Cyclone Ann

Not to be confused with Cyclone Ana.
This article is about the Australian cyclone in 2019. For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Ann.

Tropical Cyclone Ann
Tropical Cyclone Ann shortly after peak intensity on 13 May
Meteorological history
Formed7 May 2019
Remnant low14 May 2019
Dissipated18 May 2019
Category 2 tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (BOM)
Highest winds100 km/h (65 mph)
Highest gusts140 km/h (85 mph)
Lowest pressure990 hPa (mbar); 29.23 inHg
Tropical storm
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds110 km/h (70 mph)
Lowest pressure989 hPa (mbar); 29.21 inHg
Overall effects
FatalitiesNone
DamageNone
Areas affectedSolomon Islands, Queensland, Northern Territory, Eastern Indonesia, East Timor
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata / [1]
Part of the 2018–19 South Pacific and Australian region cyclone seasons

Tropical Cyclone Ann was a small off-season tropical cyclone that brought minor impacts to the Solomon Islands, Far North Queensland and coastal regions of the Northern Territory's Top End during May 2019. Ann was the twenty-fifth tropical low, eleventh tropical cyclone, ninth Category 2 tropical cyclone and second off-season tropical cyclone of the 2018–19 Australian region cyclone season. The system developed from a tropical low that formed on 7 May in the South Pacific cyclone region. The low gradually intensified while moving southwards, and strengthened into a tropical cyclone on 11 May.[2] The storm then turned to the west-northwest and continued to strengthen over the Coral Sea. Ann reached peak intensity on 12 May as a Category 2 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, with 10-minute sustained winds of 100 km/h (65 mph) and a central barometric pressure of 990 hPa (29.23 inHg).[1] One-minute sustained winds of 110 km/h (70 mph) made Ann equivalent to a strong tropical storm on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale.[3] The storm began to decay soon afterwards, and weakened to a gale-force tropical low on 14 May.[4] Ann made landfall near Lockhart River on Cape York Peninsula on 15 May, before re-emerging over water a few hours later.[5][6] Ann maintained a steady west-northwestwards track for several days before dissipating as a tropical low near East Timor on 18 May.

Impacts associated with Ann were minor, and no fatalities or damages were attributed to the system. Willis Island experienced marginal gale-force winds as Ann passed nearby on 13 May,[7][8] and several other islands closer to the Queensland coast experienced similar conditions. Heavy rainfall and gusty winds were experienced in many areas to the south of the remnant tropical low as it made landfall. Precipitation totals exceeding 50 mm (1.97 in) were recorded, with one 24-hour total reaching 93 mm (3.66 in). Increased winds also occurred in coastal areas of the Top End on 15–17 May. By maximum sustained winds, Ann was the strongest entirely off-season tropical cyclone in the Australian region since Alex in 2001, and the strongest to form in the region during May since Rhonda in 1997. Ann was also the first tropical system of any intensity to make landfall in Queensland during the off-season since Zane in 2013.

  1. ^ a b Joe Courtney (3 April 2023). Tropical Cyclone Ann (PDF) (Report). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Ann Forecast Track Map #1 (18Z)". Bureau of Meteorology. 11 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Ann Warning #5 (18Z)". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. 12 May 2019. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Ann Technical Bulletin #11 (03Z)". Bureau of Meteorology. 14 May 2019. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Ann Severe Weather Warning (0430Z)". Bureau of Meteorology. 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Northern Area High Seas Forecast (06Z)". Bureau of Meteorology. 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Willis Island weather observations". Bureau of Meteorology. 14 May 2019. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Ann Forecast Track Map #10 (21Z)". Bureau of Meteorology. 13 May 2019. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.