Summary
Tropical Cyclone Lincoln was a long-lasting system that briefly reached tropical cyclone intensity as it crossed the southern Gulf of Carpentaria coast. It then moved west over northern Australia, emerging into waters off the Kimberley coast but failing to redevelop before ultimately turning south to cross the Gascoyne coast of Western Australia.
A tropical low, 07U, formed in the western Gulf of Carpentaria on 14 February. The low developed and reached tropical cyclone intensity and was named Tropical Cyclone Lincoln on 16 February. Soon afterwards Lincoln made landfall over the remote Northern Territory coast between Port McArthur and the Queensland border.
Lincoln weakened below tropical cyclone intensity late on 16 February inland from Borroloola. It then tracked to the west southwest across the Northern Territory, then into the Kimberley (Western Australia) on 20 February. The system brought daily rainfall totals of 100 to 200 mm near its path from Queensland's Gulf Country, through the Northern Territory to the Kimberley. Floodwaters isolated some communities and closed roads including the Stuart Hwy (NT) and the Great Northern Highway (WA) for a period.
The low moved off the west Kimberley coast during 21 February and while it was forecast to redevelop into a tropical cyclone, it remained as a tropical low over water north of the Pilbara coast over following days. On 24 February it turned towards the south and crossed the Gascoyne coast north of Carnarvon late that night before weakening overland during 25 February. A narrow strip of rainfall with falls over 50 mm, that included Carnarvon, was generally welcomed in a region that had been under drought conditions.
Tropical Cyclone Lincoln was the fourth tropical cyclone of the Australian 2023-24 season and the third to cross the Australian coast.
For more information see the TC Lincoln Report (docx).
Track and Intensity
