1987–88 Australian region cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed6 December 1987
Last system dissipated20 May 1988
Strongest storm
NameGwenda-Ezenina
 • Maximum winds185 km/h (115 mph)
(10-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure940 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows6 (record low)
Tropical cyclones5
Severe tropical cyclones3
Total fatalities1
Total damage$17.9 million (1988 USD)
Related articles

The 1987–88 Australian region cyclone season was the one of least active Australian region tropical cyclone seasons on record. It officially started on 1 November 1987, and officially ended on 30 April 1988. The regional tropical cyclone operational plan defines a "tropical cyclone year" separately from a "tropical cyclone season"; the "tropical cyclone year" began on 1 July 1987 and ended on 30 June 1988.[1]

Seasonal summary

Cyclone Herbie

Systems

Tropical Low Ariny

Tropical low (Australian scale)
 
Duration6 December – 9 December (Exited basin)
Peak intensity55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min);

Tropical Cyclone Agi

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration6 January (Entered basin) – 14 January (Exited basin)
Peak intensity95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min);
980 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Agi veered away from the main islands of Papua New Guinea's Milne Bay province after flattening many buildings, uprooting trees and disrupting water supplies. Agi brought heavy rain, high tides and winds gusting at more than 100 km/h to the remote islands it brushed at the eastern tip of the PNG mainland since it formed and began to swirl through the area on Sunday.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Frederic

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration28 January – 2 February
Peak intensity150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min);
955 hPa (mbar)

Frederic, 28 January to 2 February 1988, Indian Ocean

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gwenda-Ezenina

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration6 February – 12 February (Exited basin)
Peak intensity185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min);
941 hPa (mbar)

Gwenda-Ezenina, 6 to 12 February 1988, Indian Ocean

Severe Tropical Cyclone Charlie

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
Duration19 February – 1 March
Peak intensity150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min);
972 hPa (mbar)

Early on 21 February, a tropical low formed over the Coral Sea. The system was upgraded to a tropical cyclone at 18:00 UTC on 22 February, given the name Charlie. Charlie continued to strengthen for around a day while turning towards the south, however began to weaken soon after. Following a period of slight weakening, Charlie maintained its intensity and slowly moved towards the west. Early on 27 February, Charlie began to intensify once again, continuing its westerly movement until 36 hours later, when it turned towards the south. Charlie made its first landfall near Cape Bowling Green and reached its peak intensity as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone during 29 February and later made its second landfall, in Upstart Bay. The cyclone weakened rapidly over land and dissipated on 1 March.[2]

As Charlie made landfall in a sparsely populated area, structural damage was minimal, however significant crop damage occurred, amounting to $15 million (1990 AUD).[3]

Tropical Cyclone Herbie

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
Duration17 May – 20 May
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Herbie, 17 to 20 May 1988, Indian Ocean

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. ↑ "Tropical Cyclone Operational plan for the South Pacific & Southeast Indian Ocean 2008" (PDF). WMO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  2. ↑ "Tropical Cyclone Charlie". BOM. Archived from the original on 2022-02-07. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  3. ↑ "Cyclone Charlie". HardenUp. Archived from the original on 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
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