Summary
A tropical low formed in an active monsoon trough approximately 500 kilometres (km) north northeast of the Cocos Keeling Islands during 16 December. The tropical low moved steadily to the southwest while slowly strengthening. The low reached tropical cyclone strength at 0000 Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) (0630 Cocos Central Time (CCT)=UTC+6.5 hours) 18 December.
Bruce began to accelerate to the west southwest and crossed into La Reunion’s area of responsibility (AOR) just after 1800 UTC 19 December with an intensity of 85 knots (kn) (157 kilometres per hour (km/h)). Bruce continued to intensify in La Reunion’s AOR and reached a 10-minute mean wind peak intensity of 120 kn (220 km/h) on 20 and 21 December. The tropical cyclone turned to the south as it came under the influence of a mid-latitude trough and weakened below tropical cyclone strength on 25 December in the central Indian Ocean.
Bruce produced a period of gales at the Cocos Keeling Islands between 0350 and 0800 UTC 18 December as it passed approximately 200 km to the northwest. The strongest recorded wind gust was 47 kn (87 km/h) at 0518 UTC 18 December. The islands recorded 68.8millimetres (mm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am CCT 18 December with a further 56.2mm to 9am CCT 19 December. There were no reports of damage from the Cocos Keeling Islands during this event.
For more information see the TC Bruce Report (pdf).
Track and Intensity
