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Cyclone Kelvin
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kelvin was a strong tropical cyclone that impacted Western Australia in February 2018, causing moderate damage. The system was first identified as a weak tropical low on the morning of 11 February over the Northern Territory's Tiwi Islands by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The low moved southwestwards over land and emerged over the Indian Ocean near Broome on 16 February. The storm intensified into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the following day, becoming the sixth named storm of the 2017–18 Australian region cyclone season. Kelvin subsequently moved slowly eastwards and began to rapidly intensify in the hours prior to landfall. On 18 February, the storm crossed the coast along Eighty Mile Beach as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, and a high-end Category 1 hurricane-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Despite being over land, Kelvin weakened at a slow rate over the next few days, and was downgraded to a tropical low on 19 February. The remnant low of the system drifted over the Outback before being last noted by BoM on 21 February.
Kelvin brought widespread heavy rainfall to the Kimberley region which had already been saturated by other tropical cyclones earlier in the season. As a result, significant flooding occurred in parts of the Kimberley, including in the towns of Broome, which recorded a record annual rainfall total following the storm, and Kalumburu. Property damage was sustained at Broome and Nita Downs, where the cyclone made landfall. Additionally, the Great Northern Highway sustained infrastructural damage as a result of the heavy rainfall and flooding, cutting off access to the towns and leading to a shortage of supplies. Repairs were estimated to take months. Pastoral stations were heavily affected by the cyclone, including Anna Plains Station, which sustained property damage, and Mandora Station, half of which was completely flooded. Overall, Cyclone Kelvin incurred an estimated AUS$25 million ($25 million in 2018 USD) in losses.
During the morning of 11 February, the Bureau of Meteorology identified a developing tropical low pressure system near the Tiwi Islands, off the northwest coast of the Northern Territory. During the following days, the low, designated 17U, tracked over land on a general west-southwesterly course, gradually intensifying. As the system approached the coast, the BoM began issuing warnings on it, and forecast the low to potentially strengthen to a category 3 severe tropical cyclone over the following days. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) also issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on the low around this time. The system emerged over the Indian Ocean at about 8:00 am AWST on 16 February; however, contrary to previous forecasts, it was generally slow to develop.
About twelve hours later, the JTWC assessed the storm as having attained one-minute sustained winds of 65 km/h (40 mph); hence, the agency upgraded it to Tropical Storm 10S at 8:00 pm AWST. The cyclone continued to slowly strengthen, and was upgraded to a category 1 tropical cyclone by the BoM at 2:00 pm AWST on the following day, whereupon it was named Kelvin. Tropical Cyclone Kelvin's movement speed slowed considerably at this stage, and it proceeded to turn sharply to the east. Aided by favorable environmental conditions, the system began to rapidly strengthen as it approached the north coast of Western Australia. This intensification, fueled by a strong Rossby wave, continued until landfall.
Kelvin ultimately made landfall near Anna Plains Station along Eighty Mile Beach at 8:00 am AWST on 18 February as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, with 10-minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (90 mph), and a minimum central barometric pressure of 955 hPa (28.20 inHg). The JTWC assessed the system as a high-end category 1 hurricane-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson scale, with one-minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (90 mph). After making landfall, Tropical Cyclone Kelvin turned to the south-southeast, and tracked inland over the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Despite losing the ocean as its primary source of energy, the cyclone was slow to weaken; this was partially due to the flat nature of the terrain and possibly a result of the brown ocean effect as well.
The system was downgraded to tropical low intensity by the BoM at 2:00 pm AWST on 19 February, after approximately 30 hours over the flat desert terrain of Western Australia. Gale-force winds did persist in the southeastern quadrant, however. The remnant low was last noted by the BoM at 2:00 pm AWST on 21 February as it was drifting over the Outback. Unlike the BoM, the JTWC maintained the system's classification as a tropical storm for another 36 hours after this, only declaring Kelvin dissipated at 2:00 am AWST on 21 February. The remnant moisture of the system continued to track south-southeastwards across the Nullarbor Plain on 22 February, and then emerged over the Great Australian Bight shortly afterward.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kelvin and its precursor low brought widespread heavy rainfall to the regions of Western Australia across which it tracked. These parts of Australia had already experienced record rainfall totals prior to the arrival of Kelvin, with significant amounts being delivered by Tropical Cyclone Hilda, Tropical Cyclone Joyce, and Tropical Low 11U.
After Tropical Low 17U's formation, a tropical cyclone watch was issued for residents between Kuri Bay and Whim Creek, while a blue alert was issued for residents between Kuri Bay and Wallal, advising residents to be prepared for the upcoming storm. On the next day, Kununurra received 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain and Wyndham received gusts of 80 km/h (50 mph).
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Cyclone Kelvin
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kelvin was a strong tropical cyclone that impacted Western Australia in February 2018, causing moderate damage. The system was first identified as a weak tropical low on the morning of 11 February over the Northern Territory's Tiwi Islands by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The low moved southwestwards over land and emerged over the Indian Ocean near Broome on 16 February. The storm intensified into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the following day, becoming the sixth named storm of the 2017–18 Australian region cyclone season. Kelvin subsequently moved slowly eastwards and began to rapidly intensify in the hours prior to landfall. On 18 February, the storm crossed the coast along Eighty Mile Beach as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, and a high-end Category 1 hurricane-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Despite being over land, Kelvin weakened at a slow rate over the next few days, and was downgraded to a tropical low on 19 February. The remnant low of the system drifted over the Outback before being last noted by BoM on 21 February.
Kelvin brought widespread heavy rainfall to the Kimberley region which had already been saturated by other tropical cyclones earlier in the season. As a result, significant flooding occurred in parts of the Kimberley, including in the towns of Broome, which recorded a record annual rainfall total following the storm, and Kalumburu. Property damage was sustained at Broome and Nita Downs, where the cyclone made landfall. Additionally, the Great Northern Highway sustained infrastructural damage as a result of the heavy rainfall and flooding, cutting off access to the towns and leading to a shortage of supplies. Repairs were estimated to take months. Pastoral stations were heavily affected by the cyclone, including Anna Plains Station, which sustained property damage, and Mandora Station, half of which was completely flooded. Overall, Cyclone Kelvin incurred an estimated AUS$25 million ($25 million in 2018 USD) in losses.
During the morning of 11 February, the Bureau of Meteorology identified a developing tropical low pressure system near the Tiwi Islands, off the northwest coast of the Northern Territory. During the following days, the low, designated 17U, tracked over land on a general west-southwesterly course, gradually intensifying. As the system approached the coast, the BoM began issuing warnings on it, and forecast the low to potentially strengthen to a category 3 severe tropical cyclone over the following days. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) also issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on the low around this time. The system emerged over the Indian Ocean at about 8:00 am AWST on 16 February; however, contrary to previous forecasts, it was generally slow to develop.
About twelve hours later, the JTWC assessed the storm as having attained one-minute sustained winds of 65 km/h (40 mph); hence, the agency upgraded it to Tropical Storm 10S at 8:00 pm AWST. The cyclone continued to slowly strengthen, and was upgraded to a category 1 tropical cyclone by the BoM at 2:00 pm AWST on the following day, whereupon it was named Kelvin. Tropical Cyclone Kelvin's movement speed slowed considerably at this stage, and it proceeded to turn sharply to the east. Aided by favorable environmental conditions, the system began to rapidly strengthen as it approached the north coast of Western Australia. This intensification, fueled by a strong Rossby wave, continued until landfall.
Kelvin ultimately made landfall near Anna Plains Station along Eighty Mile Beach at 8:00 am AWST on 18 February as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, with 10-minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (90 mph), and a minimum central barometric pressure of 955 hPa (28.20 inHg). The JTWC assessed the system as a high-end category 1 hurricane-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson scale, with one-minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (90 mph). After making landfall, Tropical Cyclone Kelvin turned to the south-southeast, and tracked inland over the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Despite losing the ocean as its primary source of energy, the cyclone was slow to weaken; this was partially due to the flat nature of the terrain and possibly a result of the brown ocean effect as well.
The system was downgraded to tropical low intensity by the BoM at 2:00 pm AWST on 19 February, after approximately 30 hours over the flat desert terrain of Western Australia. Gale-force winds did persist in the southeastern quadrant, however. The remnant low was last noted by the BoM at 2:00 pm AWST on 21 February as it was drifting over the Outback. Unlike the BoM, the JTWC maintained the system's classification as a tropical storm for another 36 hours after this, only declaring Kelvin dissipated at 2:00 am AWST on 21 February. The remnant moisture of the system continued to track south-southeastwards across the Nullarbor Plain on 22 February, and then emerged over the Great Australian Bight shortly afterward.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kelvin and its precursor low brought widespread heavy rainfall to the regions of Western Australia across which it tracked. These parts of Australia had already experienced record rainfall totals prior to the arrival of Kelvin, with significant amounts being delivered by Tropical Cyclone Hilda, Tropical Cyclone Joyce, and Tropical Low 11U.
After Tropical Low 17U's formation, a tropical cyclone watch was issued for residents between Kuri Bay and Whim Creek, while a blue alert was issued for residents between Kuri Bay and Wallal, advising residents to be prepared for the upcoming storm. On the next day, Kununurra received 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain and Wyndham received gusts of 80 km/h (50 mph).