[1] Originally a low-pressure system north of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Ingrid moved eastward and developed into a tropical cyclone in the Coral Sea on 6 March 2005.

A strong pressure gradient rapidly developed within the system as it headed west resulting in a category rating of 5 by 8 March.

The eye, with very destructive wind gusts up to 220 km/h within a 20 km radius, reached the far northern coast of the Australian state of Queensland between 6 am and 9 am on 10 March 2005 AEST, and hit the Cape York Peninsula.

On 15 March Ingrid approached the north coast of the Kimberley region of Western Australia as a Category 4 storm, and made landfall near Kalumburu shortly afterwards.

In Far North Queensland, several hundred residents, including some in Aboriginal communities, evacuated from areas deemed vulnerable to shelters by 9 March.

In Cairns, emergency officials stockpiled sandbags and concerns were raised about 20% of the 130,000 people that live in the city never experiencing a cyclone within the past five years.

[10] Rough seas produced by Cyclone Ingrid capsized a boat off the coast of Papua New Guinea, killing five of the 13 occupants.

[13] The isolated communities along the coast of Northern Territory suffered considerable damage, and there was localised flooding in the coastal areas due to high tides.

Numerous homes lost power and water supply, some sustained major roof damage and severe flooding isolated a few communities.