The 2024–25 Australian region cyclone season was an above-average and damaging tropical cyclone season, producing 12 tropical cyclones and 8 severe tropical cyclones. Notably, it was the first above-average season in almost two decades, with the highest number of both tropical cyclones and severe tropical cyclones since the 2005–06 season. It was also the third consecutive season with at least five severe tropical cyclones. The season officially began on 1 November 2024 and ended on 30 April 2025. However, tropical cyclone formation is possible at any time, with any system forming between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 counted as part of the season, as evidenced by Tropical Low 33U which developed in early May.
The first storm of the season, Robyn, was first noted by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) on 23 November 2024, eventually intensifying into a tropical cyclone 5 days later and peaking as a category 2. The precursor to Robyn caused heavy rainfall that killed 41 people in Indonesia. Multiple tropical lows developed during December, including 07U, which was classified as a tropical storm by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). The second tropical cyclone of the season, 09U, developed on 8 January. Operationally considered a tropical low, it was upgraded to a tropical cyclone in post-analysis. Later in January, Cyclone Sean formed and peaked as a category 4, becoming the first of eight severe tropical cyclones. 5 tropical cyclones formed in February, with all intensifying into severe tropical cyclones. Cyclone Zelia became the first category 5 of the season on 13 February before striking the coast of Western Australia the next day. Alfred meandered off the coast of Queensland for over 2 weeks before eventually making landfall in South East Queensland on 7 March.
March produced 3 tropical cyclones. 25U formed on 17 March, and was the second cyclone of the season to be operationally unnamed. Courtney was first noted on 22 March and intensified into the second category 5 cyclone of the season a week later before crossing into the South-West Indian Ocean. Dianne formed on 26 March, strengthening into a category 2 and making landfall in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The final tropical cyclone of the season, Errol, developed on 9 April. It remained weak for almost a week before rapidly intensifying into a category 5 on 15-16 April. Errol soon weakened and made landfall in Western Australia before dissipating on 18 April. Two tropical lows, 30U and 33U, formed in the Arafura Sea in mid-April and early May, respectively. Both systems were classified as tropical storms by the JTWC. The season officially concluded on 12 May with the dissipation of 33U. Collectively, the cyclones during the season caused over $2 billion (2024 USD) in damage, mostly due to Zelia and Alfred, and 54 deaths, mostly due to Robyn. __TOC__
Season forecasts Source/Record TropicalCyclone SevereTropical Cyclone RefRecord high: 21 12 Record low: 3 0 Average (1969–70 – 2023–24): 11
Ahead of the season officially starting on 1 November, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) both issued a tropical cyclone outlook that discussed the upcoming season. These outlooks took into account a variety of factors such as a developing weak to moderate La Niña event and what had happened in previous seasons such as 1983–84, 1995–96, 2005–06 and 2017–18. The Southwest Pacific tropical cyclone outlook issued by New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in conjunction with MetService, the BoM and various other Pacific meteorological services, predicted that six to ten tropical cyclones would occur over the South Pacific Ocean between 135°E and 120°W. The outlook also predicted that three to four of these tropical cyclones would intensify further and become either a Category three, four or five severe tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale. In addition to contributing towards the Southwest Pacific tropical cyclone outlook, the BoM predicted that tropical cyclone activity within the whole region between 90°E – 160°E and each of its self-defined subregions would be near normal. They also warned that the likelihood of a severe tropical cyclone was higher than average because of the warmer than average ocean temperatures that had been forecast for the region.
Season summary
Early season activity The season officially started on 1 November 2024. On 14 November, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) noted the potential for a tropical low to form west of Sumatra. A westerly wind burst enhanced the disturbance's development. Despite moderate to high wind shear displacing deep convection, the tropical low gradually organised and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on 23 November. On 28 November, the BoM stated that the system had intensified into Tropical Cyclone Robyn. The storm officially peaked as a category 2 cyclone before increasing wind shear caused the storm to dissipate. On 4 December, Tropical Low 04U formed off the coast of Java and headed west before dissipating on 11 December. The disturbance caused landslides and floods in Java, killing eleven people and leaving seven missing. Four other tropical lows — 02U, 06U, 07U, and 08U — also formed during December. Tropical Low 07U formed southeast of the Cocos Islands and JTWC designated it as a tropical storm. 08U later developed into Cyclone Dikeledi in the South-West Indian Ocean.
Peak season activity The first half of January had Tropical Cyclone 09U and Tropical Low 10U. The latter half had Sean, 13U, Taliah, and Vince. On 17 January, the BoM designated Tropical Low 11U, which absorbed 10U, and later named Sean on 19 January. A day later, the storm rapidly intensified to a Category 4 major cyclone on the Australian cyclone scale, possessing a distinct eye and intense winds. Sean dissipated a couple days later. The cyclone caused heavy rainfall and gale-force winds across portions of Western Australia. A record amount of rain fell in Karratha, with 274.4 mm recorded within 24 hours on 20 January. Tropical Low 13U tracked along the coast of Queensland, causing severe flooding that killed a 63-year-old woman. On 31 January, the BoM designated Tropical Lows 14U and 15U, which were later named Taliah and Vince. Despite suffering from the effects of moderate wind shear, on 3 February, Taliah peaked as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian cyclone scale and Category 2 on the SSHWS scale. Taliah exited the basin on 12 February. Vince was named on 2 February and also intensified to a Category 3 on the Australian cyclone scale before exiting the BoM area of responsibility on 4 February. February started with Tropical Lows 16U and 19U, though both disturbances exited the basin and entered the Fiji Meteorological Service area of responsibility. Meanwhile, the BoM designated Tropical Low 18U on 7 February, which was named Zelia on 11 February. Zelia underwent rapid intensification due to warm sea surface temperatures and relatively low wind shear, becoming a category 5 severe tropical cyclone on 13 February. Afterward, the cyclone stalled and underwent an eyewall replacement cycle (ERC), which ended its rapid intensification phase. The storm soon made landfall near De Grey, northeast of Port Hedland. On 18 February, the Bureau of Meteorology designated Tropical Low 21U in the southeastern Indian Ocean. The system later strengthened into Tropical Cyclone Bianca. On 20 February, a tropical low in the Coral Sea was noted by the Bureau of Meteorology. The disturbance, designated tropical low 22U, was expected to develop into a tropical cyclone over the next several days. Two days later, BOM upgraded the system to a category 1 tropical cyclone, naming it Alfred. On 25 February, Bianca peaked as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian cyclone scale and Category 3 on the SSHWS scale. Afterward, increasing wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures caused the storm to rapidly weaken, dissipating on 27 February. Over the next couple of days, Alfred continued to gradually move to the east, and was upgraded to a Category 2 tropical cyclone in the Australian scale at 16:00 AEST on 24 February. As Alfred turned south, it intensified to Category 3 status on 26 February at 22:00 AEST. The next day, the BOM further upgraded Alfred to a Category 4 cyclone, with a small eye appearing on visible satellite imagery. Later that night, an eyewall replacement cycle (ERC) occurred, prompting Alfred to fluctuate between Categories 3 and 4 on 1 March, before further weakening down to a Category 1 the following day. The cyclone then restrengthened slightly to Category 2 status by 3 March, before being downgraded to Category 1 intensity on 8 March. Alfred made landfall at Moreton Island on 01:00 AEST 8 March as a Category 1 tropical cyclone, and was downgraded to a tropical low five hours later.
Late season activity
Tropical Low 23U formed on 4 March before exiting the basin on 8 March. The system later intensified into Tropical Storm Ivone in the South-West Indian Ocean. Another unnamed tropical cyclone, 25U, formed on 17 March before dissipating on 21 March. Tropical Low 27U formed on 22 March and strengthened into Tropical Cyclone Courtney three days later. Afterward, Courtney intensified to a Category 5 cyclone on the Australian cyclone scale before entering the South-West Indian Ocean on 29 March. Tropical Cyclone Dianne formed near North Australia on 28 March and made landfall near Derby on 29 March. On 8 April, Tropical Low 29U formed in the Arafura Sea. Three days later, JTWC designated Tropical Cyclone 29S. Later on 15 April, 29S was designated as Errol by BoM. Shortly after the designation, the cyclone explosively intensified to a powerful Category 5 severe tropical cyclone. Tropical Low 30U formed in the Arafura Sea on 16 April. On 18 April, JTWC designated 30U as 31P. It was expected to strengthen, but wind shear soon caused it to dissipate on 23 April.
Off-season On 9 May 2025, Tropical Low 33U formed near Papua New Guinea. During 11 May, this system was upgraded to a tropical storm by the JTWC and designated 32P. 33U dissipated the next day. On 14 May, Tropical Low 34U formed near the Solomon Islands. It meandered around the southern Solomon Sea but dissipated the next day, ending the season.
Systems Tropical Cyclone Robyn
On 14 November, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) noted that a tropical low could form west of Sumatra, Indonesia. Several days later, they noted that the tropical low was developing. Further consolidation due to a westerly wind burst, which also spawned a twin cyclone, prompted the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to first track it on 23 November. Despite deep convection being displaced due to moderate to high wind shear, the system's circulation became increasingly defined, prompting the JTWC to issue a tropical cyclone formation alert (TCFA) on the disturbance. The JTWC then upgraded the system into a tropical storm, designating it as 03S. By 28 November, the BoM reported that it intensified into a tropical cyclone, being named Robyn, before reaching peak intensity late in the same day, with winds of . However, strong wind shear and dry air made the system to rapidly weaken, becoming a gale-force tropical low by 29 November.
Tropical Low 07U