Tropical Cyclone Grant

Tropical Cyclone Grant developed to the south of Indonesia and moved generally westwards across the southern Indian Ocean. The system passed close to the north of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on 25 December 2025, with gale-force winds temporarily affecting the islands on Christmas morning.

A tropical low formed south of the Indonesian Archipelago on 16 December 2025 and was designated 03U, with seven-day forecasts issued on the Bureau of Meteorology website. The system moved generally westwards and developed into Tropical Cyclone Grant on 23 December 2025.

Grant weakened below tropical cyclone intensity on 24 December 2025 before passing to the north of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on 25 December. Despite the weakening, it caused gale-force winds over the Cocos (Keeling) Islands during the morning of 25 December. Minimal damage and impacts were reported on the islands.

Grant was a compact system with the extent of gale-force winds generally confined to a radius of around 55 km when it passed close to Cocos (Keeling) Islands on 25 December.

After moving past the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, 03U redeveloped into a category 1 Tropical Cyclone Grant and reached category 2 intensity on 26 December 2025. Grant maintained its category 2 intensity as it moved into La Réunion’s area of responsibility (west of 90E) on 27 December 2025.

Grant later intensified into a category 4 tropical cyclone on 29 December 2025, while continuing to move westward across the southern Indian Ocean, outside of the Australian area of responsibility. Grant weakened to a category 1 cyclone on 1 January 2026, and then below tropical cyclone intensity on 3 January, while located well to the east of Madagascar.

Tropical Cyclone Grant was the third tropical cyclone of the 2025–26 Australian tropical cyclone season.

From www.bom.gov.au.