Koji

History

Tropical Cyclone Koji formed in mid-January 2026 during an exceptionally active Australian region cyclone season that saw six named systems develop by early January. Koji was a relatively weak system that tracked toward and impacted Queensland. The season in which Koji formed was characterised by record-warm sea surface temperatures and a strongly negative Indian Ocean Dipole, conditions that drove an unusually high rate of cyclone development across the broader Australian region. Koji's formation came amid a rapid succession of named storms, following systems such as Iggy and Jenna in early January. While Koji brought impacts to Queensland, it was considered a weaker cyclone compared to other significant storms of the season, such as Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina, which caused AU$84 million in damage after striking the Northern Territory in November, and Severe Tropical Cyclone Bakung, which peaked at Category 4 intensity in December. Koji was followed by Tropical Cyclone Luana, which struck near Broome on 25 January. The 2025–26 season was the fourth consecutive year to produce five or more severe tropical cyclones, and ultimately saw eleven named storms and seven severe tropical cyclones form across the Australian region.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia