1972–73 Australian region cyclone season
{{Short description|Deadliest Australian cyclone season on record.}}
{{Infobox tropical cyclone season
| Basin = Aus
| Year = 1973
| Track = 1972-1973 Australian cyclone season summary.jpg
| First storm formed = 7 December 1972
| Last storm dissipated = 6 May 1973
| Strongest storm by winds name = Madge
| Strongest storm by winds pressure = 952
| Strongest storm by winds winds = 90
| Strongest storm by pressure name = Thirteen
| Strongest storm by pressure pressure = 950
| Strongest storm by pressure winds = 80
| Average wind speed = 10
| Total depressions = 15
| Total hurricanes = 15
| Total intense = 9
| Fatalities = 1,650+
(Deadliest Australian region cyclone season recorded)
| Damages =
| fiveseasons =
| five seasons = 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75
| South Indian season = 1972–73 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
| Australian season = 1972–73 South Pacific cyclone season
}}
The 1972–73 Australian region cyclone season was an above-average tropical cyclone season, in terms of activity. Additionally, it is also the deadliest tropical cyclone season recorded in the Australian region, with the Flores cyclone killing an estimated 1,650 people alone, making it single-deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the entire Southern Hemisphere.
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Season summary
{{center|
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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/12/1972 till:01/06/1973
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id:C2 value:rgb(0.75,1,0.75) legend:Category_2_=_89–117_km/h_(55-73_mph)
id:C3 value:rgb(1,0.85,0.55) legend:Category_3_=_118–159_km/h_(73-99_mph)
id:C4 value:rgb(1,0.45,0.54) legend:Category_4_=_160–199_km/h_(99-124_mph)
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bar:Month
PlotData=
barset:Hurricane width:11 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till
from:07/12/1972 till:09/12/1972 color:C1 text:"Ivy (C1)"
from:10/01/1973 till:17/01/1973 color:C3 text:"Jean (C3)"
from:19/01/1973 till:24/01/1973 color:C4 text:"Kerry (C4)"
from:21/01/1973 till:23/01/1973 color:C2 text:"Leila (C2)"
from:27/01/1973 till:29/01/1973 color:C3 text:"Adeline (C3)"
from:28/01/1973 till:31/01/1973 color:C1 text:"Maud (C1)"
from:24/02/1973 till:01/03/1973 color:C3 text:"Kirsty (C3)"
from:27/02/1973 till:11/03/1973 color:C3 text:"Leah (C3)"
barset:break
from:28/02/1973 till:18/03/1973 color:C4 text:"Madge (C4)"
from:13/03/1973 till:23/03/1973 color:C3 text:"Nellie (C3)"
from:20/03/1973 till:25/03/1973 color:C1 text:"Bella (C1)"
from:26/03/1973 till:01/04/1973 color:C1 text:"Paula (C1)"
from:26/04/1973 till:29/04/1973 color:C3 text:"Thirteen (C3)"
from:29/04/1973 till:09/05/1973 color:C3 text:"Marcelle (C3)"
bar:Month width:5 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas
from:01/12/1972 till:01/01/1973 text:December
from:01/01/1973 till:01/02/1973 text:January
from:01/02/1973 till:01/03/1973 text:February
from:01/03/1973 till:01/04/1973 text:March
from:01/04/1973 till:01/05/1973 text:April
from:01/05/1973 till:01/06/1973 text:May
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text:"(For further details, please see"
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Systems
=Tropical Cyclone Ivy-Beatrice=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Image=
|Track=Ivy-Beatrice 1972 track.png
|Formed=7 December
|Dissipated=9 December (Crossed 80°E)
|10-min winds=35
|1-min winds=40
|Pressure=994
}}
Tropical Cyclone Ivy developed over the eastern Indian Ocean on 7 December. The cyclone entered the southwest Indian Ocean basin after crossing 80°E and was renamed Beatrice.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Jean=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Image=Jean 1973-01-12.png
|Track=Jean 1973 track.png
|Formed=10 January
|Dissipated=17 January
|10-min winds=80
|1-min winds=80
|Pressure=964
}}
On 10 January Jean developed northwest of Western Australia. It strengthened into a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone, before being last noted on 17 January.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Kerry=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Kerry 1973 track.png
|Image=KerryJanuary211973.gif
|Formed=19 January
|Dissipated=24 January
|10-min winds=90
|1-min winds=85
|Pressure=960
}}
At Wickham on 21 January 1973 more than 30 houses were partly unroofed and some houses received major damage. There was no damage to buildings in Dampier, Roebourne or Karratha as the cyclone crossed the coast well to the east. Kerry passed close to a number of oil-drilling rigs causing damage and lost productivity time that cost over one million dollars. Maximum recorded gust was 140 km/h at Cape Lambert.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/wa/roebourne.shtml|title=BoM – Tropical Cyclones affecting Karratha/Dampier}}
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=Tropical Cyclone Leila-Gertrude=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Leila-Gertrude 1973 track.png
|Formed=21 January
|Dissipated=23 January (Crossed 80°E)
|10-min winds=53
|1-min winds=60
|Pressure=980
}}
Tropical Cyclone Leila formed offshore Western Australia on 21 January. Moving generally westward, the storm crossed 80°E on 23 January and was renamed Gertrude.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Adeline=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Adeline 1973 track.png
|Image=AdelineJanuary301973.png
|Formed=27 January
|Dissipated=29 January
|10-min winds=70
|1-min winds=75
|Pressure=970
}}
Tropical Cyclone Adeline developed in the Gulf of Carpentaria on 27 January. Moving south-southwestward, Adeline made landfall near the Northern Territory–Queensland border, shortly before dissipating on 29 January.
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=Tropical Cyclone Maud=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Maud 1973 track.png
|Image=MaudeJanuary301973.gif
|Formed=28 January
|Dissipated=31 January
|10-min winds=45
|1-min winds=45
|Pressure=990
}}
Tropical Cyclone Maud existed offshore Western Australia from 28 January to 31 January.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirsty=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Kirsty 1973 track.png
|Image=Kristy 1973-02-26.png
|Formed=24 February
|Dissipated=1 March
|10-min winds=65
|1-min winds=70
|Pressure=975
}}
Tropical Cyclone Kirsty developed southwest of the Solomon Islands on 24 February. Heading generally southward, Kirsty dissipated well east of New South Wales on 1 March.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Leah=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Image=Leah 1973-03-04.png
|Track=Leah 1973 track.png
|Formed=27 February
|Dissipated=11 March
|10-min winds=65
|1-min winds=80
|Pressure=973
}}
The next system, Cyclone Leah, formed near the coast of Western Australia on 27 February. Moving southwestward, Leah eventually dissipated on 11 March.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Madge=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Madge 1973 track.png
|Image=MadgeMarch1319730105UTC.gif
|Formed=28 February
|Dissipated=18 March
|10-min winds=90
|1-min winds=95
|Pressure=952
}}
Cyclone Madge, the strongest tropical cyclone of the season, originated in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands on 28 February. Tracking west-southwestward, Madge struck the Cape York Peninsula early on 4 March. By late the following day, the cyclone made landfall near Numbulwar, Northern Territory. Moving across Northern Territory and Queensland, Madge emerged into the Indian Ocean on 10 March. The storm headed generally westward for the next several days, until dissipating on 18 March.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Nellie=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Nellie 1973 track.png
|Image=NellieMarch1619730155UTC.gif
|Formed=13 March
|Dissipated=23 March
|10-min winds=80
|1-min winds=80
|Pressure=964
}}
On 13 March Cyclone Nellie formed offshore Queensland. It moved generally west-southwestward before dissipated on 23 March.
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=Tropical Cyclone Bella=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Bella 1973 track.png
|Image=Bella 1973-03-23.png
|Formed=20 March
|Dissipated=25 March
|10-min winds=35
|1-min winds=35
|Pressure=998
}}
Cyclone Bella developed over the Arafura Sea on 20 March. It struck North Territory before dissipating on 25 March.
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=Tropical Cyclone Paula=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Paula 1973 track.png
|Image=Paula 1973-03-29.png
|Formed=26 March
|Dissipated=1 April
|10-min winds=35
|1-min winds=35
|Pressure=997
}}
The next system, Cyclone Paula, formed southwest of Indonesia on 16 March. Paula moved southwestward and dissipated about six days later.
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Thirteen=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Image=Flores 1973-04-28.png
|Track=Flores 1973 track.png
|Formed=26 April
|Dissipated=29 April
|10-min winds=80
|1-min winds=100
|Pressure=950
}}
{{main|1973 Flores cyclone}}
The most intense tropical cyclone of the season developed in the Banda Sea on 26 April. The storm peaked with a barometric pressure of {{convert|950|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}. The storm struck the island of Flores before dissipating on 29 April. Widespread destruction of houses, schools, and bridges was reported in four of the island's districts. 53 on Flores were killed, and 21 perished in the sinking of a Timorese fishing ship, the O Arbiru.{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/nt/Unnamed_Flores_Sea.shtml |title=Tropical Cyclone Unnamed (Flores Sea) |website=www.bom.gov.au |access-date=December 9, 2022}} Additionally, over 1,500 fisherman were reported lost at sea. The area's remoteness kept information about the cyclone's effects from reaching the news for over a month.{{Cite web |url=http://www.typhoon2000.ph/garyp_mgtcs/dec01.txt |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-04-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117014848/http://typhoon2000.ph/garyp_mgtcs/dec01.txt |archive-date=2013-01-17 |url-status=dead }} The storm killed a total of 1,650 people, making it the deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.{{cite web |last1=Masters |first1=Jeff |title=Africa's Hurricane Katrina: Tropical Cyclone Idai Causes an Extreme Catastrophe |url=https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Africas-Hurricane-Katrina-Tropical-Cyclone-Idai-Causes-Extreme-Catastrophe |website=Weather Underground |accessdate=23 March 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Death-Toll-Idai-Rises-Above-800-3rd-Deadliest-Southern-Hemisphere-Cyclone-Record|title=Death Toll From Idai Rises Above 800: 3rd Deadliest Southern Hemisphere Cyclone on Record|author=Jeff Masters|publisher=Weather Underground|date=1 April 2019|accessdate=22 June 2019}}
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=Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcelle=
{{Infobox tropical cyclone small
|Basin=Aus
|Track=Marcelle 1973 track.png
|Image=Marcelle 1973-05-03.png
|Formed=29 April
|Dissipated=9 May
|10-min winds=65
|1-min winds=70
|Pressure=975
}}
Marcelle, the final tropical cyclone of the season, developed well west of Indonesia on 29 April. The storm struck near Busselton, Western Australia late on 7 May. Marcelle dissipated well south of Australia about two days later.
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See also
{{portal|Tropical cyclones}}
- 1892 Mauritius cyclone – The third-deadliest cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere
- Cyclone Mahina – The most powerful tropical cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere; also the deadliest tropical cyclone in Australian history
- Cyclone Idai – The second-deadliest cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere; devastated the nations east of the Mozambique Channel in 2019
- Cyclone Leon–Eline – A very long-lived and deadly tropical cyclone that devastated Mozambique in 2000
- 1970 Bhola cyclone – The deadliest tropical cyclone recorded worldwide
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1972, 1973
- Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1972, 1973
- Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1972, 1973
- North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1972, 1973
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{TC Decades|Year=1970|basin=Australian region|type=cyclone|shem=yes}}
{{Tropical cyclone season|1972|split-year=y}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1972-73 Australian region cyclone season}}
Category:Australian region cyclone seasons
Category:1972 disasters in Australia
Category:{{#expr:{{title year}} +1}} disasters in Australia