2023–24 Australian region cyclone season
| 2023–24 Australian region cyclone season | |
|---|---|
Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | 4 December 2023 |
| Last system dissipated | 5 May 2024 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Jasper |
| • Maximum winds | 215 km/h (130 mph) (10-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 926 hPa (mbar) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Tropical lows | 13 |
| Tropical cyclones | 8 |
| Severe tropical cyclones | 6 |
| Total fatalities | 1 total |
| Total damage | $790 million (2023 USD) |
| Related articles | |
The 2023–24 Australian region cyclone season was the fifth and final consecutive season to have below-average activity in terms of named storms, with only eight named storms developing. Despite this, it produced six severe tropical cyclones, becoming the second season in a row to have at least five severe tropical cyclones. The season officially started on 1 November 2023 and ended on 30 April 2024. However, tropical cyclone formation is possible at any time of the year, as shown by the formation of Tropical Low 16U in May.
The season commenced on 4 December with the development of Cyclone Jasper. Jasper peaked as a category 5 severe tropical cyclone a few days later, eventually making landfall on the Cape York Peninsula of Queensland in a weakened state. The system caused torrential rainfall in northern Queensland, becoming Australia's wettest tropical cyclone on record. After almost a month of inactivity, Cyclones Anggrek and Kirrily developed in short succession in mid-January. Anggrek meandered in the open Indian Ocean, eventually entering the South-West Indian Ocean. Kirrily slowly organised before finally striking the Queensland coast as a category 3 cyclone on 25 January. Lincoln was first noted in the Gulf of Carpentaria on 14 January, intensifying into a cyclone two days later. Making landfall near the Northern Territory-Queensland border, Lincoln later emerged over the Indian Ocean but failed to reintensify into a tropical cyclone.
The tropical low that would become Cyclone Neville was first noted on 4 March, but the system was not upgraded to a tropical cyclone until 20 March. After being named, Neville rapidly intensified into a category 4 severe tropical cyclone. Megan developed on 13 March, becoming a category 4 in the Gulf of Carpentaria before making landfall. Olga formed on 4 April and rapidly deepened into a category 5 storm three days later, the second of the season. The last named storm of the season, Cyclone Paul, developed shortly after Olga, and peaked as a category 2. Collectively, the systems during this season caused $790 million (2023 USD) in damage, mainly due to Jasper, along with 1 fatality, also caused by Jasper.