Our cyclone warning services
Tropical cyclones are dangerous storms that threaten lives, property and infrastructure. Our cyclone warning services help keep communities safe.
For emergency assistance during a tropical cyclone, contact your local emergency services – view our Emergency contacts page.
Our services include:
- a 7 day forecast of tropical cyclones around Australia
- 24-hour tracking of developing and active tropical cyclones
- Tropical Cyclone Advice, including watch and warning, for communities likely to be affected
- maps that show forecast tracks of cyclones
- outlooks for Australia and the South Pacific, outlining expected cyclone activity for specific periods
- information bulletins about cyclones not expected to impact the coast within 48 hours
- technical bulletins and data files for specialists.
Australia's role in global cyclone monitoring
An international network of Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres monitor and warn about tropical cyclones around the world.
This global effort to protect communities is coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization.
For an international map featuring current cyclones and other severe weather, visit the World Meteorological Organization's Severe Weather Information Centre website.
Australia's area of responsibility
We're part of this global effort, responsible for warnings, advice and information for tropical cyclones affecting the Australian region.
This includes the coastal waters and land areas of Australia, incorporating:
- Christmas Island
- Cocos Island
- Lord Howe Island
- Norfolk Island.
Australia's area of responsibility for cyclone tracking and warnings
Advice – watches and warnings
We issue Tropical Cyclone Advice when a tropical cyclone is likely to cause winds at 63 km/h or greater (gale force) over Australian communities within the next 48 hours. This lets people know when and how they may be affected.
For each coastal community in the forecast path, our Tropical Cyclone Advice includes:
- a Tropical Cyclone Watch, updated every 6 hours when gales are expected to start within 24–48 hours
- a Tropical Cyclone Warning every 3 hours when gales are expected within 24 hours or already happening.
For the latest Tropical Cyclone Advice, see Warnings and alerts.
Track maps
We issue a track map for each tropical cyclone in the Australian region or likely to affect communities around Australia. The map shows:
- forecast movement – a shaded area indicates where the cyclone centre may move
- intensity
- watch or warning zones.
It's called a Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Map. If there is a watch or warning for the tropical cyclone, the map is issued at the same time and reflects all the information in that advice.
Video: Understanding tropical cyclone forecast track maps (QLD)
During the cyclone season, the Bureau of Meteorology keeps a 24-hour watch on developing tropical weather systems. We keep the public informed through our weather forecasts and warnings which are issued via our website and the media.
When a cyclone forms, or is expected to form, we produce a tropical cyclone forecast track map. This shows important information about the cyclone's movements and its potential impacts, to help you make the best decisions for you and your family before, during, and after the cyclone.
So let’s take a look at how these track maps come together.
The first step is tracking where the cyclone has been and how strong it is. The number in the centre of the cyclone symbol is the intensity category of the cyclone. The higher the number, the stronger the intensity with category 5 being the most severe. Coloured circles show where the strongest winds are including the size of the cyclone's destructive core.
The next step is to assess where the cyclone may go and estimate its likely intensity and time of arrival at various locations.
The dark line shows the cyclone’s most likely path. Either side of this line the grey zone shows where the cyclone centre could be in the next 72 hours. It is important to be well prepared for any sudden change in the cyclone’s predicted path.
Finally, the track map also includes wind warnings for nearby areas.
The darker orange shading shows the warning area that might experience gale force or destructive winds within the next 24 hours. The lighter orange shading shows the watch area where gale force or destructive winds might occur within the next 24 to 48 hours.
To stay safe during the cyclone season keep a watch on the Bureau’s website. You can access the track maps through the cyclone page or the mobile website. And keep a watch on the warnings page too, so that you always have the latest information.
How to read a Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Map
Check whether your location is in the forecast path of the cyclone, and whether you are in a watch or warning area. You can still be at risk if you are outside the range of possible tracks.
- The warning area, in dark orange shading, is where gale force or stronger winds are expected in the next 24 hours.
- The watch area, in light orange shading, is where gale force or stronger winds might happen in the next 24–48 hours.
Follow the track, shown by the black line and arrows. These indicate:
- where the tropical cyclone has been
- its current location and intensity, in blue text
- its most likely track for the next 72 hours.
The number in the centre of the cyclone symbol at each time stamp is the intensity category of the tropical cyclone. The higher the number, the stronger the intensity, with category 5 being the strongest. Learn more about tropical cyclone categories.
Coloured circles show the radius of:
- the very destructive core
- destructive winds, and
- gale force winds.
An example of the Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Map
Forecast, outlooks, bulletins and data
We provide a range of information to help Australians prepare for and understand cyclone activity in our region. This includes a 7 day forecast, seasonal outlook, bulletins and data files.
7 Day Forecast
We issue the 7 Day Forecast:
- twice daily all year around for Australia's area of responsibility, and
- more frequently when there is an active watch or warning.
For each significant tropical low or cyclone, the forecast includes a:
- map showing the likely location up to 7 days ahead, updated at least twice daily
- table giving the likelihood that it will be a tropical cyclone at each time step
- description including key points about its expected development.
Outlooks
In October each year, we issue an Australian Tropical Cyclone Seasonal Outlook and a South Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season Outlook.
The outlooks forecast the level of activity expected over the coming tropical cyclone season.
Cyclone bulletins
Information Bulletin
We issue a Tropical Cyclone Information Bulletin when a tropical cyclone (or developing tropical low) is:
- active in our region
- not expected to cause winds winds of 63 km/h or greater (gale force) in Australian communities within the next 48 hours.
We also issue a Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Map with the Information Bulletin.
Technical Bulletin
Our Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin communicates technical details about a cyclone for specialists. This formatted text bulletin includes data and scientific commentary. It's issued once every 6 hours during the life of the cyclone.
Cyclone data in XML
Analysed and forecast data for tropical and extra-tropical cyclones is available in a standard format – Cyclone XML (CXML). This format can be read by humans and most automated applications.
CXML products are issued at the same time as the Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin.
You can search the product catalogue on our current website – we're still building this new one – for tropical cyclone CXML bulletins using product identifier codes for these states and territories. For more details, visit the CXML page on our current website.
Service level specification for tropical cyclones
This document describes our publicly available tropical cyclone services within the Australian Region. It also outlines some other services we provide to support emergency management, aviation, and meteorological services in neighbouring countries.