Category 4 is the second-highest classification on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale which is used to classify tropical cyclones, that have 10-minute sustained winds of at least wind speeds of 86–107 knots (159–198 km/h; 99–123 mph). As of 2019[update] 47 tropical cyclones have peaked Category 4 severe tropical cyclones in the Australian tropical cyclone basin, which is denoted as a part of the Indian and Pacific Oceans to the south of the equator and between 90°E–160°E. The earliest tropical cyclone to be classified as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone was Gyan which was classified as a Category 4 during 22 December 1981, as it impacted New Caledonia. The latest was Pola as it passed between Fiji and Tonga. This list does include any tropical cyclones that peaked as a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone, while in the Australian region.
The Australian region tropical cyclone basin is located to the south of the Equator between 90°E and 160°E.[1] The basin is officially monitored by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology as well as the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), and the Papua New Guinea National Weather Service.[1] The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and other national meteorological services such as New Zealand's MetService, Météo-France and the Fiji Meteorological Service, also monitor parts of the basin in an unofficial capacity.[1] Within the basin a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone is defined as a tropical cyclone that has 10-minute mean maximum sustained wind speeds of 86–107 knots (159–198 km/h; 99–123 mph) on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale.[1][2] A named storm can also be classified as a Category 4 tropical cyclone if it is estimated to have 1-minute mean maximum sustained wind speeds of between 113–136 knots (209–252 km/h; 130–157 mph) on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.[1][3] This scale is not officially used by any of the warning centres for the region, but tropical cyclones are compared to it by various agencies, including NASA.[1] On both scales a Category 5 tropical cyclone is expected to cause widespread devastation if it significantly impacts land at or near its peak intensity.[2][3]
Name | Duration | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Kerry | 21–22 January 1973 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | Wesrern Australia | [4] | ||
Madge | 8–18 March 1973 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 952 hPa (28.11 inHg) | Northern Territory, Queensland | [5] | ||
Pam | 30 January – 8 February 1974 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 925 hPa (27.32 inHg) | Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu New Caledonia, Queensland |
Significant | Unknown | [6][7][8] |
Tracy | 21–26 December 1974 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Northern Territory | [9][10] | ||
Vanessa (1976) | January 1976 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Western Australia | [11] | ||
Watorea | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 970 hPa (28.64 inHg) | [12] | ||||
Ted | 15–21 December 1976 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 945 hPa (27.91 inHg) | Queensland | [13] | ||
Leo (1977) | |||||||
Trudy (1978) | |||||||
Winnie (1978) | |||||||
Kerry (1979) | |||||||
Hazel (1979) | |||||||
Idylle (1979) |
Name | Duration | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Brian (1980) | |||||||
Fred (1980) | |||||||
Simon | 21–28 February 1980 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Queensland, New Zealand | Minor | None | [14] |
Doris–Gloria (1980) | |||||||
Alice–Adelaide (1980) | |||||||
Felix (1980) | |||||||
Neil (1981) | |||||||
Olga (1981) | |||||||
Chris-Damia (1982) | |||||||
Bernie (1982) | |||||||
Jane | 2–11 January 1983 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 947 hPa (27.96 inHg) | Western Australia | None | None | |
Elinor | 10 February – 3 March 1983 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) | Queensland | Minor | None | [15] |
Quenton (1983) | |||||||
Bobby (1984) | |||||||
Chloe (1984) | |||||||
Daryl (1984) | |||||||
Odette | 16–20 January 1985 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 930 hPa (27.46 inHg) | Cape York Peninsula, Vanuatu | |||
Sandy | 20–24 March 1985 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 953 hPa (28.14 inHg) | Northern Territory, Western Australia | N/A | None | [16] |
Victor (1986) | |||||||
Billy–Lila | 5–12 May 1986 | 170 km/h (105 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Western Australia | None | None | [17][18] |
Elsie | 22–27 February 1987 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | Western Australia | N/A | None | |
Gwenda-Ezenina (1988) | |||||||
Ned | 25 March – 1 April 1989 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 941 hPa (27.79 inHg) | Western Australia | Minor | None | [19] |
Name | Duration | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Ivor | 15–26 March 1990 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 965 hPa (28.50 inHg) | Cape York Peninsula | [20][21][22] | ||
Joy | 15–27 December 1990 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | Solomon Islands, Queensland | [23][24] | ||
Errol (1991) | |||||||
Marian (1991) | |||||||
Betsy | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New Zealand | Unknown | Unknown | [25] | |
Harriet-Heather (1992) | |||||||
Ian | 27 February – 3 March 1992 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 930 hPa (27.46 inHg) | Western Australia | [26] | ||
Esau | 24 February – 7 March 1992 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 925 hPa (27.32 inHg) | Vanuatu | Minimal | 1 | [27][28] |
Jane-Irna (1992) | |||||||
Nina | 21 December 1992 – 5 January 1993 | 150 km/h (90 mph) | 970 hPa (28.64 inHg) | Queensland, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Wallis and Futuna | $1 million | 32 | [29][30] |
Oliver | 5–14 February 1993 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Queensland | [31] | ||
Sharon | 12–22 March 1994 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 930 hPa (27.46 inHg) | Indonesia, Western Australia | [32] | ||
Annette | 12–20 December 1994 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 925 hPa (27.32 inHg) | Western Australia, South Australia | [33] | ||
Bobby | 19–27 February 1995 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 925 hPa (27.32 inHg) | Northern Territory, Western Australia | [34] | ||
Agnes | 16–22 April 1995 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 945 hPa (27.91 inHg) | [35] | |||
Frank | 6–13 December 1995 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Western Australia | |||
Barry | 4–7 January 1996 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Queensland | [36] | ||
Kirsty | 7–14 March 1996 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) | Western Australia | [37] | ||
Olivia | 5–12 April 1996 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 925 hPa (27.32 inHg) | Western Australia, South Australia | [38] | ||
Drena (1997) | |||||||
Rhonda | 11–17 May 1997 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) | Cocos Islands, Western Australia | [39][40] | ||
Katrina | 1–25 January 1998 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Queensland | [41] | ||
Tiffany (1998) | |||||||
Elaine | 16–20 March 1999 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 945 hPa (27.91 inHg) | Western Australia | |||
Frederic–Evrina (1999) |
Name | Duration | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Norman | 29 February–9 March, 2000 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 930 hPa (27.46 inHg) | Western Australia | None | None | |
Fiona | 3–13 February, 2003 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) | None | None | None | |
Monty | 25 February – 3 March 2004 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) | Western Australia | Minimal | None | |
Oscar | 21–27 March, 2004 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | None | None | None | |
Bertie | 19–24 November, 2005 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 928 hPa (27.40 inHg) | None | None | None | |
Larry | 15–20 March 2006 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) | Queensland | $1.1 billion | 1 | |
Floyd | 18–27 March, 2006 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 916 hPa (27.05 inHg) | Pilbara Coast | None | None | [42] |
Pancho | 25–29 March, 2008 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 938 hPa (27.70 inHg) | Christmas Island, Western Australia | None | None | |
Billy | 15 December, 2008–5 January, 2009 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Western Australia | None | 1 | |
Ilsa | 12–27 March, 2009 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 958 hPa (28.29 inHg) | None | None | None |
Name | Duration | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Ului | 14–21 March 2010 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 939 hPa (27.73 inHg) | Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Queensland | Unknown | Unknown | [43] |
Zelia | 12–16 January 2011 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 943 hPa (27.85 inHg) | None | None | None | [44] |
Bianca | 21–30 January 2011 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 949 hPa (28.02 inHg) | Western Australia | None | None | [45] |
Narelle | 5–15 January 2013 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 930 hPa (27.46 inHg) | Western Australia | None | None | [46] |
Rusty | 21 February – 1 March 2013 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 944 hPa (27.88 inHg) | Western Australia | Unknown | Unknown | [47] |
Christine | 25 December 2013 – 1 January 2014 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 948 hPa (27.99 inHg) | Western Australia | Unknown | Unknown | [48] |
Lam | 14–20 February 2015 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 943 hPa (27.85 inHg) | Northern Australia | Unknown | Unknown | [49][50] |
Nathan | 4–8 April 2015 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 963 hPa (28.44 inHg) | Northern Australia | Unknown | Unknown | [51] |
Ikola | 4–8 April 2015 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 953 hPa (28.14 inHg) | None | None | None | [52] |
Quang | 27 April – 1 May 2015 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Western Australia | Minor | None | [53] |
Debbie | 23 March – 7 April 2017 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 949 hPa (28.02 inHg) | Queensland, New South Wales | >$1 billion | None | [54] |
Savannah | 8–17 March 2019 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 953 hPa (28.14 inHg) | Cocos Islands | Minor | None | [55] |
Trevor | 11–26 March 2019 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 950 hPa (28.05 inHg) | Papua New Guinea, Queensland, Northern Territory | Unknown | Unknown | [56] |
Name | Duration | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Ferdinand | 22 February – 1 March 2020 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 951 hPa (28.08 inHg) | None | None | None | [57] |
Vernon | 22 February – 3 March 2022 | 185 km/h (115 mph) | 948 hPa (27.99 inHg) | None | None | None | [58] |
Charlotte | 16–24 March 2022 | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 956 hPa (28.23 inHg) | Timor-Leste, Western Australia | None | None | [59] |
Freddy | 4–14 February 2023 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 951 hPa (28.08 inHg) | None | None | None | [60] |
Jasper | 4–18 December 2023 | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 938 hPa (27.70 inHg) | Solomon Islands, Queensland | $675 million | 1 | |
Neville | 4–24 March, 2024 | 175 km/h (110 mph) | 952 hPa (28.11 inHg) | Cocos Islands, Christmas Island | None | None |
Over the years, the intensity estimates of tropical cyclones have been reanalysed for various reasons and were found to have been underestimated by the various warning centres.[64][65] In particular, during a database repair project that took place between 2005 and 2007, the BoM discovered that Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam of 1974, had been reanalysed at some point after 1979.[8] This reanalysis showed that Pam had moved out of the South Pacific region and into the Australian region, as a category 5 severe tropical cyclone.[8] However, a later reanalysis by the BoM during 2021 downgraded it to a category 4 severe tropical cyclone, as it was thought that the width of the southern eyewall was too narrow for a category 5 severe tropical cyclone.[8]