Cyclone Orson

Cyclone Orson

Severe Tropical Cyclone Orson was the fourth most intense cyclone ever recorded in the Australian region. Five people were killed offshore and damages amounted to A$20 million. Despite Orson’s extreme intensity, damage was relatively minimal as it struck a sparsely populated region of Western Australia.

About Cyclone Orson in brief

Summary Cyclone OrsonSevere Tropical Cyclone Orson was the fourth most intense cyclone ever recorded in the Australian region. Formed out of a tropical low on 17 April 1989, Orson gradually intensified as it tracked towards the west. After attaining Category 5 intensity on 20 April, the storm began to track southward and accelerated. The following day, the cyclone reached its peak intensity with winds of 250 kmh and a barometric pressure of 904 hPa. Orson maintained this intensity for nearly two days before making landfall near Dampier on 23 April. Five people were killed offshore and damages amounted to A$20 million. The storm damaged a new gas platform, delaying the project for nearly 2 weeks. Despite Orson’s extreme intensity, damage was relatively minimal as it struck a sparsely populated region of Western Australia.

Following the storm, cleanup costs reached A$5 million. Due to the severity of the storm,. the name Orson was retired after the season. The remnants of Orson moved over the Great Australian Bight on 24 April. Several hours after moving back over water,. the storm dissipated. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology uses 10-minute sustained winds, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center uses one- minute sustained winds. The conversion factor between the two is 1-14. The Bureau of meteorology’s peak intensity for Orson. was 250  kmh or 290 kmH, or 220 km h, for the JTWC’s sustained one-minute winds.