Typical cyclone season for Queensland



Tuesday October 15 2013

Hot, dry lead-in to typical Qld cyclone season

Cyclone forecasters say Queensland is in for a typical tropical cyclone season this summer, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting the northeast Queensland coast will likely have a hot, dry lead-in.

The bureau's Australian Tropical Cyclone Season Outlook has forecast about four cyclones for the sunshine state.

The predicted average wet season is due to the absence of El Niño and La Niña weather patterns which have been prominent in recent years.

However most of Southern Queensland will likely have a drier season than normal.

The typical Australian tropical cyclone season:

  • Has most tropical cyclones between 1 November and 30 April;
  • Averages around 11 tropical cyclones;
  • Sees an average of four tropical cyclones cross the coast, though coastal impacts can be felt when tropical cyclones remain well offshore;
  • On average has its first cyclone cross the coast in late December.

 The Far North last experienced a major cyclone in February 2011 when category four Cyclone Yasi crossed the coast near Cardwell.