| Featured Article for November 2025 |
| Category 5 severe tropical cyclone | |
|---|---|
| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 Cyclone Maipelo nearing landfall at peak intensity on 4 June | |
| Formed | 1 May 2028 |
| Dissipated | 17 June 2028 |
| (Extratropical after 13 June 2028) | |
| Duration | 6 weeks and 1 day (Longest lasting tropical system in history) |
| Highest winds | 165 mph (265 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 910 mbar (hPa); 26.87 inHg |
| Fatalities | 127 (11 missing) |
| Damage | $6.18 billion (2028 USD) (Costliest tropical cyclone in the Australian region basin) |
| Areas affected | Australia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia |
| Part of the 2027-28 Australian region and South-West Indian ocean cyclone seasons | |
Severe Tropical Cyclone Maipelo, also known as Moderate Tropical Storm Maipelo, was a unprecedentedly long-lived, powerful, costly, and deadly tropical cyclone that traversed the Indian Ocean in May and June of 2028. Maipelo was the longest lived tropical cyclone on record, lasting for six weeks and producing a record accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) of 140.2. Additionally, it became the costliest tropical cyclone in the Australian region both nominally and adjusted for inflation, surpassing Cyclone Yasi of the 2010-11 season.
Maipelo originated from a tropical low located south of Java on 1 May, before moving west into the MFR's area of responsibility. The storm gained the name Maipelo on 7 May, before peaking as a moderate tropical storm in the basin shortly before returning to the Australian region on 10 May. The storm would begin intensifying slowly, approaching Australia at a slow pace. By 26 May, the storm would reach Category 4 intensity on the Australian scale. Preparations began as the storm approached the Northern Territory, while the storm continued to intensify further.
The storm would reach peak intensity 10-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph) with an atmospheric pressure of 910 hPa (26.87 inHg), while 1-minute sustained winds reached 265 km/h (165 mph), making the storm a Category 5 on both the Australian and Saffir-Simpson scales. The storm would make landfall at peak intensity near Hotham, Northern Territory on 4 June. The eyewall would be located directly on Darwin, which would spell catastrophic flooding caused by storm surge, as well as wind damage. The storm would make a second landfall as a Category 3 storm with 1-minute sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) to the northeast of Karumba.
The storm would become an extratropical cyclone off the coast of New South Wales on 13 June, dissipating completely on 17 June. The storm would previously spell several flash flooding events over the state, which would kill 21 people. Following the storm, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology was criticized for not forecasting the storm's Hotham landfall to the best of their abilities, instead forecasting the storm to make landfall several dozen kilometers to the southwest of Darwin near Waldeye. In all, the storm claimed the lives 127 people, causing ~10 billion dollars of damages (AUD). The name Maipelo was retired by the Météo-France office in Lá Reunion after a new system was imposed following the 2025-26 season, where up to 5 names could be retired at a time.
Meteorological history[]
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Tropical storm (39–54 mph, 63–87 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Extratropical cyclone / remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionA disorganized area of broad convection was first noted by the Bureau of Meteorology on 20 April over the Gulf of Carpentaria, producing rainfall over Northern Australia and Northern Queensland as it slowly moved west. The storm would organize slowly as it travelled across Indian Ocean, being tracked as Invest 92S by the JTWC as early as 25 April. By 1 May, the storm had organized itself into Tropical Low 31U several hundred kilometers off of the coast of Java. The storm would slowly move through an area of moderate wind shear, impeding development. The storm would cross 90 degrees east on 7 May, keeping it's Australian designation. A few hours later, the storm would reach gale-force strength, before the winds would reach halfway across the center. Late on 7 May, Météo-France La Réunion would recognize this, upgrading the storm into a Moderate Tropical Storm, assigning the name Maipelo to the storm.
Maipelo shortly after designation on 7 May
The storm was initially forecast to continue moving southwestward for a couple of days, however this was immediately proven wrong when the storm would begin to move to the northeast on 9 May. Maipelo would cross 90 degrees east again on 10 May, moving back into the Australian Region. However, the storm would retain it's original name. By 06:00 UTC on 12 May, the storm would become a Category 1 on the Australian and Saffir-Simpson scale, with winds reaching 75 mph (120 km/h) and a pressure of 981 mbar (28.96 inHg). The storm would stay around this area for several days as a Category 1, slowly intensifying. Rip currents would begin to affect the coast of Indonesia around this time, however they weren't as dangerous as they would become quite yet.
Maipelo at it's closest approach to Indonesia on 26 May
The storm would continue to intensify as it slowly moved east. The storm would become a Category 2-equivalent on 17 May, before becoming a Category 3-equivalent on 21 May. On 21 May, the storm would make it's closest approach to Indonesia. The storm's rains and rip current would kill 3 in Indonesia. The storm would continue to expand as it intensified closer to Australia, as it began to affect the mainland. The storm became a Category 4 equivalent on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, and a Category 4 on the Australian scale, on 3 June. The storm would effectively stall off of the coast of Western Australia for days on end, with dangerous rainfall and rip current. The storm would make it's final approach starting around this time, with the eyewall affecting Kalumburu.
Maipelo would intensify to Category 5 intensity on 3 June with winds reaching 160 mph (255 km/h) with a pressure of 927 mbar (27.57 inHg). The storm would then accelerate, affecting Darwin with peak winds of 165 mph (265 km/h) and a pressure of 910 mbar (26.87 inHg). The storm surge from Maipelo would funnel into Beagle and Van Diemen Gulfs, causing widespread destruction. The storm surge would be the cause of 103 deaths alone in the Darwin area, with 2 extra being caused as well outside of the Darwin area due to storm surge. The storm would begin to drift to the southeast, still as a Category 5 over Northern Territory. The storm would begin to weaken after this point.
Aerial view of flooding caused by Maipelo in Darwin
Maipelo would reemerge as a Category 3 over the Gulf of Carpentaria on 7 June, before making landfall with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a pressure of 955 mbar (28.2 inHg) northeast of the Queensland town of Karumba. No deaths were recorded, and only minor damage was reported. The storm would continue to move over inland Australia as it kept a moderately strong intensity. The rain and wind caused by the storm would wreak havoc across inland Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. The storm would ultimately degenerate on 13 June mere kilometers off of the coast of NSW. The storm would swell as an exratropical storm, bringing intense wind and rain to southeastern Australia. A majority of the damage was recorded here, as flooding would reach levels never before seen in many parts of the southeast. Canberra, the capital, was also heavily affected by rainfall from the storm, with over 30 inches of rain dropped by it.
Rainfall across Australia dropped by Maipelo
After the storm dissipated, efforts for rebuilding would immediately begin. Darwin and Canberra were the most effected cities, with the rebuilding process in the destroyed areas taking up the rest of 2028. The storm claimed the lives of 127 people, with 124 of which being in Australia. 6.18 billion dollars (2028 USD) of damages were recorded, with a majority of which (5 billion) being inflicted in Canberra and New South Wales. The name Maipelo was automatically retired from the MFR's naming lists, with it being replaced with Manica starting in the 2031-32 season.
Pictured here is the timeline of storm shown in the manner of many tropical cyclone seasons worldwide. The categories are that of the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale.
Records[]
Cycone Maipelo lasted for a total of 43 days, making it the longest-lasting tropical cyclone worldwide, in terms of days as a tropical depression or higher, beating the previous record of Cyclone Freddy set back in 2023. Maipelo also produced the most ACE (accumulated cyclone energy) of any tropical cyclone worldwide, with a total of 140.2, breaking the previous record, also set by Freddy, of 87.01.
Preparations and impact[]
Western Australia[]
After Maipelo re-entered the Australian region basin, the government of Western Australia took notice of the storm. As the storm made it's slow approach, the province would air out warnings in the northwestern portion of the province. Despite all of the preparations made due to early forecasts showing a major Western Australia landfall, only minor wind damage was recorded in a majority of the province, except for near Kalumburu, where the outermost edges of the eyewall inflicted major damage in the region.
Northern Territory[]
Northern Territory would experience the worst rainfall, flooding, and wind damage in it's history. Maipelo would enter the Beagle and Van Diemen Gulfs throughout 4 and 5 June. The storm's extreme winds would funnel waters into the corridor near 130W, spreading them both north and south at the same time. Winds would funnel said waters into the channel south of Darwin, pushing it in all directions. A bulk of these waters would surge ashore in and around Darwin.
Flooding in Darwin was the worst the city had ever seen. Storm surge up to 20 feet was recorded, the worst seen in Australia in decades. Over 100 people were killed in the Darwin area alone, with 81 of them being due to storm surge. Winds combined with storm surge would collapse hundreds of buildings in the region. Darwin took 5 years, until 2033, to recover halfway from Maipelo. 85% of the city was flooded.
Queensland[]
The storm would make landfall near Kalumburu on 7 June as a Category 3. The storm's effects were not as widespread, as the storm was moving too fast to drop significant rainfall. This was the only province affected by Maipelo where no one died, an impeccable feat accredited to the storm's rapid movement to the south.
Southeast Australia (NSW, ACT, Victoria)[]
Maipelo would enter the province of New South Wales as a weakening Category 2. The storm would move incredibly slow over the province, dropping heaps of rain. The storm's southern movement would allow it to heavily effect all of the Southeast, excluding Tasmania. Flash flooding was recorded in Canberra, where it would affect the city for several days. The storm would become extratropical on 13 June.
The storm, while extratropical, had most of it's convection and rainfall concentrated to the west of the center. Rainfall and slight storm surge would cause heavy damage, making Maipelo the costliest in Australian history. Thousands of buildings were damaged by Maipelo, with hundreds more destroyed in the southeast alone.
Aftermath[]
Flash flooding in Canberra caused by Maipelo
The economic impacts caused by Maipelo were widespread. Several communities would unite under the distress caused by the storm in the aftermath. For starters, many blamed the Bureau of Meteorology for many of the deaths. Even 2 days before the storm's historic impacts in Darwin, it was expected to turn back to the south and make landfall in Baines, an extremely small town in rural Northern Territory. This is why many people were caught off guard when the storm affected Darwin to such a degree. They were expecting just a little light rain, and not the worst natural disaster in Darwin history.
In the southeast, economic impacts were at their worst. However, it only took around 2 years, until 2030, for them to be almost fully recovered from Maipelo. Many bitter Northerners would go on to claim that there was favoritism by the Australian government towards the rich southeast and not the relatively poorer north. The government would vehemently deny this. Many northerners to this day still hold on to this belief, as it took an extra 3 years for Darwin to recover halfway from the storm.
A member of the United States Coast Guard rescuing someone's pet in New South Wales after the storm
Resources were sent in from over 100 different nations for relief efforts after the storm. The biggest donators were the United Kingdom, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Canada. The United States would also send over FEMA officers and Coast Guard members to help with search and rescue, as hundreds of people would go missing after Maipelo's passing. To this day, an estimated 11 people are still missing as a direct result of the storm's impacts. A government-created search party is still active today, with over 200 people part of the party, trying to search for the 11 missing people.
Retirement[]
After a new system was imposed in 2026, the name Maipelo was retired by the Météo-France, and is to never be used again as a name for another tropical cyclone in the South-West Indian Ocean. It was replaced by Manica in August 2028.