Summary
Severe Tropical Cyclone Bakung was a small Indian Ocean cyclone named by Indonesia that had no impact to island communities. It was notable for having two short-lived peaks at severe tropical cyclone intensity.
A tropical low developed west of Sumatra and well to the northeast of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on 10-11 December. Gales were detected by scatterometry on 12 December and Jakarta Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (BMKG, Indonesia) named the cyclone 'Bakung' later that day. Bakung initially moved to the south southwest then adopted a west southwest track on 12 December passing well to the north of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands overnight 12–13 December.
Under favourable environmental conditions of low wind shear, Bakung developed rapidly on 13 December peaking at category 4 intensity with maximum winds of 90* kn (165 km/h) on 14 December. At this time Bakung had moved south of 10°S into the Australian area of responsibility.
Bakung then weakened as wind shear increased and the track slowed, before taking an abrupt turn to the east-southeast overnight 14–15 December. The system weakened to category 1 intensity during 15–16 December, before being steered southwest on 16 December. Overnight 16–17 December, shear eased again and Bakung briefly re-intensified to category 3 intensity early on 17 December. On 17 December the shear increased again and Bakung rapidly weakened to a tropical low as it tracked to the northwest. The circulation dissipated on 18 December as it moved north of 10°S out of the Australian region.
Bakung was a compact system, the extent of gales only being on the order of 30-40 nm (55-75 km). The radius to maximum winds was less than 10 nm (20 km) when it peaked on 14 December and then again on 17 December.
There were no impacts to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Bakung was the second tropical cyclone of the Australian 2025/26 season.
*Note: A comprehensive report will be issued for this event upon completion of a post event reanalysis. All information relating to intensity and track is preliminary information and subject to change following post analysis.
Track and intensity (Time in UTC)
