Meteorological
Information

• What are they
• When and where
• Life cycle
• Structure
• The Cyclone
  Threat
• Northern
  Territory
• Cyclone Tracy
• Warning System

Cyclone Tracy

Oral Histories

Front Page

When and where do tropical cyclones occur?

Formation areas and typical tracks of tropical cyclones worldwide

Tropical cyclones form over most of the world's tropical waters between about 5⁰ and 22⁰ latitude, except for the Southeast Pacific and the South Atlantic Oceans, where environmental conditions are not favourable.

Australian Region

Frequency of tropical cyclones in the Australian Region.

Adapted from Neumann 1993.

Tropical cyclones occur most frequently off the northwest coast of Western Australia, in the Gulf of Carpentaria and in the Coral Sea. The section of coast most frequently impacted by cyclones is around Port Hedland (WA). On average about ten tropical cyclones occur in the Australian Region (between 100⁰ East and 165⁰ East) each year and about six cross the coast.

Adapted from Gray 1975