2017 South Indian cyclone season
Cyclone Ernie 2017
Ernie was a small cyclone that intensified exceptionally quickly over the Indian Ocean. Its powerful phase was short, and the center stayed offshore throughout its life.
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161 mph
Apr 7, 2017 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
A small cyclone strengthens quickly
Ernie began as a tropical low south of Indonesia and east of Christmas Island on April 4. Wind shear initially limited development, but conditions improved on April 6. Once named, the cyclone intensified explosively during roughly 24 hours of slow southward movement.
A sharply defined eye about 18 kilometers across developed during the rapid growth. Archived sustained winds reached 140 knots on April 7, equivalent to Category 5 strength. The small inner core remained over open water, with no recorded center position over land.
Rapid decay under dry air and shear
Drier air and stronger wind shear began weakening Ernie on April 8 as it moved west-southwestward. By April 10, the low-level circulation was exposed and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology downgraded the system below cyclone strength. The remaining low continued west-southwest and dissipated on April 11.
Further reading
NOAA IBTrACS v04r01 historical track archive
Wikipedia, 2016–17 Australian region cyclone season, Ernie section
QUICK ANSWERS
Ernie in brief
What was Cyclone Ernie's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Apr 7, 2017, 12:00 PM UTC.
What category was Cyclone Ernie?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Apr 7, 2017, 12:00 PM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Cyclone Ernie's lowest pressure?
918 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Apr 7, 2017, 12:00 PM UTC.
When did Cyclone Ernie occur?
The archived track runs from Apr 4, 2017, 06:00 AM UTC to Apr 11, 2017, 06:00 PM UTC, with the tropical stage from Apr 4, 2017, 06:00 PM UTC to Apr 11, 2017, 03:00 PM UTC.
Where did Cyclone Ernie form?
In the South Indian basin, in the 2017 season. Its first archived position is 9.9°S, 115°E on Apr 4, 2017, 06:00 AM UTC.
Did Cyclone Ernie make landfall?
No archived position places Cyclone Ernie's center over land, but positions are six-hourly and a brief landfall can fall between them.
METHODOLOGY
Data sources and limitations
The map and summary are generated from NOAA's IBTrACS v04r01 archive. Wind and category use US-agency records; minimum pressure is calculated during the tropical stage, with the archive's pressure source retained. Category 5 refers to the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale; local agencies may use different classifications. Coastlines use Natural Earth's 1:10m land data.
Track distance adds great-circle distances between consecutive observations, excluding gaps over 12 hours. This track has no gaps over 12 hours. The line shows the storm's center, not its size, rainfall or flood extent. Converted wind speeds are rounded to the nearest whole unit.
Archive retrieved
NOAA IBTrACS archive and Field documentation
Sources & methodology