WATI

History

Severe Tropical Cyclone Wati developed from a westward-moving tropical low that was first identified east of the northern tip of Vanuatu on 17 March 2006. The system reached tropical cyclone intensity at 1200 UTC on 19 March and was named Wati by RSMC Nadi, at which point it was located approximately 580 km north-northwest of Nouméa, New Caledonia.

As Tropical Cyclone Larry weakened over land, reduced wind shear and improved outflow allowed Wati to intensify. By 21 March it had reached hurricane-force intensity around 800 km east of Innisfail. Although Queensland had already experienced a major cyclone impact with Larry just days earlier, a shortwave trough extending northward from near New Zealand caused Wati to recurve toward the southeast, tracking parallel to the Queensland coast rather than making landfall. Peak intensity was reached at 1800 UTC on 23 March, with sustained winds of 85 knots (approximately Category 3 on the Australian scale), roughly 900 km east of Proserpine.

Wati subsequently began extra-tropical transition as vertical wind shear increased, losing both its embedded centre and convective organisation. By 0600 UTC on 25 March, the transition was complete approximately 900 km east of Cape Moreton. The system then passed within about 300 km of Norfolk Island before tracking over the North Island of New Zealand and being absorbed into the mid-latitude westerlies east of New Zealand on 28 March. No impacts were recorded from Wati.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia