1986–87 Australian region cyclone season

1986–87 Australian region cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed9 January 1987
Last system dissipated27 May 1987
Strongest storm
NameElsie
 • Maximum winds215 km/h (130 mph)
 • Lowest pressure940 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows9, 1 unofficial
Tropical cyclones8, 1 unofficial
Severe tropical cyclones3
Total fatalitiesUnknown
Total damageUnknown
Related articles
Australian region tropical cyclone seasons
1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

The 1986–87 Australian region cyclone season was the latest starting Australian season on record. A below-average tropical cyclone season, it officially started on 1 November 1986, and officially ended on 30 April 1987, with the last system dissipating on 27 May.

Seasonal summary

Tropical cyclone scales#Comparisons across basins

Systems

Tropical Storm 07S

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
Duration9 January – 13 January
Peak intensity100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min);

07S existed from 9 to 13 January 1987, in the northwest corner of the basin. While the system was not monitored by the Bureau of Meteorology, it was considered a tropical storm by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

Severe Tropical Cyclone Connie

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration15 January – 23 January
Peak intensity155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min);
950 hPa (mbar)

Connie, 15 to 23 January 1987. Made landfall over Port Hedland on 19 January. Moderate damage was reported in Port Hedland and Whim Creek.

Tropical Cyclone Irma

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
Duration19 January – 22 January
Peak intensity110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min);
978 hPa (mbar)

Irma, 19 to 22 January 1987, Gulf of Carpentaria.

Tropical Cyclone Damien

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
Duration30 January – 9 February
Peak intensity95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min);
980 hPa (mbar)

Damien, 30 January to 9 February 1987, near Western Australia.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Jason

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration4 February – 14 February
Peak intensity140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min);
970 hPa (mbar)

Jason stuck the Northern Territory in February, 1987 damaging 20 buildings.[1][2]

Severe Tropical Cyclone Elsie

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration21 February – 27 February
Peak intensity185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min);
940 hPa (mbar)

On 21 February, Cyclone Elsie formed near Western Australia. The storm then made landfall near the same region. Catastrophic damage was reported at Mandora Station.[3]

Tropical Cyclone Kay

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration6 April – 17 April
Peak intensity110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min);
976 hPa (mbar)

Kay lasted from 6 to 17 April 1987. The storm impacted Papua New Guinea and Western Australia.

Tropical Cyclone Blanche

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
Duration22 May (entered basin) – 27 May
Peak intensity85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Blanch, entered the Australian region basin on 22 May, and dissipated on 27 May 1987, off the east coast of Australia.

Other systems

The precursor tropical low to Cyclone Uma formed within the region on 4 February, before it crossed 160°E and moved into the South Pacific basin later that day.[4] The precursor tropical low to Cyclone Veli formed during the next day, about 725 km (450 mi) to the south-east of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.[4] During the next day, the low moved eastward and gradually developed further, before it became equivalent to a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, as it reached its 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 85 km/h (55 mph).[4] As the system continued to move eastwards it crossed 160°E and moved into the South Pacific basin during 7 February, before TCWC Nadi named it Veli later that day on the basis of satellite derived evidence.[4][5]

Seasonal effects

Name Dates Peak intensity Areas affected Damages
(AU$) 		Damages
(US$) 		Deaths
Category Wind speed
(km/h (mph)) 		Pressure
(hPa)
Connie 15–23 January Category 3 tropical cyclone 155 km/h (95 mph) 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) Western Australia
Irma 19–22 January Category 2 tropical cyclone 110 km/h (70 mph) 978 hPa (28.88 inHg) Western Australia, Northern Territory
Damien 30 January – 9 February Category 2 tropical cyclone 95 km/h (60 mph) 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) Western Australia
Uma 4 February Tropical Low 55 km/h (35 mph) 997 hPa (29.4 inHg) None None None None [4]
Jason 4–14 February Category 3 severe tropical cyclone 140 km/h (85 mph) 970 hPa (28.64 inHg) Northern Territory, Queensland
Veli 5–7 February Category 1 tropical cyclone 85 km/h (55 mph) 987 hPa (29.15 inHg) None None None None [4][5]
Elsie 21–27 February Category 4 severe tropical cyclone 185 km/h (115 mph) 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) Northern Territory, Western Australia Significant Significant
Kay 19–26 April Category 2 tropical cyclone 100 km/h (60 mph) 975 hPa (28.79 inHg) Queensland, Papua New Guinea, Northern Territory, Western Australia
Blanch(e) 22–27 May Category 1 tropical cyclone 110 km/h (70 mph) 990 hPa (29.23 inHg) Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
Season aggregates
9 systems 20 November – 27 May 185 km/h (115 mph) 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) Unknown


See also

  • Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1987, 1988
  • Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1987, 1988
  • Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1987, 1988
  • North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1987, 1988

References

  1. ^ "Severe Tropical Cyclone Jason". Bureau of Meteorology. 1987. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Gulf of Carpentaria, QLD/ NT, Cyclone (Incl Storm Surge)". ema.gov.au. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Severe Tropical Cyclone Elsie" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. 1987. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f MetService (22 May 2009). "TCWC Wellington Best Track Data 1967–2006". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ a b Singh, Sudah; Fiji Meteorological Service (1987). DeAngellis, Richard M (ed.). Tropical Cyclone Veli (Mariners Weather Log: Volume 31: Issue 3: Summer 1987). United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. pp. 24–25. hdl:2027/uiug.30112104093965. ISSN 0025-3367. OCLC 648466886. Retrieved 29 May 2013.