Fletcher

History

Tropical Low Fletcher originated over the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf in the Timor Sea on 30 January 2014, tracking eastward across the Top End of the Northern Territory before entering the Gulf of Carpentaria on 2 February. Improving atmospheric conditions allowed the Bureau of Meteorology to upgrade the system to a tropical cyclone early on 3 February, at which point it was situated a few dozen kilometres north of Karumba, Queensland. Fletcher reached peak intensity with sustained winds of 65 km/h and a central pressure of 992 hPa, making it a weak system that the Joint Typhoon Warning Center never officially classified as a cyclone. It remained at cyclone strength for only a few hours before making landfall on 3 February between Karumba and the mouth of the Gilbert River, then weakening back to a tropical low.

Over the following week, the remnant system executed multiple erratic loops over the southeastern Gulf of Carpentaria, making a further landfall near Burketown on 9 February before eventually dissipating over the Alice Springs District on 12 February. Despite its weak winds, Fletcher's slow and wandering track produced extraordinary rainfall totals across western Queensland. Kowanyama recorded 1,256.8 mm over eight days, contributing to the wettest February on record there. Flooding turned roads into waterways and left the town effectively isolated, though residents were well-prepared and no casualties were reported. Significant flooding also affected parts of the Northern Territory, including along the Adelaide, Katherine, and Daly Rivers.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia