Timeline of the 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season

This timeline documents all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls

Landfall (meteorology)

Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...

, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipation during the 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season. The 2008–09 Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone year started on 1 July 2008 and ended on 1 July 2009. The Australian region Cyclone season officially runs between 1 November 2008, and 30 April 2009. The timeline will also include information which was not operationally released, meaning that information from post-storm reviews by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Joint Typhoon Warning Center

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...

, and the Bureau of Meteorology

Bureau of Meteorology

The Bureau of Meteorology is an Executive Agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together the state meteorological services that existed before then...

(BoM), such as information on a storm that was not operationally warned on, will be included when its available.

So far this year, a total of twenty one tropical lows, ten tropical cyclones, whilst three of the Tropical cyclones have intensified enough to become severe tropical cyclones have formed. All Tropical Cyclone's in this basin are monitored by the Bureau of Meteorology

Bureau of Meteorology

(BoM), who run the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWC) in Perth

Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, Darwin

Darwin, Northern Territory

Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...

and Brisbane

Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...

, there are also TCWC's in Jakarta

Jakarta

Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...

, Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

and in Port Morseby in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...

which issue warnings for Tropical Cyclones between 90°E and 160°E. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center also issue warnings within the South Pacific, designating them with the P suffix when they form to the east of 135°E and S when they form to the west of 135°E. Within this basin all of the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers in this region use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale. Whilst the Joint Typhoon Warning Center uses the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale. To avoid confusion, the JTWC storms are referred to numerically, as the JTWC sometimes recognises a storm at a different intensity compared to the Bureau of Meteorology

Bureau of Meteorology

Timeline of recent events

Below is a timeline of the 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season, documenting all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipation. The 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season officially began on 1 November, and will last until 30 April. The first official storm, Cyclone Anika, developed 18 days after the official start, on 18 November. The timeline will also include information that was not operationally released, including post-storm reviews from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, when it becomes available.

The graphical bar above gives a brief overview of storm activity during the season, and for convenience, the storm's maximum intensity is included as a colour bar.

November

1 November

The 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season officially starts.

17 November

1200 UTC – TCWC Jakarta reports that Tropical Depression 01U has formed, on the edge of its area of responsibility with RSMC La Reunion.

18 November

1200 UTC – TCWC Jakarta transfers primary warning responsibility of Tropical Depression 01U to TCWC Perth.

1800 UTC – The JTWC designates Tropical Depression 01U as Tropical Cyclone 02S.

19 November

0000 UTC – TCWC Perth names Tropical Depression 01U as Cyclone Anika.

20 November

0000 UTC – Cyclone Anika reaches its peak 10 minute windspeeds of 95 km/h (60 mph) which makes it a Category Two Tropical Cyclone on the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale.

0000 UTC – Cyclone 01S reaches its 1 minute windspeeds of 110 km/h (70 mph).

1800 UTC – Cyclone Anika weakens into a Category one cyclone.

1800 UTC – RSMC La Reunion transfers primary warning responsibility of Tropical Depression ex Bernard to TCWC Perth, who designate it as Tropical Low 02U.

21 November

0000 UTC – Cyclone Anika weakens into a Tropical low.

0000 UTC – Tropical Depression ex Bernard dissipates.

22 November

0000 UTC – Cyclone Anika dissipates.

December

15 December

1200 UTC (2100 WDT

UTC+9

UTC+09:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +09. This time is used in:-As standard time :*East Timor*Indonesia **Moluccas**Papua and West Papua *Japan - Japan Standard Time*North Korea...

) – TCWC Darwin reports that Tropical Low 03U has formed to the northwest of Darwin.

18 December

1200 UTC (2100 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Darwin reports that Tropical Low 03U, has become a Category One Tropical Cyclone and is named as Cyclone Billy.

1200 UTC – The JTWC designates Tropical Low 03U as Tropical Cyclone 05S.

19 December

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – Cyclone Billy intensifes into a Category Two Cyclone.

1800 UTC (0300 WDT

UTC+9

, 20 December) – Cyclone Billy makes landfall near too Wyndham

Wyndham, Western Australia

Wyndham is the oldest and northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, located on the Great Northern Highway, northeast of Perth. It was established in 1885 as a result of a gold rush at Halls Creek, and it is now a port and service centre for the east Kimberley with a...

20 December

0000 UTC (0900 WDT

UTC+9

) – Cyclone Billy weakens into a Category One Cyclone.

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – Cyclone Billy weakens into a Tropical Low.

0900 UTC (1800 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Darwin passes primary warning responsibility for ex Cyclone Billy to TCWC Perth.

21 December

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Darwin reports that Tropical Low 04U has formed within the Gulf of Carpentria.

22 December

0000 UTC (0900 WDT

UTC+9

) – Tropical low ex Billy redevelops into a Category One Cyclone.

c.2100 UTC (0600 AEST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Darwin reports that Tropical Low 04U has made landfall near the Roper-McArthur district.

23 December

0600 UTC (1600 AEST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Port Moresby reports that Tropical Low 05U has formed near the southern tip of Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...

24 December

0000 UTC (0900 WDT

UTC+9

) – Cyclone Billy intensifes into a Category Two Tropical Cyclone.

0600 UTC (1600 AEST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Darwin issues its last advisory on Tropical Low 04U.

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – Cyclone Billy intensifes into a Category Three Severe Tropical Cyclone.

0600 UTC (1600 AEST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Port Moresby hands Primary warning responsibility of Tropical Low 05U to TCWC Brisbane.

1200 UTC (2100 WDT

UTC+9

) – Cyclone Billy intensifes into a Category Four Severe Tropical Cyclone.

1800 UTC (0300 WDT

UTC+9

), 25 December) – Cyclone Billy reaches its 10-minute peak windspeeds of 175 km/h (110 mph), which makes it a Category Four Severe Tropical Cyclone on the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale.

25 December

1800 UTC (0300 WDT

UTC+9

), 26 December) – Cyclone Billy weakens into a Category Three Severe Tropical Cyclone.

26 December

1800 UTC (0300 WDT

UTC+9

), 27 December) – Cyclone Billy weakens into a Category Two Tropical Cyclone.

27 December

0600 UTC (1400 AEST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Brisbane hands primary warning responsibility of Tropcial Low 05U to TCWC Darwin as it moves into the Gulf of Carpentria.

1200 UTC (2100 WDT

UTC+9

), – Cyclone Billy weakens into a Category One Tropical Cyclone.

28 December

1200 UTC (2100 WDT

UTC+9

), – Cyclone Billy weakens into a Tropical Low.

30 December

0600 UTC (1400 AEST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

), – TCWC Darwin issue the last advisory on Tropical Low 05U.

January

3 January

2100 UTC (0300 AEST, 4 January) – TCWC Perth hands primary warning responsibility of Tropical Low ex Billy to RSMC La Reunion.

8 January

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – TCWC Darwin reports that Tropical Low 06U has formed near to Mornington Island

Mornington Island

Mornington Island is the northern most of 22 islands that form the Wellesley Islands group. The island is located in the Gulf of Carpentaria at and is part of the Gulf Country region in the Australian state of Queensland. The Manowar and Rocky Islands Important Bird Area lies about 40 km to...

within the Gulf of Carpentaria

Gulf of Carpentaria

The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea...

11 January

0000 UTC (1000 AEST) – TCWC Brisbane reports that Tropical Low 06U previously located near Mornington Island

Mornington Island

, has intensified into a Category One Tropical Cyclone and has been named as Cyclone Charlotte.

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – The JTWC designates Tropical Cyclone Charlotte, as Tropical Cyclone 07P.

1800 UTC (0400 AEST, 12 January) – Tropical Cyclone Charlotte, makes landfall near the Gilbert River Mouth.

12 January

0000 UTC (1000 AEST) – TCWC Brisbane downgrades Tropical Cyclone Charlotte to a tropical low.

13 January

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – Tropical Cyclone Charlotte dissipates over land.

24 January

0300 UTC (1200 WDT) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Low 07U has formed to the northwest of Broome

Broome, Western Australia

Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...

25 January

0600 UTC (1500 WDT) – TCWC Perth issues its first and only advisory on Tropical Low 08U.

1200 UTC – The JTWC designates Tropical Low 07U as Tropical Cyclone 10S.

26 January

0300 UTC (1200 WDT) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Low 07U has intensified into a Category One Tropical Cyclone and has been named Dominic.

1200 UTC (2100 WDT) – TCWC Perth reports that Cyclone Dominic has reached its ten minute peak wind speeds of 95 km/h (60 mph), which makes it a Category Two Tropical Cyclone.

1800 UTC – The JTWC reports that Cyclone 10S has reached its one minute peak windspeeds of 95 km/h (60 mph), which makes it a Category Two Tropical Cyclone.

2200 UTC (0700 WDT) – Tropical Cyclone Dominic makes landfall as a Category Two Tropical Cyclone near to the Pilbara coast.

27 January

0300 UTC (1200 WDT) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Cyclone Dominic has weakened into a Category One Tropical Cyclone.

0600 UTC (1500 WDT) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Cyclone Dominic has weakened into a Tropical Low.

28 January

0600 UTC (1500 WDT) – Tropical Cyclone Dominic dissipates.

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – TCWC Darwin report that Tropical Low 09U has formed within the Gulf of Carpentria.

29 January

2300 UTC (0900 AEST, 30 January) – TCWC Brisbane reports that Tropical Low 10U has formed.

30 January

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – TCWC Darwin issues its final advisory on Tropical Low 09U.

31 January

1700 UTC (0300 AEST) – TCWC Brisbane reports that Tropical Low 10U has developed into a Category One Tropical Cyclone and has been named as Cyclone Ellie. They also report at this time that Cyclone Ellie has reached its 10 minute peak windspeeds of 75 km/h (45 mph).

1800 UTC – The JTWC designate Tropical Cyclone Ellie as Tropical Cyclone 12P. They also report at this time that Cyclone Ellie has reached its 1 minute peak windspeeds of 75 km/h (45 mph).

February

1 February

1200 UTC (2200 AEST) – Tropical Cyclone Ellie makes landfall on Mission Beach, Queensland

Mission Beach, Queensland

Mission Beach is a small village along the Coral Sea in Queensland, Australia. The popular tourist destination of Dunk Island lies 4 km offshore.-History:...

in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

1500 UTC (0100 AEST) – TCWC Brisbane reports that Tropical Cyclone Ellie has weakened into a Tropical Low.

3 February

0000 UTC (0900 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Low 11U has formed over Kimberley in northwest Australia.

4 February

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – TCWC Brisbane reports that Tropical Low 12U has formed to the northeast of Flinders Island

Flinders Island

Flinders Island may refer to:In Australia:* Flinders Island , in the Furneaux Group, is the largest and best known* Flinders Island * Flinders Island , in the Investigator Group* Flinders Island...

1200 UTC (2100 AEST) – Tropical Cyclone Ellie dissipates.

6 February

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – TCWC Brisbane issues its final advisory on Tropical Low 12U.

1200 UTC – The JTWC designates Tropical Low 11U as Tropical Cyclone 14S.

1800 UTC (0300 WDT

UTC+9

, 7 February) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Low 11U has developed into a Category one Tropical Cyclone and has been named as Cyclone Freddy.

8 February

0000 UTC (0900 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth reports that Cyclone Freddy has reached its ten minute peak wind speeds of 95 km/h (60 mph), which makes it a Category Two Tropical Cyclone.

1800 UTC (0300 WDT

UTC+9

, 7 February) – TCWC Perth reports that Cyclone Freddy has weakened into a Category One Cyclone.

10 February

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Darwin reports that Tropical Low 13U has formed overland near to Port Keats.

1200 UTC (2100 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Cyclone Freddy has weakened into a Tropical Low.

12 February

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Darwin passes primary warning responsibility for Tropical Low 13U to TCWC Perth.

16 February

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth issues its final warning on Tropical Low 13U.

18 February

0600 UTC (1600 AEST) – The remnants of Tropical cyclone Innis moves into the region and are assigned the designation of 14U by TCWC Brisbane. However, primary warning responsibility remains with TCWC Wellington at this time.

19 February

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Darwin reports that Tropical low 15U has formed within the Gulf of Carpentria.

26 February

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Darwin passes Primary Warning responsibility for Tropical Low 15U to TCWC Perth.

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Low 16U has formed within TCWC Jakartas area of responsibility.

28 February

1200 UTC (2100 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth issues its last advisory on Tropical Low 15U as it makes landfall near Port Headland in Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

March

2 March

0000 UTC (0900 WDT

UTC+9

) – The JTWC designates Tropical Low 16U as Tropcial Cyclone 17S.

0600 UTC (1500 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth reports that Tropical Low 16U has developed into a Category One Tropical Cyclone and has been named Gabrielle.

4 March

0000 UTC (0900 WDT

UTC+9

) – TCWC Perth downgraded Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle to a Tropical Low.

0500 UTC (1500 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

)- TCWC Brisbane reports that a Tropical Low formed over Cape York.

5 March

0600 UTC (1600 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

)- TCWC Brisbane designates the Tropical Low previously located over Cape York as 17U.

1200 UTC (2200 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Brisbane upgrades Tropical Low 17U to Tropical Cyclone Hamish.

1500 UTC (0100 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

6 March) – The JTWC designates Hamish as Tropical Cyclone 18P.

1800 UTC (0400 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

6 March) – TCWC Brisbane upgrades Hamish to a Category 2 cyclone.

6 March

1200 UTC (2200 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Brisbane upgrades Hamish to a Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone.

7 March

0300 UTC (1300 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Brisbane upgrades Hamish to a Category 4 cyclone.

1200 UTC (2200 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Brisbane upgrades Hamish to a Category 5 cyclone.

8 March

0300 UTC (1300 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Brisbane downgrades Hamish to a Category 4 cyclone.

10 March

0000 UTC (1000 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

) – TCWC Brisbane downgrades Hamish to a Category 3 cyclone.

2100 UTC (0700 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

11 March) – TCWC Brisbane downgrades Hamish to a Category 2 cyclone.

11 March

1200 UTC (2200 EST

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

)- TCWC Brisbane downgrades Hamish to a tropical low.

17 March

0600 UTC (1500 WDT) – TCWC Perth identifies a tropical low has formed well north of mainland Australia.

18 March

0000 UTC (0900 WDT) – TCWC Perth upgrades the tropical low 19U to Tropical Cyclone Ilsa.

0600 UTC (1500 WDT) – TCWC Perth upgrades Tropical Cyclone Isla to a Category 2 cyclone.

19 March

0000 UTC (0900 WDT) – TCWC Perth upgrades Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, Category 2 to a category 3 severe cyclone.

0600 UTC (1600 EST) – TCWC Brisbane identifies a tropical low has formed over the Coral Sea.

1200 UTC (2100 WDT) – TCWC Perth upgrades Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, Category 3 to a Category 4 severe cyclone.

20 March

0000 UTC (0900 WDT) – TCWC Perth downgrades Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, Category 4 to a Category 3 severe cyclone.

0600 UTC (1600 EST) – TCWC Brisbane issues its final advisory on Tropical Low 19U.

23 March

0000 UTC (0900 WDT) – TCWC Perth downgrades Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, Category 3 to a Category 2 cyclone.

1200 UTC (2100 WDT) – TCWC Perth downgrades Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, Category 2 to a Category 1 cyclone.

1800 UTC (0400 EST) – TCWC Brisbane designates a tropical low in the Coral Sea as Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

2100 UTC (0700 EST) – TCWC Brisbane upgrades Tropical Cyclone Jasper, Category 1 to a Category 2 cyclone.

24 March

0000 UTC (0900 WDT) – TCWC Perth downgrades Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, Category 1 to a tropical low.

0400 UTC (1400 EST) – Tropical Cyclone Jasper, Category 2 cyclone moves east of 160E into RSMC Nadi area of responsibility.

April

27 April

0600 UTC (1530 CST) – TCWC Darwin designates a tropical low in the Arafura Sea as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.

28 April

0600 UTC (1530 CST) – TCWC Darwin downgrades Tropical Cyclone Kirrily, Category 1 to a tropical low.

1800 UTC (0330 CST, 29 Apr) – TCWC Darwin issues its final advisory on Tropical Low, Ex-Kirrily.

30 April
The 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season officially ends.

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