Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Climatology | Impacts | Extremes| TCs affecting WA towns | Forecast Accuracy
Frequently Asked Questions | Annual summaries

Definitions | Characteristics and Formation | Climatology | Extremes | Forecasting | More Information

Characteristics and Formation

4. How long do tropical cyclones last?

The lifetime of a cyclone is determined by how favourable the atmospheric environment is, movement, sea surface temperatures. While most cyclones undergo a life-cycle of 3-7 days some weak ones only briefly reach gale force while others can be sustained for weeks if they remain in a favourable environment. The longest being Hurricane Ginger (1971) that lasted for 30 days. More recently Hurricane Ivan (2004), that moved through the Gulf of Mexico crossing the Alabama coast, was a very long lasting intense hurricane having estimated winds of at least 200 km/h for over 7 days.

The remarkable cyclone of 1956 affected a large part of the Western Australian coastline from Derby to Perth from 17 February to 5 March.

"The circuitous route of the cyclone of February /March 1956. This cyclone affected the Australian mainland for 17 days, traversing virtually the whole Western Australian coastline".