Rare Double Cyclones Sock Australia—Where Else Has This Happened?
Although a first for the country, double cyclones or hurricane are not unheard of in other parts of the world.
While U.S. East Coast residents spent the weekend shoveling snow, people along Australia's north and east coasts were busy mopping up after two cyclones swept ashore on Friday. In a one-two punch, cyclones Lam and Marcia made landfall within six hours of each other—a first for Australia.
"Two storms making landfall in the same country, different locations, within 24 hours is very rare," says Chris Davis, a senior scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, by email.
Lam rushed the coast east of Darwin (map), while the more powerful Marcia came ashore near the cities of Yeppoon (map) and Rockhampton. No deaths were reported, but the two cyclones left roughly 50,000 people
