Tag Archives: Melville Island

Tropical Cyclone Fina Moves Toward Northern Australia

Tropical Cyclone Fina started to move toward the coast of northern Australia on Thursday night.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Fina was located at latitude 10.4°S and longitude 132.4°E which put the center about 185 miles (300 km) northeast of Darwin, Australia and about 70 miles (110 km) north of Minjilang, Australia.  Fina was moving toward the west-southwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

A Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Dundee Beach to Warruwi, Australia.  The Warning includes Darwin, Minjilang and the Cobourg Peninsula.  A Warning is also in effect for the Tiwi Islands.

A Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Wadeye to Daly River Mouth.

Tropical Cyclone Fina strengthened to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon after it started to move toward the coast of northern Australia on Thursday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped most of the way around the center to Fina’s circulation.  A small circular eye appeared to be forming at the center of Tropical Cyclone Fina.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Fina’s circulation.  Storms near the core of Fina generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Fina was small.  Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Fina’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Fina.

Tropical Cyclone Fina will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Fina will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the western end of an upper level ridge over northern Australia.  The upper level ridge will produce northerly winds that will blow toward the top of Fina’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The moderate vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the shear may not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Cyclone Fina could continue to intensify during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Fina will move around the western end of a high pressure system over northern Australia.  The high pressure system will steer Fina toward the southwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Cyclone Fina will pass near the northwestern end of the Cobourg Peninsula in 12 hours.  The center of Fina could be near the eastern end of Melville Island in 24 hours.  Fina could reach Darwin in less than 36 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Fina will bring strong winds and heavy rain to the coast of the Northern Territory of Australia.  Heavy rain is likely to cause floods in some locations.  Tropical Cyclone Fina could also cause a storm surge of up to 7 feet (2 meters) along parts of the coast of the Northern Territory.

Flood Watches are in effect for the North West Coastal Rivers.

Tropical Low Forms over Timor Sea

A Tropical Low formed over the Timor Sea north of Darwin, Australia on Thursday night. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of the Tropical Low was located at latitude 9.8°S and longitude 129.6°E which put it about 200 miles (325 km) north-northwest of Darwin, Australia. The Tropical Low was moving toward the south-southwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1007 mb.

A Watch was issued for the portion of the coast from Point Stuart, Northern Territory to Kalumburu, Western Australia including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands.

A low pressure system over the Timor Sea north of Darwin, Australia exhibited more organization on Thursday night and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology designated the system as a Tropical Low. More thunderstorms formed in bands revolving around the center of the Tropical Low. The strongest rainbands were occurring in the western half of the circulation. Storms near the center began to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the Tropical Low.

The Tropical Low will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. It will will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. The Tropical Low will move under the southwestern part of an upper level ridge centered north of Australia. The ridge will produce northwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of the Tropical Low’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. The Tropical Low is likely to strengthen during the next 24 hours.

The Tropical Low will move around the western side of a high pressure system centered north of Australia during the next 24 hours. The high pressure system will steer the Tropical Low toward the south during the next day or so. On its anticipated track the Tropical Low could approach Bathurst Island and Melville Island within 24 hours. The Tropical Low could bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to a portion of the coast of the Northern Territory during the weekend.