Cyclone Sam

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This article is about the tropical cyclone. For the flat ride, see
Tropical Storm Sam
.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Sam
Satellite image of a powerful cyclone near the coast of Western Australia. The storm is very mature, with a large area of deep thunderstorms and a well-defined, clear eye.
Cyclone Sam making landfall on Australia at peak intensity on 8 December
Meteorological history
Formed28 November 2000 (2000-11-28)
Dissipated14 December 2000 (2000-12-14)
Category 5 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (BOM)
Highest winds205 km/h (125 mph)
Highest gusts280 km/h (175 mph)
Lowest pressure935 hPa (mbar); 27.61 inHg
Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds205 km/h (125 mph)
Overall effects
FatalitiesNone
Areas affectedWestern Australia
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata
Part of the 2000–01 Australian region cyclone season

Severe Tropical Cyclone Sam (JTWC designation: 03S) was an intense

landfall near Lagrange, Western Australia
at the same intensity. Once inland, Sam was slow to weaken as it re-curved eastward, and persisted for nearly a week inland before dissipating on 14 December.

Throughout its existence, Cyclone Sam brought heavy rainfall to a wide swath of northern Australia. Rainfall peaked at 520 mm (20 in) in Shelamar over a 48-hour period ending on 11 December. Upon making landfall, damage was considerable, albeit localized. Most of the destruction wrought by Sam occurred near the coast, particularly in

retired
from the regional naming list.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

During an active

tropical storm at 1200 UTC the same day.[5]

Upon tropical cyclogenesis on 5 December, the surrounding atmospheric conditions were generally favorable for continued development; however, a northeasterly wind flow generated

Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale.[5] At the same intensity, Sam made landfall near Lagrange, Western Australia at 1300 UTC on 8 December.[4] Upon moving ashore, Sam began to slowly weaken over the Great Sandy Desert.[3] On 9 December, the JTWC ceased the monitoring of the system, as the weakened Sam began to curve eastward.[4] After a brief period of restrengthening over central Australia on 13 December, Sam finally weakened below tropical cyclone intensity the following day before dissipating shortly thereafter.[2]

Preparations and impact

As a precursor low-pressure area, Sam brought widespread rainfall throughout a wide swath of northern Australia. Due to its proximity to the coast throughout its existence, associated rainfall continued to affect the region throughout Sam's existence.

Bidyadanga and Anna Springs Station were evacuated via helicopter.[1][2][11] Upon landfall, though severe damage was wrought, damage was localized.[3] The lowest barometric pressure recorded was a measurement of 973 mbar (973 hPa; 28.7 inHg).[2] Some buildings were severely damaged,[1] and trees, power lines, sheds, and fences were downed by the strong winds. Staff quarters and sheds in the Anna Plains Station were demolished. The cattle station also lost electrical power during the storm.[3]

Roughly 600 mi (970 km) off the coast of western Australia, two illegal immigration vessels departing from Indonesia and bound for the Ashmore Islands was caught within Cyclone Sam. As a result, the two ships, in total carrying 167 illegal immigrants, sank. A nearby Japanese tanker was only able to rescue four survivors, and as such, the 163 others were assumed dead.[3][12] However, the stricken passengers were later found in Indonesia.[13] Five Britons aboard a ketch sailing from London to Sydney were shipwrecked by the storm on 6 December; the ketch was later refueled and repaired by HMAS Launceston.[14] Heavy rainfall caused by Sam resulted in flooding further inland. A weather station in Shelamar near the point of landfall recorded 520 mm (20 in) of precipitation in a 48-hour period ending during the morning hours of 11 December. However, this was likely only a 24-hour measurement due to a lack of human observation as a result of area evacuations.[2]

Retirement

Due to the destruction wrought by Sam, the name was

retired after the season. This made it the 34th tropical cyclone within the area of responsibility of TCWC Perth to have its name retired.[15]

See also
  • Tropical cyclones in 2000
  • Cyclone Annette (1994) – Strong tropical cyclone that caused heavy cattle losses in Western Australia
  • Cyclone Chris (2002) – One of the strongest tropical cyclones to impact Western Australia
  • Cyclone Fay (2004) – Late-season tropical cyclone that brought record rainfall to Western Australia

Notes

  1. ^ All wind measurements are sustained for ten minutes, unless otherwise noted.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Chappel, Lori-Carmen; Bate, Peter W. (November 2002). "The South Pacific and southeast Indian Ocean tropical cyclone season 2000-01" (PDF). Australian Meteorological Magazine. 52 (1). Darwin, Australia: Bureau of Meteorology: 33–47. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Perth Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre. Severe Tropical Cyclone Sam (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology Tropical Cyclone Report (Report). Perth, Australia: Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Padgett, Gary; Kersemakers, Mark; Smith, Carl (December 2000). "December, 2000". Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary. Australiansevereweather.com. Severe Tropical Cyclone Sam (TC-03S). Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d United States Pacific Meteorology; Oceanography Center (2001). Annual Tropical Cyclone Report For 2001 (PDF). Annual Tropical Cyclone Report (Report). Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: Joint Typhoon Warning Center. pp. 199–200, 258, 306. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Best Track Data For Cyclone 032001". JTWC Tropical Cyclone Best Track. Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  6. ^ National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service's Satellite Services Division (25 March 2013). "Dvorak Current Intensity Chart". United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 9 August 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Meteorology, corporateName=Bureau of. "Tropical Cyclones". www.bom.gov.au. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  8. ^ National Climatic Data Center. "2001 SAM (2000333S11140)". International Best Track Archive For Climate Stewardship. Asheville, North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Asheville. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Severe cyclone picks up speed as it nears Australia". Sydney, Australia. Cable News Network. 8 December 2000. Archived from the original on 13 February 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  10. ^ Day, Selina (5 December 2000). "WA: Sam poses immediate threat to shipping". Perth, Australia. Australian Associated Press. Nationwide General News. (subscription required)
  11. ^ "Cyclone Sam Lashes Australia Coast". Associated Press News. Perth, Australia. 8 December 2000. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  12. ^ "163 Feared Dead in Australian Boat Tragedy". Canberra, Australia. American Broadcasting Channel. 13 December 2000. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  13. ^ Fyfe, Melissa (4 January 2001). "Missing refugees alive, says Ruddock". The Age. Melbourne, Australia. (subscription required)
  14. ^ "Five Britons shipwrecked off northern Australia". Perth, Australia. Agence France-Pesse. 6 December 2000. International News. (subscription required)
  15. ^ Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization. "List of Tropical Cyclone names withdrawn from use due to cyclone's negative impact on one or more countries (Attachment 2B)" (PDF). Tropical Cyclone Operational Plan For The South Pacific And South-East Indian Ocean (Report). Geneva, Switzerland: World Meteorological Organization. p. 2B-1. Retrieved 9 August 2013.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cyclone_Sam&oldid=1193115041"