BERNIE

History

A weak tropical low formed over the Gulf of Carpentaria on 30 December 2001, northeast of Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. The system drifted slowly southward across the Gulf over the following days, gradually organising, and was named Tropical Cyclone Bernie on 3 January 2002.

Bernie reached its greatest strength early on 4 January as a Category 2 system, with gusts estimated at around 130 km/h. By this stage it had adopted a south-westward motion across the southern Gulf, passing close to Mornington Island, and began to weaken as it approached the mainland. Early on 5 January the cyclone crossed the coast near the Queensland–Northern Territory border as a Category 1 system. It degenerated into a rain depression soon afterwards and continued inland, tracking south into the Barkly district on 6 January.

As Bernie neared Mornington Island on 4 January, cyclone warnings were in force between the Northern Territory border and Kowanyama, Queensland, before being shifted westward later that day to cover the coast from Port McArthur in the Northern Territory to the mouth of the Gilbert–Einasleigh River. Many Mornington Island residents were moved into a more substantial shelter as a precaution, and communities between Port McArthur and Karumba were alerted to the risk of a dangerous storm surge.

Mornington Island recorded over 300 mm of rain in 24 hours and gusts near 100 km/h, with some houses losing power, though damage was minor and no injuries or deaths were reported. Karumba suffered damage from the storm surge, particularly to its beach. Flooded roads cut off the Queensland towns of Burketown and Doomadgee for about a fortnight. Inland, the outcome was disappointing for graziers: pastoralists in the Gulf country had hoped Bernie would deliver substantial rain, particularly after bushfires burned through the region during November and December 2001, but falls proved light. Rainfall further south around Roma did assist local cattle prices.

Bernie was one of several tropical cyclones in a slightly below-average Australian region season.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia