Market2002–03 Australian region cyclone season
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2002–03 Australian region cyclone season

The 2002–03 Australian region cyclone season included Cyclone Inigo, which tied with Cyclone Gwenda in 1999 as the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Australian basin. It began on 1 November 2002 and ended on 30 April 2003. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan also defines a tropical cyclone year separately from a tropical cyclone season, which runs from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Australian region, which is defined as in the southern hemisphere between 90°E and 180°E. The season's ten tropical depressions existed within these dates, with the first, designated as Tropical Cyclone 07S, entering the basin on 27 December 2002. The last system, Cyclone Epi, dissipated on 6 June 2003. Tropical cyclones in this area were monitored by four Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs): the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) in Perth, Darwin, and Brisbane and one in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Seasonal summary
ImageSize = width:800 height:200 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:80 right:20 left:20 Legend = columns:3 left:30 top:58 columnwidth:270 AlignBars = early DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2003 till:01/07/2003 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMinor = grid:black unit:month increment:1 start:01/01/2003 Colors = id:canvas value:gray(0.88) id:GP value:red id:TL value:rgb(0.43,0.76,0.92) legend:Tropical_Low_=_ The season began on 1 November 2002 and ended on 30 April 2003, while the regional tropical cyclone operational plan also defines a tropical cyclone year from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003. Eight cyclones entered or formed in the Australian region, which was below the 1970–71 to 2001–02 average of 13 per season. There was a major shift in tropical cyclone activity from the Australian region to the South Pacific, because of a moderate El Niño event. Only two cyclones occurred between 125°E and 150°E, which is east of Australia, and six formed between 150°E and 160°E. All of the tropical cyclone developed during Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) pulses or Equatorial Rossby (ER) pulses. Overall, the tropical cyclones of this season resulted in 60 deaths and slightly less than $12 million in damage. Activity began in December 2002, when Tropical Cyclone 07S entered the Australian region from the southwestern Indian Ocean basin on 27 December. In January, an unnamed tropical cyclone existed for more than three weeks over the Arafura Sea, Northern Territory, and Western Australia. The basin became more active in February, with South Pacific Cyclone Beni entering the area on 1 February. This was followed by the development of Fiona on 3 February and Graham on 24 February; both formed north of Western Australia. Two tropical cyclones – Harriet and Erica – both originated on 1 March; the former developed northwest of Western Australia and the latter formed east of Queensland. About a week later, 8 March, Cyclone Craig developed near the coast of Northern Territory. The strongest tropical system of the season, Cyclone Inigo, originated over the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia on 30 March. At peak intensity, Inigo had a minimum barometric pressure of , making the most intense tropical cyclone in the Australian region on record, tied with Cyclone Gwenda in 1999. Activity remained dormant until the development of Cyclone Epi on 5 June, which dissipated on the following day. == Systems ==
Systems
Tropical Cyclone 01U A tropical low developed over the Arafura Sea on 4 January and strengthened into a tropical cyclone before passing near Elcho Island, Northern Territory. The storm then made landfall in Arnhem Land on 5 January. At 09:00 UTC, the system peaked with winds of . It meandered over Northern Territory and the Gulf of Carpentaria for a few weeks. The system remained inland until moving offshore Kimberley on 21 January. A deep trough generated wind shear, which inhibited significant intensification. However, deep convection began to develop late on 24 January as it approached the north coast of Western Australia. Around 0300 UTC on 25 January, the storm made landfall near Port Hedland with winds of . The system quickly weakened and dissipated by 12:00 UTC. After regenerating into a tropical cyclone, the storm brought up to of rainfall in a 24-hour period in the Port Hedland area. This caused the Yule River to overflow its banks, which flooded the North-West Highway. Operationally, the storm was thought to have been two separate systems and to have remained below tropical cyclone intensity. Heavy rainfall accompanied Beni and its remnants, reaching near Gladstone. One person drowned due to the flooding rains. Runoff on the Fitzroy River caused by Cyclone Beni resulted in a moderate flood with an estimated return period of four years at Rockhampton. The cyclone's heavy rains helped ease drought problems in Queensland. Nine shires in Central Queensland were declared disaster areas. Additionally, strong winds left power outages in Agnes Water and 1770. Overall, Beni resulted in damages of at least A$10 million (US$6 million) in Queensland. Severe Tropical Cyclone Fiona An area of convection began developing into a tropical low on 3 February, while located about north of Karratha, Western Australia. Poorly-defined convection was noted as well as good outflow and a weak circulation. Fiona strengthened steadily and reached tropical cyclone intensity at 0600 UTC on 6 February. and developed a banding feature by 25 February. Despite strong wind shear, the BOM began issuing warnings while the low was located several hundred kilometers north-northeast of Port Hedland. The disturbance was initially nearly stationary. At 0700 UTC on 27 February, the JTWC designated the storm as Tropical Cyclone Graham. In nearby Blue Bush Creek, two men drowned as their group of people attempted to cross floodwaters. Both men were rescued, though one died before emergency services arrived. In addition to the flooding, a number of trees were downed. Tropical Cyclone Harriet A tropical low developed southwest of Christmas Island on 28 February. Perth TCWC issued a TWO on 1 March, which indicated an eastward-moving low. At 0600 UTC on 2 March, the JTWC initiated warnings on Tropical Cyclone 21S, estimating winds of . The system maintained a well-defined circulation, although deep convection diminished somewhat on 2 March. Later that day, Perth began issuing gale warnings on the low as it was expected to develop into a tropical cyclone. Moving eastward, convection increased near the center, though dry air inhibited much development. At 0400 UTC on 4 March, the TCWC Perth named the system Tropical Cyclone Harriet. as deep convection diminished, probably due to persistent dry air. Moving slowly southeastward and then northward under the influence of a weak mid-level ridge to the east, Erica attained 10-minute sustained winds of . However, Erica soon weakened due to strong wind shear. On 7 March, the cyclone degenerated into a tropical low. After the remnants curved eastward and then southeastward, wind shear abated and became favorable for tropical cyclogenesis. As a result, the low regenerated into a tropical cyclone. After attaining the equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, Erica entered the South Pacific basin on 12 March. Tropical Cyclone Craig TCWC Darwin began monitoring a tropical low that developed west of Darwin on 5 March. At 0300 UTC on 9 March, the storm became Tropical Cyclone Craig, while situated northwest of Cape Fourcroy. The storm deepened and drifted eastward and then southeastward. On 10 March, Craig made landfall on Melville Island with winds of . Upon emerging into the Van Diemen Gulf on 10 March, Craig peaked with sustained winds of . Craig struck the Coburg Peninsula and began to slowly weaken inland. The government of the Tiwi Islands evacuated some residents to shelters. In the Darwin area, certain schools were closed temporarily as a precaution. Impact from Craig was generally minor. At Ramingining, of rain fell in just 24 hours. Storm surge ran on Goulburn Island and the Cobourg Peninsula, while tides were estimated at at Nhulunbuy. Later that day, the JTWC initiated advisories on Tropical Cyclone 26S. On 2 April, BOM classified the low as Tropical Cyclone Inigo. An eye feature gradually organized as winds increased to early on 3 April. As a result, the BOM began classifying Inigo as a severe tropical cyclone. Later on 3 April, low wind shear and strong divergence allowed the cyclone to undergo rapid intensification as the eye became well-defined. In Ende, a total of 294 animals were killed. In East Flores Regency in eastern Flores Island, the system left 75 destroyed houses, along with 77 severely damaged and a further 56 receiving light damage. In Australia, the storm dropped of rain in 80 minutes. Tropical Cyclone Epi In early June, an area of fairly persistent convection stretched from Papua New Guinea to just north of Fiji. Around 0630 UTC on 5 June, Epi developed near Woodlack Island, unusually close to the Equator. Initially, the storm appeared to be undergoing rapid deepening, prompting the JTWC to issue a TCFA. However, strong wind shear caused the system to quickly become less organized and the TCFA was soon cancelled. A very short lived cyclone, a Papua New Guinea warning during the late morning hour of 5 June placed Epi's center about northeast of Woodlack Island. Never recognized as a tropical cyclone by the JTWC, the third and final warning was issued later that day after winds fell below gale force. Other systems Tropical Cyclone 07S developed in the southwestern Indian Ocean on 25 December, while located about west-northwest of Cocos Islands. It initially drifted southwest and then turned eastward on 27 December. Around this time, 07S entered Perth's Area Of Responsibility (AOR). The storm drifted erratically and by 1800 UTC on 28 December, the JTWC issued its final warning on 07S, while situated about west-northwest of Cocos Islands. However, TCWC Perth continued Tropical Weather Outlooks (TWOs) on the system until 3 January. == Storm names ==
Storm names
TCWC Perth • Fiona • Graham • Harriet • Inigo TCWC Darwin • Craig TCWC Brisbane • Erica TCWC Port Moresby • Epi == Season effects ==
Season effects
This is a table of all of the storms that have formed in the 2002–03 Australian region cyclone season. It includes their duration, names, landfall(s)–denoted by bold location names – damages, and death totals. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 2003 USD. == See also ==
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