Cyclone Fay
 Fay after peak intensity on 22 March | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 12 March 2004 |
| Dissipated | 28 March 2004 |
| Category 5 severe tropical cyclone | |
| 10-minute sustained(BOM) | |
| Highest winds | 215 km/h (130 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 910hPa(mbar); 26.87inHg |
| Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained(SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 220 km/h (140 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 922hPa(mbar); 27.23inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | None |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Northern Territory,Western Australia |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the2003–04 Australian region cyclone season | |
Severe Tropical Cyclone Faywas an intense late-seasontropical cyclonewhich struckWestern Australiaduring the2003–04 Australian region cyclone season.Forming from anarea of low pressureon 12 March, Fay was the onlyCategory 5 cycloneduring the season. The system had a minimum pressure of 910 mbar (hPa; 26.87 inHg) andmaximum sustained windsof 210 km/h (130 mph).[1]Moving towards the southwest and eventually towards the south, Fay gradually strengthened as it paralleled the northwestern coast of Australia, and made landfall on thePilbaracoast on the morning of 27 March as a Category 4 cyclone.
While no fatalities were reported, the cyclone brought record-breaking rainfall to Australia, which led to a sharp decrease in the country's gold output.[clarification needed]The cyclone also caused minor damage in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In the spring of 2005, the AustralianBureau of Meteorologyretired the nameFayfrom use, and it will never be used again as a cyclone name[citation needed].
Meteorological history
[edit]
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone,remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionThelow-pressure systemthat later developed into Fay formed in theGulf of Carpentariaon 12 March 2004.[1]Through 15 March satellite imagery indicated increasing convection and organisation of the system, as well as decreasing wind sheer aloft, adding to the favourable conditions for strengthening. On 16 March, the system was designated Tropical Cyclone 18S by theJoint Typhoon Warning Center,with winds of 30 km/h (20 mph).[2]The system then crossedMelvilleandBathurstIslands and moved into theTimor Sea,where it intensified,[3]and was given the name Fay by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.[1]Fay began to turn southward on 17 March; simultaneously, the cyclone continued to intensify due to a weakening of verticalwind shear,and well-definedoutflowbecame apparent on satellite imagery. The following day, a steeringridgeto the south of the system strengthened and pushed the cyclone away from the coast and to the northwest.[3]At the same time, the system continued to intensify due to the favourable environment in the upper atmosphere. However, hot, dry air flowing into the system from the south, combined with vertical wind sheer, kept the storm from strengthening as much at its maximum potential rate.[2]
By 19 March Fay's track had turned to the west-southwest,[3]and over the next day it continued to strengthen in due to favourable upper-level outflow and weak vertical sheer.[2]On 21 March, Fay became a Category 5 cyclone on theAustralian Region Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale.[1]A mid-latitude trough caused the steering ridge to weaken, and subsequently, Fay to turn to the south.[3]Over the next two days, the environmental shear around the cyclone decreased, which would normally have led to intensification; however, as the shear decreased, the cyclone also moved over an area of dry air, weakening the system. By 23 March, Fay had moved in a loop, and the system weakened to a Category 2.[1]Over the next day, favourable outflow counteracted the dry air that had weakened the system, and a banding eye feature was observed on satellite imagery.[1]Fay then encountered moister air as it moved southward, leading it to re-intensify on 25 March.[1]A weak eye of 10nmwas observed on 26 March which grew to 15 nm as the day went on.[2]Strengthening into a Category 4 system early on 27 March, Fay madelandfallon thePilbaracoast between 8 am and 9 amAWST(0000 and 0100 UTC) with winds of 170 km/h (105 mph), weakening below cyclone strength somewhere between the towns ofNullagineandTelfer.[1]
Preparations and impact
[edit]
Evacuation centres were set up in theKimberley regionof Western Australia. Schools and businesses were also closed, and flights in and out of the area were cancelled. Shelters were set up for people who could not take shelter in their own homes. Residents of theBidyadangaAboriginal community were warned of particularly dangerous storm tide as the centre of the cyclone passed to their west.[4]The communities ofSandfireandPardoowere also warned of dangerous storm tide.Cyclone warningswere issued for areas threatened by the system, and communities in the path of the system were warned of expected high rainfall, as amounts greater than 200 mm (7.9 in) were expected.[5]
Minor damage to buildings and limited tree damage were reported in the vicinity ofPort Hedland.[6]In the town of Nullagine, 120 residents were evacuated to the town's police station, as heavy rain caused flooding.[7]Flooding of theDe GreyandOakoverRivers led to the town being segmented into 4 sections.[1]As the system passed near theYarrie mine200 workers were forced to go under lockdown for 8 hours. The cyclone overturned accommodation units, "shredded" water tanks, cut power lines,[1]and damaged the rail line connecting the mine to Port Hedland.[8]
Heavy rainfall was reported along the track of the cyclone, with a two-day total of 701 mm (27.6 in) reported at theNifty Copper Mineand 359 mm (14.1 in) reported in Telfer.[1]The rain from the cyclone delayed the construction of a gas pipeline at the mine for over 7 months, while the pipeline company waited for the floodwaters to dissipate.[9]According toNewcrest Mining,the rainfall amounts at Telfer exceeded the records going back at least 100 years. The heavy rainfall from bothCyclone Montyin February and Cyclone Fay caused gold output in Australia for the quarter to be the lowest in 10 years.[10]
A survey performed by theAustralian Institute of Marine Sciencediscovered that theScott Reefsuffered "severe damage," and many coral colonies were uprooted or damaged.[1]Because of the record-breaking rainfall produced across northwestern Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology retired the nameFayafter its usage.[1]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^abcdefghijklm"Tropical Cyclone Fay"(PDF).Australian Government – Bureau of Meteorology.Retrieved11 August2011.
- ^abcd"Tropical Cyclone Fay".Joint Typhoon Warning Center.Retrieved13 June2012.
- ^abcdAtangan, J.F.; Amanda Preble."2004 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report"(PDF).U.S. Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center / Joint Typhoon Warning Center. p. 264. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 December 2013.Retrieved25 October2011.
- ^"Western Australia battens down for Cyclone Fay".The Sydney Morning Herald.25 March 2004.Retrieved11 August2011.
- ^"WA coastline may escape Fay's fury".The Age.Melbourne. 27 March 2004.Retrieved11 August2011.
- ^"Flood warning as Cyclone Fay fades".ABC News.27 March 2004.Retrieved25 October2011.
- ^"Cyclone Fay floods force evacuation".The Age.Melbourne. 28 March 2004.Retrieved11 August2011.
- ^"Cyclone Fay Floods Pilbara Township".llawarra Mercury.29 March 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2012.Retrieved25 October2011.
- ^"GasNet's Telfer Pipeline sets benchmark in tackling Australian extremes".The Australian Pipeliner.October 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 14 March 2011.Retrieved25 October2011.
- ^"Aussie gold output hits record low".The Sydney Morning Herald.24 May 2004.Retrieved11 August2011.
External links
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