2005–06 Southern Hemisphere cyclone season

Nov 1, 2005 – Apr 30, 2006 · Season ended

The 2005–06 Southern Hemisphere cyclone season produced 24 named storms, 10 at hurricane strength and 7 major storms, against a 1991–2020 average of 26.7, 13.8 and 7.5. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 163, 75% of the average.

2004–05 season 2006–07 season All Southern Hemisphere seasons

Named storms

Avg 26.7 (1991–2020)

Hurricane strength

64 kt or stronger · avg 13.8

Major (Cat 3+)

Including 1 Category 5

Accumulated energy

75% of normal

ACE 163 vs 1991–2020 avg 217

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Tracks colored by peak strengthTSC1C3C4C5

2005–06 season at a glance

Named storms: 24 (1991–2020 average 26.7).
Hurricane strength (64 kt+): 10 (average 13.8).
Major, 96 kt+: 7, including 1 at Category 5 strength (average 7.5).
Accumulated cyclone energy: 162.7, 75% of the 217 average.
Named-storm days: 92.3, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
First named storm: Tropical Storm 1S, October 14, 2005.
First storm at hurricane strength: Alvin, November 21, 2005.
First major storm: Alvin, November 22, 2005.
Last storm to dissipate: Monica, April 27, 2006.
All systems tracked: 24, every one of which reached tropical-storm strength.

Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph). Regional agencies here use 10-minute winds (3-minute in India), so their official counts can differ.

Every storm of the 2005–06 season

Storm	Dates	Peak	Min pressure	Landfall
TD 1S	Oct 13 – Oct 17	TS	994 mb	—
TD 2S	Nov 4 – Nov 8	TS	997 mb	—
Alvin	Nov 18 – Dec 3	C4	927 mb	—
TD 4S	Dec 17 – Dec 29	TS	997 mb	—
Clare	Jan 6 – Jan 10	TS	980 mb	Karratha, Australia
Tam	Jan 6 – Jan 14	TS	994 mb	—
Urmil	Jan 13 – Jan 16	TS	980 mb	—
Daryl	Jan 17 – Jan 23	TS	987 mb	—
Boloetse	Jan 20 – Feb 6	C3	944 mb	Sahavato, Madagascar
Jim	Jan 25 – Feb 3	C1	963 mb	—
Vaianu	Feb 9 – Feb 22	C1	967 mb	—
TD 12S	Feb 18 – Feb 23	TS	991 mb	—
Kate	Feb 22 – Feb 24	TS	989 mb	—
Carina	Feb 22 – Mar 11	C4	910 mb	—
Unnamed	Feb 24 – Mar 6	TS	1001 mb	—
Emma	Feb 25 – Mar 1	TS	988 mb	Yes
Diwa	Mar 1 – Mar 11	TS	983 mb	—
Larry	Mar 14 – Mar 21	C4	937 mb	Cairns, Australia
Wati	Mar 15 – Mar 28	C1	963 mb	—
Floyd	Mar 18 – Mar 27	C4	927 mb	—
Glenda	Mar 22 – Mar 31	C4	922 mb	Yes
Hubert	Apr 2 – Apr 8	TS	984 mb	Yes
Elia	Apr 3 – Apr 17	TS	985 mb	—
Monica	Apr 16 – Apr 27	C5	879 mb	Yes

TD 1S: This system formed in the Southern Hemisphere in October 2005 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 994 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
TD 2S: This system formed in the Southern Hemisphere in November 2005 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
Alvin: Alvin formed in the Southern Hemisphere in November 2005 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 927 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 15 days.
TD 4S: This system formed in the Southern Hemisphere in December 2005 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 13 days.
Clare: Clare formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 980 mb. It made landfall near Karratha, Australia. The system was tracked for 5 days.
Tam: Tam formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 994 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
Urmil: Urmil formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 980 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
Daryl: Daryl formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 987 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
Boloetse: Boloetse formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2006 and peaked as a Category 3 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 944 mb. It made landfall near Sahavato, Madagascar. The system was tracked for 17 days.
Jim: Jim formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2006 and peaked as a Category 1 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 963 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Vaianu: Vaianu formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2006 and peaked as a Category 1 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 967 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 13 days.
TD 12S: This system formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 991 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Kate: Kate formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 989 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 2 days.
Carina: Carina formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2006 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 910 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 17 days.
Unnamed: This system formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1001 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
Emma: Emma formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 988 mb. The system was tracked for 4 days.
Diwa: Diwa formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 983 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
Larry: Larry formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2006 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 937 mb. It made landfall near Cairns, Australia. The system was tracked for 7 days.
Wati: Wati formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2006 and peaked as a Category 1 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 963 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 12 days.
Floyd: Floyd formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2006 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 927 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Glenda: Glenda formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2006 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 922 mb. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Hubert: Hubert formed in the Southern Hemisphere in April 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 984 mb. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Elia: Elia formed in the Southern Hemisphere in April 2006 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 985 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 14 days.
Monica: Monica formed in the Southern Hemisphere in April 2006 and peaked as a Category 5 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (285 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 879 mb. The system was tracked for 12 days.

Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.

Strongest storm of 2005–06

Cyclone Monica was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 180 mph (285 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 879 mb, on April 23, 2006. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

No Southern Hemisphere storm since 1980 has peaked higher; 3 others matched it. It produced 19% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

Landfalls in 2005–06

7 of the season’s 24 systems made landfall, 3 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.

January 9, 2006: Clare near Karratha, Australia, 65 mph (tropical storm)
January 29, 2006: Boloetse near Sahavato, Madagascar, 35 mph (tropical depression)
February 28, 2006: Emma, 35 mph (tropical depression)
March 19, 2006: Larry near Cairns, Australia, 125 mph (Category 3)
March 30, 2006: Glenda, 105 mph (Category 2)
April 7, 2006: Hubert, 30 mph (tropical depression)
April 19, 2006: Monica, 100 mph (Category 2)
April 24, 2006: Monica, 130 mph (Category 4)
April 26, 2006: Monica, 30 mph (tropical depression)

How 2005–06 ranks since 1980

The season ranks 35th of 47 Southern Hemisphere seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 4 other seasons), 40th for hurricane strength (tied with 5 other seasons) and 37th for accumulated cyclone energy.

The record since 1980 is 37 named storms, in 1997, and the highest ACE is 364, in 1997.

2005–06 storm names

The 2005–06 season used 19 names: Alvin, Clare, Tam, Urmil, Daryl, Boloetse, Jim, Vaianu, Kate, Carina, Emma, Diwa, Larry, Wati, Floyd, Glenda, Hubert, Elia, Monica.

5 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.

2005–06 season FAQ

How many named storms were there in 2005–06?

The 2005–06 Southern Hemisphere cyclone season had 24 named storms, 10 at hurricane strength and 7 major storms, from 24 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 26.7 named storms, 13.8 at 64 kt or more and 7.5 major per season. The first to form was Tropical Storm 1S and the last was Monica.

What was the strongest storm of 2005–06?

Cyclone Monica. It peaked at 180 mph (285 km/h, 155 kt) with a lowest pressure of 879 mb on April 23, 2006. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. No Southern Hemisphere storm since 1980 has peaked higher. It produced 19% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

When did the 2005–06 season end?

Australia’s official season ran from November 1, 2005 to April 30, 2006. Our counts follow IBTrACS, which files every storm from July 2005 to June 2006 under the 2005–06 season. The busiest months are January–February. The last system, Monica, dissipated on April 27, 2006.