Cyclone Hamish

Cyclone Hamish

Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish (BoM designation: 17U; JTWC designation: 18P) was the first Category 5 cyclone within the Australian region since Cyclone George in 2007. The seventeenth tropical low and eight named storm of the 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season, Hamish developed out of an area of low pressure on 4 March near the Cape York Peninsula. The storm rapidly developed into a Category 1 cyclone on the Australian intensity scale the next day. On 6 March, an eye developed and Hamish strengthened into a Category 3 cyclone. Deep convection formed around the eye, fuelling further intensification which allowed the storm to become a Category 5 cyclone late on 7 March.