Olga

History

Tropical Cyclone Olga began life outside the Australian region as Tropical Depression 04F, a system monitored by RSMC Nadi in the South Pacific. On 20 January 2010 the depression tracked westward across the boundary into TCWC Brisbane's area of responsibility and was reclassified as Tropical Low 07U. The low gradually organised over the Coral Sea, and late on 22 January it reached category one strength on the Australian scale, at which point Brisbane assigned the name Olga. Further intensification followed and the system was assessed as a category two cyclone on 23 January, which represented its peak strength.

Olga's intensification was short-lived. On 24 January the cyclone weakened markedly and was downgraded back to a tropical low while lying almost stationary offshore from Cairns in far north Queensland. The remnant low subsequently drifted west and, by 26 January, had passed over the lower part of Cape York Peninsula and was positioned to the south of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Warnings were put in place for the Gulf coastline between Burketown in Queensland and Borroloola in the Northern Territory as the system approached. Forecasters anticipated that Olga would emerge over the waters of the south-western Gulf of Carpentaria around 28 January, with the potential to redevelop into a tropical cyclone over the warm gulf waters.

The principal impact from Olga was rainfall rather than wind. Together with Tropical Cyclone Paul, which affected the same broad area of northern Australia

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia