Cyclone Ready
How close have cyclones come to you?
Every cyclone tracked around Australia since 1970 is on this map. Enter your postcode to see which ones came close, then plan the generator and fuel for the next outage.
Check your area
We count every cyclone that came close, and how strong it was when it did.
Or try one of these
Tap anywhere on the map to check that spot. Tap a track for its name and date.
Plan your backup power
Pick what has to keep running while the power is out. We size the generator and work out how much fuel to have on hand.
Running a generator safely in cyclone season
Run it outside, well away from the house
Never run a generator inside, in a garage, under the house or on a verandah near open windows. The exhaust carries carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell and which can kill. Keep it clear of doors, windows and vents.
Never plug it into a power point
Feeding power back through a power point can electrocute line workers and damage your gear. Run appliances straight off the generator with heavy duty leads, or have a licensed electrician fit a changeover switch.
Buy fuel before the warning
Most service stations cannot pump without power, and the queues start early. Fill your jerry cans when a cyclone watch goes out, not after the power drops.
Store fuel the safe way
Use approved fuel containers and keep them in a ventilated shed away from the house and anything that sparks. Petrol goes stale in a few months, so add stabiliser or rotate it through the car or mower. Check your local limits for storing fuel at home.
Refuel only when it is off and cool
Petrol on a hot engine can ignite. Switch off, let it cool, then refuel.
Start it before the season
Run it under load for 15 minutes each month from November. Check the oil, the fuel and the leads so it starts first pull when you need it.
Keep it dry and stable
Set it on firm, level ground with shelter from rain and wind, but never boxed in. Keep hands dry and leads out of water.
Life support at home?
If anyone relies on powered medical equipment, make sure they are registered with your electricity retailer, and have a backup plan that does not depend on one machine.
This is a history tool, not a warning service. When a cyclone is coming, follow the Bureau of Meteorology and your local disaster management group.
Cyclone tracks: IBTrACS version 4r01, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (Gahtan et al. 2024; Knapp et al. 2010), which includes the Bureau of Meteorology's best track analyses. Counted when a storm was at tropical cyclone strength inside the circle. Categories use the Australian scale, from 10 minute mean winds; where an older record has no wind, it is estimated from central pressure.
Map: Natural Earth. Postcode locations: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Generator sizes and fuel figures are estimates to help you plan; we confirm the right unit before you buy.