ROSITA

History

Severe Tropical Cyclone Rosita developed from a weak low in the Timor Sea on 14 April 2000, becoming a named system on 17 April when situated roughly 670 kilometres north of Port Hedland. The cyclone intensified rapidly after entering favourable conditions, reaching Category 5 intensity with an estimated central pressure of 930 hPa and wind gusts near 290 km/h close to its centre. In the early hours of 20 April, Rosita made landfall at peak intensity approximately 40 kilometres south of Broome, making it one of the most intense cyclones to strike the west Kimberley coast in a century and the first to directly hit the Broome area since Cyclone Lindsay in 1985.

Despite its ferocity, Rosita was an unusually compact system, and its zone of very destructive winds passed just 15 kilometres south of Broome's town centre. The Eco Beach tourist resort near Cape Villaret was devastated — only around 10 of 40 accommodation huts survived, and a 2.5-tonne sea container was displaced 700 metres. Widespread vegetation stripping, coastal erosion, around 200 cattle losses, and destruction of fencing and windmills were recorded across nearby stations. Broome itself recorded a wind gust of 153 km/h, significant crop losses, and power outages lasting up to 11 days for many residents. After crossing the coast, Rosita tracked inland, remaining at Category 1 intensity as far as the community of Balgo, some 700 kilometres from the coast, before its remnants delivered flooding rains to central Australia. No fatalities were reported.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia