QUEENSLAND is set to face a repeat of the conditions which brought about Cyclone Debbie earlier this year – Australia’s worst cyclone in four decades and Queensland’s most destructive.
Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman Danita Matusch said this summer was unlikely to be affected by El Nino or La Nina climate drivers, making for a “typical” cyclone season similar to the one previous.
She said between ten and thirteen cyclones were expected to develop in Australian waters.
Four of those cyclones were likely to brew over the Coral Sea and included the possibility of one coastal crossing.
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While Ms Matush said last season began later than usual, in February, and only resulted in nine cyclones, the impact of Queensland’s only coastal crossing was “devastating”.
More than $1 billion damage was caused by Cyclone Debbie as she made landfall in late March, according to the state government’s Cyclone Debbie Review, which is placed below.
When asked whether people should brace for more damaging events like Cyclone Debbie, Ms Matusch said differences did exist between this season compared to last.
“Last summer was also neutral, but began with wetter than average conditions in contrast to this year's record warm and dry start,” she said.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s “typical” cyclone season forecast has come after Insurance Council of Australia’s chief executive officer Rob Whelan warned residents and businesses to prepare for an “above-normal” cyclone season this summer.
The advice was given as the council released a list of Australia’s top 26 most damaging cyclones in the past 50 years.
Cyclone Debbie, which came in at number two, was outranked only by Cyclone Tracy, which hit the Northern Territory in 1974.
Mr Whelan said federal government information suggested insurers had paid $1.4 for every $1 collected in premiums in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie.
“Insurers are injecting $11.8 million each working day into affected communities stretching from the Whitsundays through to southern New South Wales,” he said.
No break-down of losses recorded for south-east Queensland were provided by the Insurance Council of Australia.
