Summary
Like Betsy , tropical cyclone Mark formed within the monsoon trough in response to enhanced equatorial westerly flow between the trough and typhoon Axel in the northwest Pacific. The incipient depression was first analysed in the Timor Sea 'to the west of Melville Island on 6 January. The system tracked rapidly eastwards across the northern 'Top End' of Australia, entering the Gulf of Carpentaria at 1200 UTC 7 January. Once over water, satellite imagery indicated that the system slowly organised and by 0600 UTC 8 January, whilst approaching the central Gulf of Carpentaria, it was named. Tropical cyclone Mark was the only cyclone to be named by Brisbane TCWC during 1991-92.
Upon naming, Mark slowed and adopted a slightly northeastward track in response to enhanced ridging to the south. This track was maintained for the next 40 hours and at 2100 UTC 9 January, Mark crossed the western coast of Cape York Peninsula just south of Weipa. Maximum sustained winds at landfall were estimated at 28 m/s with a central pressure of 980 hPa. Tropical cyclone Mark weakened as it crossed the peninsula and was downgraded to a tropical depression at 1200 UTC 10 January.
The town of Weipa sustained widespread minor damage with falling trees largely responsible for damage to houses and power lines. Wave action caused an estimated $A3.5 million damage to the Kaolin loading facility at Weipa port.
Track and intensity
