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Cyclone Marcus

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Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcus
Marcus at record-peak intensity off the Western Australian coast on 22 March
Meteorological history
Formed14 March 2018 (2018-03-14)
Extratropical24 March 2018 (2018-03-24)
Dissipated27 March 2018 (2018-03-27)
Category 5 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (Aus)
Highest winds250 km/h (155 mph)
Highest gusts350 km/h (220 mph)
Lowest pressure905 hPa (mbar); 26.72 inHg
(Fifth-lowest pressure in Australian basin)
Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds280 km/h (175 mph)
Lowest pressure906 hPa (mbar); 26.75 inHg
Overall effects
FatalitiesNone
Damage$75 million
Areas affectedNorthern Territory, Western Australia
Part of the 2017–18 Australian region cyclone season

Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcus was a very powerful tropical cyclone that struck Australia's Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia in March 2018. It was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2017–18 Australian region cyclone season, the strongest tropical cyclone in the Australian region basin since George in 2007 and is tied with Cyclone Monica as the strongest cyclone in the Australian Region in terms of 10-minute maximum sustained winds. It was also considered the worst cyclone to hit Darwin since Tracy in 1974.[1] It was also the strongest tropical cyclone since Tracy to hit Darwin, making landfall there as a Category 2 tropical cyclone.[2] Marcus formed on March 14 from a tropical low situated over the northeast Timor Sea, which quickly moved southeast and strengthened into a tropical cyclone the next day.[2]

Meteorological history

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Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

On 15 March 2018, a tropical low formed in the western Arafura Sea.[3] Drifting east-southeastwards north of the Tiwi Islands, the tropical low strengthened into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale early on 16 March, and was accordingly given the name Marcus.[4] In a generally favourable environment for intensification, Cyclone Marcus reached Category 2 status in the hours before it crossed the Northern Territory coastline, on 17 March.[5] On 16 March, Marcus moved down towards the Australian coast, and rapidly intensified before making landfall in Darwin as a weak Category 2 tropical cyclone.[2]

Marcus intensified markedly upon moving away from the coast. Soon, the storm started to rapidly intensify, and by 21 March, Marcus reached Category 5 tropical cyclone intensity.[6] However, after doing so, the storm began to rapidly weaken due to a combination of an eyewall replacement cycle, stronger wind shear, and cooler waters.[7] Marcus continued to rapidly weaken as it moved southward. The system soon transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on March 25, though Marcus' remnant would continue moving southeastward for another couple of days. On March 27, the extratropical remnant of Marcus dissipated off the southwest coast of Australia.[8]

Preparation and impact

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A large tree blocks the Stuart Highway in Darwin about three hours after the cyclone passed Darwin.

Before the storm, on 15 March, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued cyclone warnings for Darwin, the Tiwi Islands, and parts of the northwest Top End.[9] Major events and flights in and out of Darwin were cancelled.[10] Approximately 26,000 homes were affected by electricity outages as a result of the destructive winds, even in areas as far south as Batchelor and Adelaide River.[11] Thousands of trees were destroyed across the Greater Darwin region including many African mahoganies planted after Cyclone Tracy for their fast growing and expansive shade qualities.[12][13]

Most intense Australian cyclones
Rank Cyclone Year Min. pressure
1 Gwenda 1999 900 hPa (26.58 inHg)
Inigo 2003
3 George 2007 902 hPa (26.64 inHg)
4 Orson 1989 905 hPa (26.72 inHg)
Marcus 2018
6 Theodore 1994 910 hPa (26.87 inHg)
Vance 1999
Fay 2004
Glenda 2006
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology[14]

Public schools and non-essential public service agencies were closed while the clean-up efforts continued and tree trunks removed from roads.[11] Cyclone Marcus was the most destructive storm to hit Darwin since Cyclone Tracy caused devastation on Christmas Eve of 1974.[15] The insurance loss were over A$85 million (US$65.6 million).[16] In all, Marcus caused an estimated total of A$97.46 million (US$75 million) in damages.[17]

The Palmerston City Council election, scheduled for 17 March, was postponed by a week until 24 March because of Marcus.[18]

Fallen trees and power lines after Marcus in Parap

The cleanup response was coordinated by the Northern Territory Emergency Services and included soldiers from the 5th Battalion and the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment of the Australian Army. The US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) also contributed to the cleanup effort.[19]

Retirement

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Due to the damage caused by the cyclone in Darwin and its subsequent intensification, the name Marcus was retired and was replaced with Marco.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cyclone Marcus the worst since Tracy". NT News. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcus". Bureau of Meteorology. BOM. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. ^ Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin at 1430 UTC 15/03/2018 (Report). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  4. ^ Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin at 0202 UTC 16/03/2018 (Report). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Media Release - Bureau of Meteorology Newsroom". media.bom.gov.au.
  6. ^ "Cyclone Marcus has hit category five and is heading for Perth, but you don't need to panic". ABC News. 21 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Marcus". Storm Science Australia. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Marcus Impacts". www.bom.gov.au. Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Media Release - Bureau of Meteorology Newsroom". media.bom.gov.au.
  10. ^ Butt, Phillippa; Dunlop, Craig (16 March 2018). "Cyclone Marcus causes NTFL Grand Final to be postponed". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Tropical Cyclone Marcus - Update #12 | NTPFES". www.pfes.nt.gov.au. Archived from the original on 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  12. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Marcus – Clean up – Update #11 | NTPFES". www.pfes.nt.gov.au. Archived from the original on 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  13. ^ Palin, Megan (13 January 2015). "Post-cyclone plantings now wreaking havoc". NT News. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Australian Tropical Cyclone Database" (CSV). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2023-06-30. A guide on how to read the database is available here.
  15. ^ Breen, Jacqueline; Vanovac, Neda; Wellington, Shanhi (21 March 2018). "Ants, snakes, and bone-chilling howls: Cyclone Marcus questions answered". ABC News.
  16. ^ "Cyclone Marcus to cost more than $85 million". Insurance & Risk Professional. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Global Catastrophe Recap April 2018" (PDF). thoughtleadership.aonbenfield.com. Aon Benfield. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  18. ^ "City of Palmerston Election DEFERRED". City of Palmerston.
  19. ^ Smith, Emily; Vanovac, Neda (19 March 2018). "Tropical Cyclone Marcus clean-up continues, residents remains without power". Australia Broadcasting Corporation. ABC News. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  20. ^ "REVIEW OF THE 2016/2017 AND 2017/2018 CYCLONE SEASONS" (PDF). World Meteorological Organization. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
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