection continued to develop near the centre during the overnight period, and as the low began to track eastwards, the JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical storm on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale at 18:00 UTC on 30 September.

Tropical Low 01U soon assumed a southeastward course, steered by the influence of a subtropical ridge situated to the east. Environmental conditions remained only marginally favourable for development, however, and the system's deep convection became displaced to the southwest of the centre due to northeasterly vertical wind shear, leaving the low-level circulation centre fully exposed. During this period, the JTWC reported that the tropical low's one-minute sustained winds had decreased to approximately 65 km/h (40 mph), from the earlier peak of 85 km/h (55 mph). By 12:00 UTC on 2 October, the system had begun to accelerate towards the southeast, moving into an environment more favourable for intensification. The interaction with an upper-level trough enhanced the tropical low's poleward outflow channel, allowing deep convection to rebuild over the centre of the system. This enabled the system to strengthen as it rapidly approached the coast of Western Australia at a speed of approximately 40 km/h (25 mph), although vertical wind shear once again began to increase.

Tropical Low 01U made landfall between Port Hedland and Whim Creek on the Pilbara coastline just after 03:00 UTC on 3 October. About three hours prior to landfall, the JTWC reported that maximum one-minute sustained winds had increased to 75 km/h (45 mph). Sustained gale-force winds were observed at Bedout Island and Port Hedland around the time of landfall, peaking at 70 km/h (45 mph) at both locations. Ten-minute sustained winds also reached 63 km/h (39 mph) on Legendre Island at 00:00 UTC. Despite these wind readings, the BOM did not classify the low as a Category 1 tropical cyclone because they determined that gale-force winds did not extend more than halfway around the centre. They attributed the strong winds on the eastern side of the system to a combination of enhanced northwesterly monsoonal flow and the system's fast translational velocity, rather than the low having intensified into a tropical cyclone. The tropical low continued rapidly inland across Western Australia over the next day, accelerating to about 50 km/h (30 mph) soon after landfall. Despite tracking over land, the BOM indicated that sustained winds to gale force, accompanied by gusts of up to 100 km/h (60 mph), could still occur near the centre of the system, particularly on the eastern side. The weakening tropical low was last mentioned by the BOM at around 08:00 UTC on 4 October, while located in the southeastern corner of Western Australia.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	1 November – 12 November
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 985 hPa (mbar)

A tropical low was reported to have formed by the BOM in the Gulf of Carpentaria on 1 November. The tropical low quickly organized over the pursuing days, showing significant bursts of convection to the north of its centre. The low was eventually upgraded into a Category 1 tropical cyclone, being given the name Freddy on 3 November. Moving quickly south, Freddy eventually made its first landfall on Mornington Island around 20:30 UTC, where a peak 988 mb pressure reading was recorded. Freddy retained its intensity despite the land interaction, and make its second and final landfall near the Northern Territory–Queensland border 6 hours later at 2:00 UTC, 4 November. Weakening below tropical storm intensity quickly after landfall. Freddy was declared to have become a Ex-Tropical Cyclone about 2 hours later. Continuing to move further inland under the influence of a subtropical ridge, Freddy's remnants shifted in a more westerly direction. Freddy's convection and structure however stayed consistent far inland and led to the JTWC noting a low possibility of regeneration as it moved west towards the Eastern Indian Ocean. Over the proceeding days, Freddy's remnant low was given a medium chance of re-development over land. As a result of the brown ocean effect, Freddy's convection steadily re-developed over land on 7 November as it drew moisture from the nearby water. A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert was then issued for the system's remnants that same day as it was now likely to briefly emerge over the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. However, by the next day, Freddy was deemed not likely to emerge overseas contrary to forecast and the TCFA was cancelled while its convection weakened yet again. On 9 November , the TCFA was re-issued as Freddy's center skirted the northeastern Kimberley coast. On 10 November, the TCFA was once again cancelled as the system began moving further inland. As it did so, convection decreased rapidly. The remnants persisted for 2 days, before finally dissipating in the Australian desert.

Rainfall from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Freddy caused much welcome rainfall to normally dry areas across the Northern Territory, where some flooding was reported. As much as 258 mm (10.15 inches) of rain fell at the cattle stations Eva Downs Station and 107 mm (4.21 inches) at Anthony Lagoon Station. In preparation for severe thunderstorms associated with the cyclone's remnants, Flood Warnings and Watches were issued across much of the Top End (including Darwin) throughout Freddy's passage. Freddy was responsible for damages of rougly $200,000 mainly due to floods and damages by lightning.

Tropical Low 03U

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	17 November – 25 November
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 988 hPa (mbar)

On 17 November, a tropical low developed over in the western area of the Gulf of Carpentaria. After moving west-southwestward over land, the low gradually developed and was designated as 03U during 20 November. During the next day, the JTWC began issuing advisories, classifying it as 03S as it moved over water. Slowly intensifying, 03U reached peak intensity with winds of 85 km/h (55 mph) and a minimum pressure of 988 hPa (mbar; 29.17 inHg), though the system was never classified as a tropical cyclone by BoM due to its asymmetry. Thereafter, 03U moved over cooler waters causing deep convection to dissipate, and both the JTWC and BoM issued their final advisories on 22 November.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	5 December – 17 December
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 982 hPa (mbar)

On 5 December, BoM predicted a formation of a tropical low which they designated as 05U. On the next day, 05U formed which was located adjoining regions to the Christmas Island and the island of Java. At 23:30 UTC of the same day, the JTWC issued a TCFA for the system as the agencies found that the convection in associated with the system had increased. At 09:00 UTC, the JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical storm, as it briefly attained sufficient convection. Later, the BoM briefly upgraded it to a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale at 12:00 UTC of 7 December, and named it Anggrek which was given by TCWC Jakarta. But at 18:00 UTC, the BoM downgraded to a tropical low as deep convection had become limited, with the LLCC displaced towards the south. This was caused due to the lack of sufficient outflow caused by the northerly strait line flow which inhibited the system from further intensifying, despite favorable conditions. The JTWC followed the suite two hours later. During the next few days, the BoM monitored ex-Anggrek for redevelopment as the system executed a clockwise loop. On 12 December the JTWC issued a TCFA, and the next day it re-upgraded the system to a tropical storm. However, by 09:00 UTC of 15 December, JTWC issued its final warning. The BoM continued to track the system until 17 December.

Tropical Low 06U

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	14 December – 19 December (Exited basin)
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min); 1004 hPa (mbar)

On 14 December, the BoM began tracking a tropical low to the northwestern of the region. Satellite imagery revealed that the system was displaced from its center of circulation. Environmental conditions were assessed by the BoM as being unfavorable for significant intensification of the system. The system was assigned the official identifier code 06U. Over the past twelve hours, the system has improved. At 03:00 UTC on 17 December, the JTWC issued a TCFA, after noting its obscure low-level circulation center (LLCC). Later that day, the JTWC subsequently initiated advisories on the system and classified it as Tropical Cyclone 05S. The system had a broad and fully exposed LLCC, although there has been some increased thunderstorm activity associated with the system. The BoM's stopped tracking the system. The system briefly crossed into the South-West Indian Ocean basin on 19 December.

Tropical Low 07U

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	18 December – 23 December
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1003 hPa (mbar)

On 18 December, the BoM started to a tropical low that was located to the east of Christmas Island. By 20 December, the BoM had designated the low as 07U. On 21 December, the JTWC upgraded the system to Tropical Cyclone 06S. However, the JTWC issued their final warning for it on 23 December.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	21 December – 27 December
Peak intensity	155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min); 955 hPa (mbar)

As a monsoon trough began to develop over parts of central northern Australia on 20 December, the BOM noted that an inland tropical low had formed over the Northern Territory, within the monsoon trough. On 22 December, it emerged over the eastern Indian Ocean, and the JTWC labelled the system as Invest 96S. A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert was promptly issued early the following day by the JTWC as convection began to steadily develop near the centre. The next day, the JTWC issued its first advisory on the system as a tropical storm. Several hours later, the BOM followed suit, upgrading the storm to a Category 1 tropical cyclone and giving it the name Gabrielle. Gabrielle strengthened into a Category 3 (Australian scale) cyclone and within 48 hours hit western Australia. At that time, it was of equal intensity to a Category 2 cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson scale. On 27 December, it dissipated.

In preparation for Gabrielle, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology issued a red alert from Whim Creek to Mardie stretching south to Millstream, and a yellow alert from Port Hedland to Whim Creek extending southwards to Wittenoom. Evacuation centres were set up in Karratha and South Hedland. An urban search and rescue team was also stationed in Port Hedland. Gabrielle brought gale-force winds, torrential rain, and floods to Western Australia when it made landfall near Karratha on 26 December. Wind gusts exceeding 205 km/h (125 mph) were recorded near the landfall point. Over 230 mm (9.1 in) of rain fell in Karratha and Roebourne from 26–27 December. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services received more than 100 calls for assistance. Around 9,500 customers in the Pilbara region lost power. Besides downing power lines, strong winds also toppled several trees and caused some buildings to lose their roofs. Karratha Airport was forced to close on the morning of 28 December after the terminal sustained damage and lost power; the airport reopened in the afternoon. It was the strongest tropical cyclone to cross the Western Australia coast since Cyclone Damien in 2020.

Tropical Low 10U

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	27 December – 31 December
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 993 hPa (mbar)

A tropical low formed 420 kilometers from Christmas Island, according to the Bureau Of Meteorology technical bulletin, and was designated 10U. The cyclone intensified and the agency released unusual bulletins about the possibility of reaching Category 1, even though it did not pose a threat to any habitable areas. The low dissipated on 31 December. The system was upgraded to a tropical storm in post-analysis.

Tropical Cyclone Herman

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	1 January – 10 January
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 988 hPa (mbar)

On 29 December, the BoM started to monitor a possible tropical low near the Coral Sea. By 1 January, BoM began issuing advisories on the system. On the next day the BoM designated it as 11U. Within few hours since the BoM began issuing advisories, the low was named as Tropical Cyclone Herman as it was rapidly consolidating itself. It was followed by the rapid intensification for a span of 12 hours since it named from 06:00 UTC to 18:00 UTC of 3 January by windspeed increasing from 65 kmph to 120 kmph. With the same intensity on 00:00 UTC of 4 January, the storm made landfall over Northern Queensland. Due to land interaction, it rapidly weakened overland and became a weak tropical low. The low entered into the Gulf of Carpentaria with that intensity by the same night. Despite the considerable increase in wind shear, the low again re-intensified into a Category 1 tropical cyclone in Australian scale while meandering over the same area. The JTWC estimated secondary peak intensity of 100 kmph windspeed in one minute mean. On 00:00 UTC of 6 January, the storm made second landfall over the Northern Territory region and was followed by rapid weakening. The JTWC stopped issuing advisories by the same time.

Herman brought gusty winds and heavy rainfall exceeding 100 mm (3.9 in) to the Top End. The area near Katherine suffered around A$17.8 mil (US$12 mil.) in damage from fallen trees and floods.

Tropical Low 13U

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Duration	10 January – 18 January
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 1005 hPa (mbar)

On 10 January, the Bureau of Meteorology reported that Tropical Low 13U had formed in the far northeastern Gulf of Carpentaria. The system began moving westward from the Torres Strait towards the northeastern coast of the Top End without any significant intensification due to generally unfavourable atmospheric conditions for cyclogenesis. The low moved across the Arafura Sea just off the Northern Territory coastline on 11 January, entering the Van Diemen Gulf the following day. As the system tracked generally westwards into the Timor Sea and began to roughly retrace the path that Severe Tropical Cyclone Wallace had taken a few days earlier, the low showed some signs of intensification. However, the atmospheric environment was generally unfavourable for significant strengthening, and the system remained relatively weak and devoid of gale-force winds. The tropical low passed close to Browse Island on 15 January before exiting the Timor Sea, and moving into the Indian Ocean proper.

After moving steadily southwestwards across the Indian Ocean to the northwest of Western Australia for several days, Tropical Low 13U began to approach the western Pilbara district and North West Cape of Western Australia. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center noted that despite wind shear leaving the low-level circulation centre exposed, the tropical low was relatively well-structured, with spiral banding wrapping into well-organised lower layers and a tightly defined centre. Particularly strong sustained winds were present in the southern quadrants of the system due to acceleration by the steep pressure gradient with a surface high-pressure system located to the south. At 00:00 UTC on 17 January, ten-minute sustained winds peaking at 63 kilometres per hour (39 mph) were observed on Varanus Island, located about 60 km (35 mi) northwest of the mainland and 130 km (80 mi) west of the town of Karratha. Although such gale-force winds are equivalent to Category 1 intensity on the Australian scale, the Bureau of Meteorology's definition of a tropical cyclone requires these winds to extend more than halfway around the system's surface circulation for the system to be upgraded from a tropical low.

The tropical low made landfall on the coast of Western Australia near the town of Onslow, to the east of the Exmouth Gulf, on the afternoon of 17 January (local time). By this stage, the system had become trapped beneath strong upper-level westerly flow, which was acting to further displace the remaining fragmented convection to the east of the storm's centre. The weakened and shallow system proceeded eastwards towards the Northern Interior district of Western Australia, while continuing to unravel, dissipating by 05:00 UTC on 18 January, while located over the Great Sandy Desert.

Tropical Low 13U delivered sustained moderate to heavy rainfall to large areas of the Arnhem District during its track across the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Top End. The town of Nhulunbuy received especially large precipitation totals, with the nearby Gove Airport recording 229.6 mm (9.04 in) of rain during the 72-hour period to 09:00 local time (ACST) on 13 January—its largest three-day total ever. Central Plateau in the west of the Arnhem Land region also received 81 mm (3.2 in) in the 20-hour period up to 05:00 ACST on 12 January. Browse Island, situated approximately 175 km (110 mi) northwest of Western Australia's Kimberley coastline, experienced relatively strong winds on 15 January as Tropical Low 13U passed nearby, with ten-minute mean winds peaking at 54 kilometres per hour (34 mph), with gusts as high as 69 kilometres per hour (43 mph) also recorded. Upon nearing land in the far western Pilbara, the tropical low delivered moderate rainfall and gusty winds to locations throughout the region's coastal fringe and nearby islands. Varanus Island recorded gusts of up to 87 kilometres per hour (54 mph), coincident with sustained gale-force winds, and gusts reached 65 kilometres per hour (40 mph) and 61 kilometres per hour (38 mph) at Onslow and Barrow Island, respectively. Widespread wind gusts in excess of 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph) were observed in numerous areas, including at Roebourne, Mardie, Karratha and Thevenard Island. Learmonth Airport, near Exmouth on the North West Cape, accumulated 37.6 mm (1.48 in) of rainfall in the seven-hour period to 09:00 local time (AWST) on 17 January.

Tropical Cyclone Ilsa

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	16 January – 20 January
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

On 16 January, the BoM reported that a tropical low was slowly developing over the Timor Sea. Initially located in a favorable environment for intensification, the disturbance began to encounter somewhat improved conditions. Satellite imagery indicated an improvement in the structure of the disturbance, with the system displaying an increase in flaring deep convection. The JTWC issued a TCFA for the system at 02:00 UTC on 18 January. The low was assigned the official identifier code 14U. By 09:00 UTC, the JTWC subsequently designated the storm as Tropical Cyclone 10S, citing that convection quickly became better organized and more concentrated around the broad center. Later that day, the BoM's reported that the tropical low had developed into a Category 1-cyclone on the Australian scale and named it Ilsa. Ilsa then later crossed the Northern Territory coast, making landfall at a sparsely populated location southwest of Daly River at 13:30 UTC (11:00 pm ACST). Shortly after the landfall, the JTWC discontinued warnings on the system. The next day, the BoM's released its last bulletin on Ilsa, as the system weakened into a tropical low.

In anticipation of the tropical low, the BoM issued a tropical cyclone warning for the coast of Western Australia and Northern Territory. Ilsa mainly caused torrential rainfall and gale-force wind gusts along the Top End as it became a tropical cyclone. There were no reports of major damage, according to Chief Minister Natasha Fyles.

Tropical Low 16U

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	4 February – 12 February
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 998 hPa (mbar)

On 4 February, the BoM began monitoring a developing tropical low embedded within a monsoon trough in the Gulf of Carpentaria, near Northern Territory, designating it as 16U. The system moved ashore on Northern Territory near Nhulunbuy and emerged over the Timor Sea the next morning. The tropical low then moved slowly to the southwest for several days. The BoM issued Tropical Cyclone Watches from Bidyadanga to Roebourne on 10 February as they forecasted it to become a Category 1 tropical cyclone before landfall. Despite a favorable environment of low wind shear and high sea surface temperatures, the storm remained a tropical low due to lack of outflow. On the same day, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) due to an improvement in the structure of the storm. The JTWC upgraded it to Tropical Storm 11S the next day as the system had gale-force winds; however, the BoM didn't upgrade the tropical low to a Category 1 cyclone. Later, the storm made landfall over Western Australia near Broome, and the JTWC issued its final warning soon thereafter. The low rapidly weakened before dissipating completely on 12 February, as it entered South Australia.

As early as 11 February, the communities in Pilbara and Kimberley were advised to prepare for the storm's heavy rain and destructive winds, with tourists being urged to evacuate sooner. However, damages are less than initially feared.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Jasper

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	19 February – 25 February
Peak intensity	195 km/h (120 mph) (10-min); 942 hPa (mbar)

On 19 February, the BoM started to monitor a tropical low over Western Australia that had formed from a monsoon trough. Later that day, the system gradually intensified as it was designated as 17U. The next day, 17U intensified into Tropical Cyclone Jasper. Jasper proceeded to intensify rapidly during 21–22 February, reaching a maximum intensity of a category 4 severe tropical cyclone. Jasper was located 600 km northwest of the North West Cape region before turning in a southeast direction. Jasper moved southeast during 23 February while rapidly weakening due to an increase of wind shear, disrupting the cyclones structure in the process. Jasper was downgraded to a category 3 severe tropical cyclone in the morning of 23 February and continued to weaken during the course of the day, becoming a Category 1 before making landfall near the Exmouth coast on the morning of 24 February and quickly weakened to a tropical low after it hit Exmouth. It dissipated thereafter. Quang did minimal damage to Exmouth, Western Australia.

Tropical Cyclone Kirrily

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	27 February – 8 March
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min); 983 hPa (mbar)

On 24 February, the BoM started to monitor a possible tropical low near the Arafura Sea. The JTWC also classified the system as Invest 95S late on 25 Febrzary. On the next day, the BoM designated the disturbance as Tropical Low 19U. By 27 February, BoM began issuing advisories on the system, predicting a Category 1 intensity before landfall, while the JTWC issued a TCFA at 21:00 UTC on the same day. However, the TCFA was cancelled at 18:00 UTC on 28 February, since the system moved inland, and the BoM ceased issuing advisories as well. However, the tropical low kept moving eastward and entered the Coral Sea. At 02:30 UTC on 2 March, the JTWC issued a TCFA again on the system; however, at 02:30 UTC on 3 March, the TCFA was cancelled, due to the system developing subtropical characteristics. At 03:00 UTC on the same day, the BoM upgraded the low to a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale and named it Kirrily. At 15:00 UTC, the JTWC finally classified it as a tropical cyclone, designating the system with the identifier 11P. The cyclone reached its peak intensity at 18:00 UTC that day, while the BoM upgraded it to a Category 2 tropical cyclone, with sustained winds of 110 km/h (70 mph). At 00:00 UTC on 4 March, the BoM downgraded the system to a Category 1 tropical cyclone. At 06:00 UTC on the next day, the BoM classified the system as a subtropical cyclone, in their final advisory on the system. As a post-tropical cyclone, Kirrily killed 24 people; 20 in Queensland and four in New South Wales.

Tropical Low 20U

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	4 March – 10 March
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 997 hPa (mbar)

During early March, a monsoon trough began to develop over the eastern Indian Ocean as a pulse of the Madden–Julian Oscillation moved into the Maritime Continent, bringing increased cloudiness and convective activity to Australian longitudes. On 4 March, the BOM reported that a tropical low had begun to form to the south of Java, embedded within the monsoon trough. The atmospheric environment was assessed as being broadly unfavourable for tropical cyclogenesis; however, the BOM noted that there was a small possibility of the system briefly reaching tropical cyclone strength over the following days. The tropical low steadily organised as it tracked southwards, with deep convection developing over the low-level circulation centre and the minimum atmospheric pressure falling to 997 hPa (29.44 inHg) by 18:00 UTC on 5 March. Around the same time, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert, citing the system's improving structure, sustained winds near gale force detected by a satellite's scatterometer instrument, and environmental conditions they assessed as being favourable for intensification.

At 06:00 UTC on 6 March, the JTWC determined that a small area of sustained gale-force winds had developed under the deep convection in the southern semicircle of the circulation, and hence classified the system as Tropical Storm 14S. Low vertical wind shear, warm sea surface temperatures and a good poleward outflow channel were forecast to remain sufficient to support the system's intensity in the short term. Weakening soon commenced, however, as the limited deep convection became sheared to the east, leaving the low-level circulation centre fully exposed. The entrainment of cold, dry air into the circulation contributed further to the weakening trend, and the central atmospheric pressure began to rise. The system fell below tropical storm intensity by 00:00 UTC on 7 March as it tracked southwestwards towards the coast of Western Australia. Despite classifying the system as a tropical low, the BOM issued a severe weather warning for a small coastal stretch of the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions, warning of the possibility of sustained gale-force winds and heavy rainfall from the system. The tropical low made landfall on the eastern coast of the Exmouth Gulf in the early hours of 8 March (local time), and began tracking towards the south. The system moved generally parallel to the western coast of Western Australia until dissipating as a tropical system by 21:00 UTC on 9 March, roughly 400 km (250 mi) northwest of Perth.

During 6 March, the tropical low passed to the west of Rowley Shoals, a group of coral reefs centred approximately 315 km (195 mi) west-northwest of Broome. Imperieuse Reef recorded maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 59 km/h (37 mph) and a gust to 74 km/h (46 mph) at around 02:00 UTC as the system was located nearby. Sustained gale-force winds were later observed on the far western Pilbara coast and nearby islands as the tropical low approached on 7 March. Barrow Island recorded 10-minute sustained winds of 76 km/h (47 mph) and a gust to 91 km/h (57 mph) at 09:00 UTC, and Thevenard Island experienced sustained winds of up to 74 km/h (46 mph) and a gust of 102 km/h (63 mph). The town of Onslow also recorded a short period of sustained gales, reaching 67 km/h (42 mph).

Severe Tropical Cyclone Lincoln

Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 5 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	6 March – 14 March (Exited basin)
Peak intensity	230 km/h (145 mph) (10-min); 913 hPa (mbar)

On 6 March, the BoM reported that Tropical Low 21U had formed approximately 170 km (110 mi) north of Cocos Islands, initially forecast to not develop further due to not conducive conditions. However, over the next 5 days, conditions improved, with vertical wind shear decreasing. At 11:30 UTC on 10 March, satellite imagery showed a partially exposed low-level center embedded in deep convection, prompting the JTWC's to issue a TCFA. On the next day, the system strengthened into a Category 1-cyclone on the Australian scale, with BoM naming it Lincoln. Later that day, the JTWC's subsequently initiated advisories on the system and classified it as Tropical Cyclone 15S. The BoM's assessed the cyclone to have strengthened into a Category 2-cyclone on 12 March and later to Category 3-cyclone on the bureau's scale. By 15:00 UTC, the JTWC upgraded Lincoln to a Category 1-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS), with maximum 1-sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph).

Lincoln then strengthened to Category 3-equivalent cyclone after having consistent low wind shear, warm sea surface temperatures and good upper-level poleward outflow, which led to the storm having a symmetric 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi) eye. The cyclone quickly intensified, and was upgraded to a Category 4-cyclone by the BoM's. Similarly, the JTWC's further upgraded Lincoln into a Category 5-equivalent cyclone around 21:00 UTC, while exhibiting some annular characteristics. Lincoln continued to rapidly intensify, and reached Category 5-severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale at 00:00 UTC on 21 December. Later that day, it exited the basin and moved into the South-West Indian Ocean basin.

Other systems

On 30 November, a weak tropical low formed north of the Timor Sea. It was moving east before it changed to west. The system was last noted on 2 December.

Late on 25 December, the BOM noted that a tropical low had developed within a low-pressure trough near the Australian region's western border, approximately 200 km (125 mi) west of the Cocos Islands. The tropical low remained nearly stationary over the central Indian Ocean for the next few days with little development, before dissipating late on 29 December.

On 6 January, the BoM reported a weak tropical low near southern Indonesia. The JTWC released a TCFA stating that the low could intensify soon and called it Invest 94S. The next day, the JTWC canceled its TCFA and lowered its chances to low. It kept drifting eastwards before being last noted on 14 January.

On 24 January, the BoM first noted the possible formation of a weak tropical low. By 27 January, 15U formed while moving west-southwestward, it dissipated by the next day.

On 23 February, TCWC Brisbane reported that Tropical Low 18U had developed within the monsoon trough, within an unfavorable environment for further development to the northeast of Queensland. Over the next couple of days, the system moved southeastwards, before it was last noted during 26 February.

Storm names

Bureau of Meteorology

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (TCWC Melbourne) monitors all tropical cyclones that form within the Australian region, including any within the areas of responsibility of TCWC Jakarta or TCWC Port Moresby. Should a tropical low reach tropical cyclone strength within the BoM's area of responsibility, it will be assigned the next name from the following naming list.

Freddy Gabrielle Herman Ilsa

Jasper Kirrily Lincoln Megan (unused)

Neville (unused) Olga (unused) Paul (unused) Robyn (unused)

TCWC Jakarta

TCWC Jakarta monitors Tropical Cyclones from the Equator to 11S and from 90E to 145E. Should a Tropical Depression reach Tropical Cyclone strength within TCWC Jakarta's Area of Responsibility then it will be assigned the next name from the following list.

Anggrek Bakung (unused)

Cempaka (unused) Dahlia (unused)

Flamboyan (unused) Lili (unused)

TCWC Port Moresby

Tropical cyclones that develop north of 11°S between 151°E and 160°E are assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Tropical cyclone formation in this area is rare, with no cyclones being named in it since 2007. As names are assigned in a random order, the whole list is shown below:

Hibu (unused) Ila (unused) Kama (unused) Lobu (unused) Maila (unused)

Alu (unused) Buri (unused) Dodo (unused) Emau (unused) Fere (unused)

Season effects

2022–23 Australian region cyclone season

Name	Dates	Peak intensity			Areas affected	Damage (US$)	Deaths
		Category	Wind speed (km/h (mph))	Pressure (hPa)
01U	28 Sep – 4 Oct	Tropical low	75 (45)	991	Western Australia	None	0
Freddy	1–12 Nov	Category 1 tropical cyclone	75 (45)	985	Australia	>200,000	0
03U	17–25 Nov	Tropical low	85 (50)	988	Northern Territory, Western Australia	None	0
TL	29 Nov – 2 Dec	Tropical low	Not specified	1005	None	None	0
Anggrek	5–17 Dec	Category 1 tropical cyclone	85 (50)	982	Christmas Island	None	0
06U	14–19 Dec	Tropical low	Not specified	1004	None	None	0
07U	18–23 Dec	Tropical low	Not specified	1003	None	None	0
Gabrielle	21–27 Dec	Category 3 severe tropical cyclone	155 (100)	955	Northern Territory, Western Australia	$6 million	0
TL	25–29 Dec	Tropical low	Not specified	1004	None	None	0
Herman	1–10 Jan	Category 2 tropical cyclone	100 (65)	988	Queensland, Northern Territory	$12 million	8
TL	6–14 Jan	Tropical low	Not specified	1004	Christmas Island	None	0
13U	10–18 Jan	Tropical low	65 (40)	1005	Northern Territory, Western Australia	None	0
Ilsa	16–20 Jan	Category 1 tropical cyclone	75 (45)	990	Northern Territory	None	0
15U	24–28 Jan	Tropical low	Not specified	1009	None	None	0
16U	4–12 Feb	Tropical low	65 (40)	998	Northern Territory, Western Australia	None	0
Jasper	19–25 Feb	Category 4 severe tropical cyclone	195 (120)	942	Western Australia	Unknown	0
18U	23–26 Feb	Tropical low	Not specified	1006	None	Unknown	0
Kirrily	27 Feb – 8 Mar	Category 2 tropical cyclone	110 (70)	983	Northern Territory, Queensland	>$75 million	24
20U	4–10 Mar	Tropical low	75 (45)	997	Western Indonesia, Western Australia	None	0
Lincoln	6–14 Mar	Category 5 severe tropical cyclone	230 (145)	913	Cocos Islands	None	0
Season aggregates
21 systems	28 Sep – Present		230 (145)	913		93.2 million	32

See also

• Weather of 2022
• List of Southern Hemisphere cyclone seasons
• List of off-season Australian region tropical cyclones
• Tropical cyclones in 2022
• Atlantic hurricane seasons: 2022
• Pacific hurricane seasons: 2022
• Pacific typhoon seasons: 2022
• North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2022
• 2022–23 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
• 2022–23 South Pacific cyclone season

External links

• Australian Bureau of Meteorology
• Joint Typhoon Warning Center
• Tropical Cyclone Warning Center Jakarta (in Indonesian)
• Papua New Guinea National Weather Service