Summary
Severe Tropical Cyclone Ingrid caused significant impact on the Australian coast in March 2005. It was unusual in that it is the only cyclone in recorded history to impact, as a severe tropical cyclone, on the coastline of three different States or Territories. It crossed the Queensland east coast south of Lockhart River at Category 4; moved across the Gulf into the Northern Territory and impacted on the small islands north of the Arnhem Land coast as a Category 5 cyclone; weakened slightly to Category 4 as it crossed Croker Island and the Cobourg Peninsula; was at Category 3 intensity as it traversed the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin; and finally reintensified to Category 4, before making a final landfall on the West Australian Kimberley coast at that intensity.
Ingrid was a small cyclone in size, but very intense, not unlike Cyclone Tracy that devastated Darwin in 1974. For this reason, communities more than 100 km from Ingrid 's path (like Darwin) were affected only slightly. Also, while some significant rainfall was reported, (eg 445mm in 24 hours at Emma Gorge in the Kimberley) the amounts were not as remarkable as those reported after some other larger, but less intense cyclones in the past.
Large sea swells outside of Australia's warning area caused a boat to capsize near Kerema in Papua New Guinea, resulting in the loss of five lives. Despite the widespread impact area of this cyclone, and the wind strengths experienced, there have been no reports of serious injury or death in Australia. Community feedback has shown that this was largely due to the accuracy and timeliness of the Cyclone Watches and Warnings.
For more information see the TC Ingrid Report (pdf)
Track and intensity
AAll times in UTC - add 9.5 hours to convert to CST.
