Summary
Nathan was a weak cyclone which spent six days in the Coral Sea at minimum cyclone intensity. A favourable upper pattern resulted in the rapid development of a low embedded in the monsoon trough just east of northern Cape York Peninsula on 21 March. Yali had just developed to the east near Vanuatu during the previous day. Movement was initially slow and erratic within an environment of weak steering. Nathan intensified to its maximum intensity of 21 m/s six hours after initial development and remained near this intensity for several days as middle level shear restricted further intensification. The cyclone tracked southeast parallel to a relatively unpopulated area of the far North Queensland coast then away from the coast to the east, as Yali dragged the monsoon trough to the south. Mid-level shear resulted in the displacement of the low-level circulation away from the deep convection on 26 March and Nathan eventually weakened to a tropical depression on 27 March. Ex- Nathan moved in a general westward direction until it dissipated close to the coast in the vicinity of Princess Charlotte Bay, just south of where it formed. No damage or casualties were reported.
Track and intensity
