MARK

History

Tropical Cyclone Mark developed within the monsoon trough over the Timor Sea, to the west of Melville Island, on 6 January 1992. The system moved quickly eastward across northern Australia and emerged into the Gulf of Carpentaria at 1200 UTC on 7 January. Over the warm waters of the Gulf, satellite imagery showed the low gradually becoming better organised, and it was classified as a Category 1 cyclone and named Mark at 0600 UTC on 8 January as it neared the central Gulf.

After being named, Mark slowed considerably and turned onto a slightly northeasterly heading, a change attributed to strengthened ridging to its south. It held this course for roughly the next 40 hours before turning toward the Cape York Peninsula coast. At 2100 UTC on 9 January, Mark made landfall on the western side of the peninsula a short distance south of Weipa. At the time of crossing, maximum sustained winds were estimated at 100 km/h and the central pressure at 980 hPa, representing the system's peak strength. Mark degraded rapidly once over land, being downgraded to a tropical depression at 1200 UTC on 10 January before dissipating later the same day.

Weipa recorded damage that was minor in severity but widespread in extent, with falling trees accounting for much of the harm done to houses and power lines. The most costly effect came from high seas, which inflicted an estimated A$3.5 million in damage on the port facilities at Weipa. Mark was one of several tropical cyclones to affect Australian waters during the 1991–92 season.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia