 Track maps of Tropical Cyclone Audrey | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 6 January 1964 |
| Extratropical | 14 January |
| Dissipated | 16 January 1964 |
| Category 2 tropical cyclone | |
| 10-minute sustained (BOM) | |
| Highest winds | 100 km/h (65 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 984 hPa (mbar); 29.06 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | None reported |
| Damage | £150,000 |
| Areas affected | Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, New Zealand |
Part of the 1963–64 Australian region cyclone season | |
Tropical Cyclone Audrey, also referred to by other media as Little Audrey,[1] was a strong tropical cyclone that caused flooding and destruction on its path, from Queensland to New South Wales during early-to-mid January 1964.[2][3] Audrey was first noted as a developing disturbance to the west of Moa Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria on January 7; however, the system formed a day prior. It moved east, passing to the north of Thursday Island before heading southeast, making a clockwise loop while making landfall in the Cape York Peninsula before strengthening to a Category 1 tropical cyclone, with the Bureau of Meteorology naming it Audrey. It moved south-southwestwards while slowly intensifying, becoming a Category 2 tropical cyclone before making landfall at Mornington Island on January 11. Land interaction degraded Audrey; however, it remained below severe tropical cyclone intensity until it made a second landfall on Gangalidda on that day before weakening inland. However, the present-day brown ocean effect prevented Audrey from weakening as it progressed through the eastern Northern Territory before degrading to a Category 1 tropical cyclone as it turned southeastwards, drifting through southern Queensland before entering New South Wales on the afternoon of January 14 as it slowed down. Extratropical transition took place as Audrey restrengthened to a Category 2 tropical cyclone while drifting southeastwards, becoming fully extratropical as it emerged through the Coral Sea near Coffs Harbour on that day. It then brushed North Island of New Zealand as an extratropical storm before dissipating on January 16 in the Southern Pacific Ocean.
Torrential rainfall and gusty winds up to 60 miles per hour were experienced in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales as Audrey takes a southward track. Hundreds of individuals evacuated as many rivers overflowed. Many sheep and cattle were killed, while roads were submerged in floodwaters. No reports of damages were reported in North Island in New Zealand, however. The damages from Audrey were described as extensive, and no fatalities were reported from the storm.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:6was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Audrey Departs". The Spokesman-Review. 1964-01-16. p. 28. Archived from the original on 2021-05-10. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
- ^ "Cyclone Winds Hit". Fort Lauderdale News. 1964-01-15. p. 8. Archived from the original on 2021-05-10. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
