Tropical Cyclone Alex began on 24 October 2001 when the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) noted an area of convection developing southwest of Sumatra and north of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Three hours later, TCWC Perth upgraded the low to Tropical Cyclone Alex 555 km (345 mi) northwest of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

However, late on 27 October, the storm's deep convection had become better organised and Perth raised Alex's peak winds to 95 km/h (59 mph).

Alex moved west of 90°E into La Réunion's area of responsibility early on 28 October and was renamed Severe Tropical Storm Andre by Mauritius.

Convection rapidly built around the system because of its position near the axis of the ridge and the low vertical wind shear in the environment.

However, JTWC issued their first Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on 21 November, placing the system's center about 200 nm east-northeast of Timor.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on 26 November when the low continued to become better organised.

Moderate wind shear prevented the low from intensifying, which made it necessary for the JTWC to issue another TCFA on 27 November.

Bessi reached its first peak intensity of 110 km/h (68 mph) on 28 November while located 695 km (432 mi) west-northwest of Cocos Islands.

It moved west of 90°E, entering La Réunion's area of responsibility, and was renamed Tropical Storm Bako.

[7] Bernie was moving to the southwest and started to weaken, before crossing the coast near the borderline between Queensland and Northern Territory early on 5 January as a Category 1 cyclone.

[6] Early on 4 January, Bernie was close to making landfall over Mornington Island, and cyclone warnings were declared between the Northern Territory border and Kowanyama in Queensland.

[9] However, the cyclone warnings were shifted to the west later in the day for areas between Port McArthur in the Northern Territory and the Gilbert-Einasleigh River mouth in Queensland.

A few hours later, residents between Port McArthur and Karumba, Queensland were warned of a dangerous storm surge associated with Bernie.

[18] People in inland areas of the Gulf country were hit by bushfires in November and December 2001 and were anticipating the arrival of Bernie, hoping that it will bring rain to extinguish the fires.

The storm peaked with 230 km/h (140 mph) winds before making landfall to the east of Port Hedland, Western Australia and dissipated overland on 6 February.

The origins of Claudia came from an area of convection which formed 1,020 km (630 mi) east-southeast of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on 9 February 2002.

Later that day, the JTWC upped Claudia's peak winds to 120 km/h (75 mph), after a well-defined eye was spotted in infrared imagery.

[20] Tropical Cyclone Des originated from an area of convection which formed on 3 March 835 km (519 mi) east-southeast of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

At the time of upgrade, Des was located only 55 km (34 mi) west of 160°E, near the border between Brisbane's and Nadi's respective areas of responsibility.

Later that day, TCWC Perth followed suit, upgrading Dianne to a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone with peak winds of 140 km/h (87 mph).

An increase in deep convection occurred late on 9 April, with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issuing a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert for the developing system.

After moving over water for the second time on 12 April, TCWC Perth and the JTWC increased Bonnie's peak winds to 95 km/h (59 mph).

Bonnie continued to move west-southwestwards but the storm began to slowly weaken as its deep convection decreased and interacted with the island of Java.

The JTWC continued to issue advisories on the low until late on 15 April 465 km (289 mi) south-southeast of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Bonnie also caused a moist northeast wind flow that triggered above average rainfall to northern Western Australia.

[26] A weak disturbance originated just west of TCWC Perth's area of responsibility about 625 nm west-northwest of Cocos Islands on 7 November.

[20] The monsoon low in conjunction with the active trough over Northern Territory produced floods in several of the area's river systems.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Darwin continued to track the monsoon low as it moved slowly westward across the southern portion of the territory.

On 21 February, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth began referring to a low in the Kimberley region of Western Australia 640 km (400 mi) southwest of Darwin.