Jasper

History

Tropical Cyclone Jasper developed in the Australian region in late 2023. The system intensified to become a severe tropical cyclone before making landfall on the Queensland coast near Wujal Wujal in far north Queensland in early December 2023. At its peak, Jasper reached Category 2 intensity on the Australian scale as it crossed the coast, though it had been stronger earlier in its life.

Jasper's most significant impacts came not from wind but from the extraordinary rainfall it produced after crossing the coast. The slow-moving system dumped exceptional amounts of rain across the Wet Tropics region, triggering widespread and severe flooding across communities in the Cairns and Far North Queensland area. The flooding inundated homes, damaged infrastructure, cut off communities, and forced evacuations. The Daintree region and surrounding low-lying areas were particularly affected, with some communities remaining isolated for extended periods as floodwaters peaked and receded slowly. The disaster prompted significant emergency response efforts and caused millions of dollars in damage across the region.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia