QUENTON
1993-94 season · AU199394_05U
History
Severe Tropical Cyclone Quenton developed during the 1993–94 Australian region cyclone season, forming from a tropical low in the monsoon trough off the Kimberley coast on 23 January 1994. The system organised rapidly in favourable conditions of low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures, reaching tropical cyclone intensity and being named on 24 January. Tracking west-southwest parallel to the Western Australian coast, Quenton intensified to a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on 26 January, with sustained winds of around 140 km/h and gusts exceeding 195 km/h, and a minimum central pressure of approximately 955 hPa. A distinct eye feature was visible on satellite imagery during its peak phase, while the system remained several hundred kilometres offshore.
From late on 27 January, increasing upper-level wind shear associated with a southern atmospheric trough disrupted the storm's structure, causing rapid weakening. Quenton fell below cyclone intensity and dissipated over open ocean by 29 January without making landfall. Because the cyclone tracked well offshore throughout its lifetime, no structural damage or casualties were recorded on the mainland. Offshore oil and gas facilities on the North West Shelf and commercial shipping in the region were placed on cyclone warnings at the storm's peak, with non-essential personnel evacuated from platforms as a precaution and vessel traffic temporarily rerouted.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (27 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-01-23 00:00:00 | 1 | -10.5, 110.2 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1994-01-24 00:00:00 | 1 | -12.1, 108.8 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1994-01-24 12:00:00 | 1 | -12.8, 107.5 | 1000 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1994-01-25 00:00:00 | 1 | -12.8, 106.6 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1994-01-25 06:00:00 | 1 | -12.9, 106.6 | 990 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1994-01-25 12:00:00 | 1 | -13.0, 106.6 | 985 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1994-01-25 15:00:00 | 1 | -13.3, 106.5 | 980 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1994-01-25 18:00:00 | 1 | -13.7, 106.5 | 975 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1994-01-25 21:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 106.5 | 970 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 00:00:00 | 1 | -14.4, 106.4 | 965 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 03:00:00 | 1 | -14.7, 106.2 | 965 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 06:00:00 | 1 | -15.1, 105.9 | 960 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 09:00:00 | 1 | -15.6, 105.6 | 955 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 12:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 105.1 | 955 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 15:00:00 | 1 | -16.6, 104.6 | 960 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 18:00:00 | 1 | -17.0, 104.2 | 965 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1994-01-26 21:00:00 | 1 | -17.4, 103.8 | 970 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 00:00:00 | 1 | -17.8, 103.3 | 975 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 03:00:00 | 1 | -18.1, 102.9 | 980 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 06:00:00 | 1 | -18.4, 102.5 | 985 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 09:00:00 | 1 | -18.6, 102.0 | 990 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 12:00:00 | 1 | -18.9, 101.5 | 990 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 15:00:00 | 1 | -19.2, 101.0 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 18:00:00 | 1 | -19.6, 100.4 | 1000 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1994-01-27 21:00:00 | 1 | -20.0, 99.7 | 1000 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1994-01-28 00:00:00 | 1 | -20.3, 99.1 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1994-01-28 12:00:00 | 1 | -21.2, 96.9 | 1010 hPa | — |