A tropical cyclone is an intense low pressure system which forms
over warm ocean waters in Queensland, The Northern Territory and
Western Australia.
A tropical cyclone usually brings strong winds and extremely
heavy rain. It can also bring unusually high sea levels (storm
surges) in areas near the coast.
A tropical cyclone can cause widespread damage as a result of
the strong wind, flooding (caused by either heavy rainfall or ocean
storm surges).It can cause landslides in hilly areas as a result of
heavy rainfall and saturated soil.
If there are winds above 117 km/h (63 knots) it will be
called a severe tropical cyclone.
(NOTE: A tropical cyclone may also be known (in other parts of
the world) as a tropical storm. In the north western Pacific severe
tropical cyclones are known as 'typhoons' and in the northeast
Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean they are called 'hurricanes'.)