Summary
Tropical Cyclone Paul was a small short-lived tropical cyclone in the eastern Coral Sea that caused no known impacts.
A tropical low (designated AU202324_13U) formed over the Louisiade Archipelago of the Milne Bay province of Papua New Guinea late on 9 April. The low moved south into the northeast Coral Sea and developed in favourable environmental conditions. Deep convection was sustained near the centre during 10 April and tropical cyclone intensity was estimated at 1800 UTC 10 April. Satellite winds from scatterometry indicated that Tropical Cyclone Paul was a very small system with gales only extending 30-40 nm (55-75 km) from the centre.
Paul reached category 2 intensity during 11 April as it continued to move to the southeast. Late in the day the combination of increasing northwesterly vertical wind shear and the entrainment of dry air into the circulation rapidly weakened the circulation. By 0000 UTC 12 April Paul was estimated to be below tropical cyclone intensity and then dissipated later that day as the shallow circulation was steered to the northwest.
The track shows the southeast motion from 9-11 April followed by an abrupt reversal in motion to the northwest on 12 April.
For more information see the TC Paul Report.
Track and Intensity
