Cyclone Larry

Cyclone Larry

Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry (RSMC Nadi designation: 15F, JTWC designation: 17P) was a tropical cyclone that made landfall in Australia during the 2005–06 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season. Larry originated as a low pressure system over the eastern Coral Sea on 16 March and was monitored by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in Brisbane, Australia. The low-pressure area formed into a tropical cyclone two days later and quickly strengthened into a Category 5 storm on the Australian tropical cyclone scale. Larry made landfall in Far North Queensland close to Innisfail on 20 March as a Category 4 with wind gusts reaching 240 kilometres per hour (150 mph) and dissipated over land soon after.

Throughout Queensland, Cyclone Larry resulted in roughly A$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion USD) in damage. At the time, this made Larry the costliest tropical cyclone to ever impact Australia; surpassing Cyclone Tracy in 1974 (not accounting for inflation).