DIANNE

History

Severe Tropical Cyclone Dianne formed in early April 2002 in the central Indian Ocean, developing from an area of convection roughly 350 kilometres northeast of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The Perth Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre officially named the system on 7 April, after which it tracked south-westward across open ocean. That same day, the storm's centre passed approximately 30 kilometres south of the Cocos Islands. Although BOM issued cyclone warnings for the territory, the cyclone's compact structure meant wind speeds at the islands did not reach gale force, and no injuries, fatalities, or structural damage were recorded there.

As Dianne continued its south-westward track, it crossed the 90°E longitude boundary late on 8 April, moving out of the Australian area of responsibility and into the South-West Indian Ocean zone monitored by Météo-France. Upon crossing, the system was renamed Tropical Cyclone Jery. It then underwent rapid intensification, reaching peak intensity between 9 and 11 April as a Category 4 equivalent system, with wind gusts approaching 195–210 km/h, before encountering cooler waters and dissipating on 11 April over open ocean. Within Australian waters, Dianne was rated a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone. The storm never made landfall and caused no reported casualties or damage, making it notable primarily as an example of a dual-named boundary-crossing system between Australian and South-West Indian Ocean meteorological jurisdictions.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia