EMILY
1971-72 season · AU197172_15U
History
Severe Tropical Cyclone Emily was among the most intense systems to affect the Queensland coast during the 1971–72 Australian region cyclone season. It developed from a tropical low embedded in the monsoon trough over the central Coral Sea on 27 March 1972. Drifting southwestward across unusually warm waters, the disturbance consolidated quickly and was named by the Bureau of Meteorology's Brisbane warning centre on 28 March, when it attained cyclone strength.
Intensification was rapid. Within roughly 48 hours of being named, Emily had deepened into a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone, reaching that strength late on 29 March. The system maintained its peak over the southern Coral Sea on 30 and 31 March, with a minimum central pressure of about 945 hPa and maximum sustained winds estimated near 160–170 km/h, accompanied by gusts of 220–240 km/h close to the core. With a high-pressure ridge positioned to its southeast, Emily was steered on an unusually direct south-southwestward path toward the Capricornia coast.
The cyclone crossed the coast near Gladstone and the Capricorn Coast on 1 April while still a severe tropical cyclone. Once inland, it weakened rapidly as it encountered the Great Dividing Range, degenerating into a low-pressure system on 2 April and dissipating over southern inland Queensland.
Emily's most serious consequence occurred offshore. The cyclone generated violent seas across the southern Great Barrier Reef, and eight lives were lost when the trawler Koolama capsized near the Capricorn Group. Onshore, destructive gusts exceeding 200 km/h struck Gladstone, Rockhampton and nearby coastal communities, removing roofs from hundreds of houses, collapsing industrial buildings, uprooting trees and causing extensive damage to the electricity network. Storm surge and wind-driven waves produced severe beach erosion along the southern Queensland coastline, with Hervey Bay and Fraser Island (K'gari) particularly affected. Heavy rainbands associated with the system triggered widespread flash flooding that cut rail and road links and temporarily isolated several coastal towns.
Emily was one of a number of significant systems during a very active 1971–72 season in the Australian region.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (46 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-03-27 23:00:00 | 1 | -11.0, 157.5 | 1000 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 02:00:00 | 1 | -11.3, 157.8 | 999 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 05:00:00 | 1 | -11.6, 158.0 | 998 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 08:00:00 | 1 | -11.9, 158.2 | 999 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 11:00:00 | 1 | -12.1, 158.5 | 999 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 14:00:00 | 1 | -12.2, 158.7 | 997 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 17:00:00 | 1 | -12.3, 158.8 | 995 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 20:00:00 | 1 | -12.4, 158.9 | 992 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-28 23:00:00 | 1 | -12.5, 159.0 | 990 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 02:00:00 | 1 | -12.6, 159.1 | 985 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 05:00:00 | 1 | -12.9, 159.2 | 980 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 08:00:00 | 1 | -12.9, 159.2 | 975 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 11:00:00 | 1 | -13.0, 159.2 | 970 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 14:00:00 | 1 | -13.1, 159.2 | 965 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 17:00:00 | 1 | -13.2, 159.2 | 960 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 20:00:00 | 1 | -13.3, 159.2 | 956 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-29 23:00:00 | 1 | -13.5, 159.2 | 953 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 02:00:00 | 1 | -13.8, 159.1 | 950 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 05:00:00 | 1 | -14.2, 159.0 | 948 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 08:00:00 | 1 | -14.6, 158.8 | 946 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 11:00:00 | 1 | -15.0, 158.6 | 944 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 14:00:00 | 1 | -15.4, 158.5 | 943 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 17:00:00 | 1 | -15.7, 158.3 | 942 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 20:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 158.2 | 942 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-30 23:00:00 | 1 | -16.5, 158.0 | 942 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 02:00:00 | 1 | -16.8, 157.5 | 943 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 05:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 157.1 | 944 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 08:00:00 | 1 | -17.8, 156.6 | 945 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 11:00:00 | 1 | -18.3, 156.1 | 947 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 14:00:00 | 1 | -18.7, 155.7 | 949 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 17:00:00 | 1 | -19.2, 155.2 | 950 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 20:00:00 | 1 | -19.7, 154.7 | 952 hPa | — |
| 1972-03-31 23:00:00 | 1 | -20.1, 154.2 | 954 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 02:00:00 | 1 | -20.7, 153.8 | 955 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 05:00:00 | 1 | -21.0, 153.5 | 957 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 08:00:00 | 1 | -21.4, 153.2 | 959 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 11:00:00 | 1 | -21.8, 152.8 | 961 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 14:00:00 | 1 | -22.1, 152.6 | 964 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 17:00:00 | 1 | -22.5, 152.3 | 967 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 20:00:00 | 1 | -22.8, 152.0 | 970 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-01 23:00:00 | 1 | -23.3, 151.7 | 974 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-02 02:00:00 | 3 | -24.0, 151.3 | 985 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-02 05:00:00 | 2 | -24.5, 151.1 | 993 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-02 08:00:00 | 2 | -24.8, 151.1 | 999 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-02 11:00:00 | 2 | -25.2, 151.2 | 1002 hPa | — |
| 1972-04-02 14:00:00 | 2 | -25.3, 151.3 | 1004 hPa | — |