1986–87 Australian region cyclone season

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	15 January – 23 January
Peak intensity	155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min);; 950 hPa (mbar)

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	9 January – 13 January
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min);;

1986–87 Australian region cyclone season
1986–87 Australian region cyclone season
	Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	9 January 1987; (record latest)
Last system dissipated	27 May 1987
Strongest storm
Name	Elsie
• Maximum winds	215 km/h (130 mph)
• Lowest pressure	940 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows	9, 1 unofficial
Tropical cyclones	8, 1 unofficial
Severe tropical cyclones	3
Total fatalities	Unknown
Total damage	Unknown
Related articles
	1986–87 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season; 1986–87 South Pacific cyclone season;
	Australian region tropical cyclone seasons; 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

The 1986–87 Australian region cyclone season was the latest starting Australian season on record. A below-average tropical cyclone season, it officially started on 1 November 1986, and officially ended on 30 April 1987, with the last system dissipating on 27 May.

Seasonal summary

Systems

Tropical Storm 07S

07S existed from 9 to 13 January 1987, in the northwest corner of the basin. While the system was not monitored by the Bureau of Meteorology, it was considered a tropical storm by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

Severe Tropical Cyclone Connie

Connie, 15 to 23 January 1987. Made landfall over Port Hedland on 19 January. Moderate damage was reported in Port Hedland and Whim Creek.

Tropical Cyclone Irma

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	19 January – 22 January
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min); 978 hPa (mbar)

Irma, 19 to 22 January 1987, Gulf of Carpentaria.

Tropical Cyclone Damien

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	30 January – 9 February
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar)

Damien, 30 January to 9 February 1987, near Western Australia.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Jason

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	4 February – 14 February
Peak intensity	140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

Jason stuck the Northern Territory in February, 1987 damaging 20 buildings.^[1]^[2]

Tropical Cyclone Veli

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	5 February – 7 February (exited basin)
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 987 hPa (mbar)

The precursor tropical low to Cyclone Veli formed during the next day, about 725 km (450 mi) to the south-east of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.^[3] During the next day, the low moved eastward and gradually developed further, before it became equivalent to a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, as it reached its 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 85 km/h (55 mph).^[3] As the system continued to move eastwards it crossed 160°E and moved into the South Pacific basin during 7 February, before TCWC Nadi named it Veli later that day on the basis of satellite derived evidence.^[3]^[4]

Severe Tropical Cyclone Elsie

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	21 February – 27 February
Peak intensity	185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min); 940 hPa (mbar)

On 21 February, Cyclone Elsie formed near Western Australia. The storm then made landfall near the same region. Catastrophic damage was reported at Mandora Station.^[5]

Tropical Cyclone Kay

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	6 April – 17 April
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min); 976 hPa (mbar)

Kay lasted from 6 to 17 April 1987. The storm impacted Papua New Guinea and Western Australia.

Tropical Cyclone Blanche

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	22 May (entered basin) – 27 May
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Blanch, entered the Australian region basin on 22 May, and dissipated on 27 May 1987, off the east coast of Australia.

Other system

The precursor tropical low to Cyclone Uma formed within the region on 4 February, before it crossed 160°E and moved into the South Pacific basin later that day.^[3]

Seasonal effects

Name	Dates	Peak intensity			Areas affected	Damages (AU$)	Damages (US$)	Deaths
Name	Dates	Category	Wind speed (km/h (mph))	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damages (AU$)	Damages (US$)	Deaths
Connie	15–23 January	Category 3 tropical cyclone	155 km/h (95 mph)	950 hPa (28.05 inHg)	Western Australia
Irma	19–22 January	Category 2 tropical cyclone	110 km/h (70 mph)	978 hPa (28.88 inHg)	Western Australia, Northern Territory
Damien	30 January – 9 February	Category 2 tropical cyclone	95 km/h (60 mph)	980 hPa (28.94 inHg)	Western Australia
Uma	4 February	Tropical Low	55 km/h (35 mph)	997 hPa (29.4 inHg)	None	None	None	None	^[3]
Jason	4–14 February	Category 3 severe tropical cyclone	140 km/h (85 mph)	970 hPa (28.64 inHg)	Northern Territory, Queensland
Veli	5–7 February	Category 1 tropical cyclone	85 km/h (55 mph)	987 hPa (29.15 inHg)	None	None	None	None	^[3]^[4]
Elsie	21–27 February	Category 4 severe tropical cyclone	185 km/h (115 mph)	940 hPa (27.76 inHg)	Northern Territory, Western Australia	Significant	Significant
Kay	19–26 April	Category 2 tropical cyclone	100 km/h (60 mph)	975 hPa (28.79 inHg)	Queensland, Papua New Guinea, Northern Territory, Western Australia
Blanch(e)	22–27 May	Category 1 tropical cyclone	110 km/h (70 mph)	990 hPa (29.23 inHg)	Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
Season aggregates
9 systems	20 November – 27 May		185 km/h (115 mph)	940 hPa (27.76 inHg)		Unknown

References

↑ "Severe Tropical Cyclone Jason". Bureau of Meteorology. 1987. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
↑ "Gulf of Carpentaria, QLD/ NT, Cyclone (Incl Storm Surge)". ema.gov.au. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
1 2 3 4 5 6 "International Best Track Archive, Southern Pacific". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. 24 February 2025. Archived from the original (csv) on 24 February 2025.
1 2 Singh, Sudah; Fiji Meteorological Service (1987). DeAngellis, Richard M (ed.). Tropical Cyclone Veli (Mariners Weather Log: Volume 31: Issue 3: Summer 1987). United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. pp. 24–25. hdl:2027/uiug.30112104093965. ISSN 0025-3367. OCLC 648466886. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
↑ "Severe Tropical Cyclone Elsie" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. 1987. Retrieved 31 March 2021.

External links

[Jason-1] "Severe Tropical Cyclone Jason". Bureau of Meteorology. 1987. Retrieved 31 March 2021.

[2] "Gulf of Carpentaria, QLD/ NT, Cyclone (Incl Storm Surge)". ema.gov.au. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2022.

[Wellington_BT-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "International Best Track Archive, Southern Pacific". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. 24 February 2025. Archived from the original (csv) on 24 February 2025.

[Veli_TCR-4] 1 2 Singh, Sudah; Fiji Meteorological Service (1987). DeAngellis, Richard M (ed.). Tropical Cyclone Veli (Mariners Weather Log: Volume 31: Issue 3: Summer 1987). United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. pp. 24–25. hdl:2027/uiug.30112104093965. ISSN 0025-3367. OCLC 648466886. Retrieved 29 May 2013.

[Elsie-5] "Severe Tropical Cyclone Elsie" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. 1987. Retrieved 31 March 2021.

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v t e Tropical cyclones in 1986 and 1987
Cyclones	Australian region North Indian Ocean (1986 1987) South-West Indian Ocean South Pacific
Hurricanes	Atlantic (1986 1987) Pacific (1986 1987)
Typhoons	Pacific (1986 1987)
Non-seasonal lists	Mediterranean South Atlantic

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