Posted on 04/04/2006 9:28:57 PM PDT by Ptarmigan
On December 20, 1974, a cluster of thunderstorm is detected north of Darwin, Australia. Then the next day, the low pressure system develops into a tropical depression. Then the depression develops into a tropical storm and hurricane. The Australian meteorlogy agency predicts that Tracy will miss Darwin and move out and dissipate. However it is not the case. Tracy makes a b-line for Darwin. Many people are evacuated from Darwin and some never returning. Conditions in Darwin worsen on December 24th, which is Christmas Eve. It is overcast and raining hard. Then the hurricane makes landfall on Darwin on Christmas Day. Tracy made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane. Officially, the airport measured 135 mph (217 km/h) winds, but the anenometer is destroyed from the strong wind. 12 to 20 inches of rain falls on Darwin, causing horrible flooding. Once Tracy pasts, Darwin is completely destroyed. 65 people died and 30,000 left homeless. Darwin is rebuilt. Cyclone Tracy is the smallest tropical cyclone or hurricane on record. It had gale force wind 30 miles from the center. To this day, this remains one of the worst disaster in Australian history.
Animation of Tropical Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy Information
Welcome to the Northern Territory Collection of the Northern Territory Library-Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy, Christmas 1974
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