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Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017 was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Queensland since Cyclone Marcia in 2015, and was the costliest tropical cyclone in Australia since Cyclone Yasi in 2011. Forming as a tropical low on 23 March, the low gradually intensified into a named tropical cyclone on 25 March. After steadily strengthening offshore to a Category 4 system, Debbie eventually made landfall near Airlie Beach, at 12:40 AEST on 28 March. Afterwards, Debbie rapidly weakened into a tropical low by late 28 March, but continued to travel south, causing significant damage and flooding in the populous areas of South East Queensland and Northern Rivers. In total, the storm caused A$3.5 billion (US$2.67 billion) in damage and fourteen deaths across Australia, primarily as a result of extreme flooding. This makes Debbie the deadliest cyclone to hit Australia since Fifi in 1991.
A scatterometer pass at 11:56 UTC revealed surface winds of up to and subsequent Dvorak technique supported gale-intensity, and the JTWC accordingly classified the system as Tropical Cyclone 13P by 21:00 UTC. With exceptionally favourable environmental conditions ahead of the storm, the agency noted a high probability for rapid deepening before landfall in Queensland. The BOM followed suit soon thereafter, classifying the system as a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian cyclone intensity scale at 00:00 UTC on 25 March. Concurrently, they assigned it the name Debbie.
The cyclone continued to track generally southwards, developing into a Category 2 cyclone later that day. After attaining that strength, Debbie assumed a generally southwestwards track—a track it would maintain, with minor fluctuations, until about 14 hours after landfall. After a day-long period of arrested development, environmental conditions became highly favourable for renewed intensification. Beginning early on 27 March, Debbie strengthened rapidly from Category 2 to a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone in just 12 hours, and achieving peak sustained winds of and a minimum pressure of 949 hPa (28.02 inHg). After that, the Dvorak technique intensity given that the storm weakened slightly. Debbie passed over the Whitsunday Islands in the morning of 28 March local time with winds of , still at Category 4 intensity. Nonetheless, the cyclone weakened to Category 3 before making landfall in Airlie Beach at 02:40 UTC with winds of .
Following landfall, Debbie began to weaken steadily while interacting with North Queensland's rugged terrain. The cyclone weakened below severe tropical cyclone status while passing Collinsville at 12:00 UTC on 28 March. The system was downgraded to Category 1 in the early hours of 29 March local time, and then weakened further to a tropical low six few hours afterwards. The tropical low then executed a long turn to the southeast, and proceeded towards South East Queensland, moving roughly parallel to the coast. The remnants of Debbie brought heavy rainfall—torrential rains in many areas—that resulted in flooding in large parts of the land areas across which it tracked, before moving out over the Pacific Ocean on Friday 31 March.
The Australian Defence Force formed Joint Task Force 661, dubbed "Operation Queensland Assist", to provide assistance with aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue, road clearance, restoration of essential services, emergency accommodation and the delivery of stores if required. The Royal Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Choules set sail from Sydney to Queensland to support post-storm recovery. Normally, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide would be deployed; however, propulsion issues with the two vessels kept them docked for repairs. Three MRH-90 helicopters from HMAS Albatross were also deployed to Queensland. The Royal Australian Air Force put transport aircraft on standby at Townsville, RAAF Base Amberley and RAAF Base Darwin. The Australian Defence Force's pre-deployment of resources was the largest in the nation's history in advance of a natural disaster; approximately 1,200 personnel were deployed.
A flock of was caught in the storm near Airlie Beach, and many died while clinging to tree branches. One particular bird, later nicknamed Debbie, was found stripped of its feathers by Townsville Bulletin photographer Alix Sweeney and rescued as the cyclone's eye passed through. The story of Debbie became a viral headline. Although seemingly in good spirits once the storm cleared, the bird died during the overnight of 29–30 March likely due to internal injuries.
Inclement weather and evacuations associated with the cyclone were blamed for a fatal car accident near Proserpine on 27 March, where one person died on-scene whilst two others were hospitalised. A man in Proserpine also suffered an injury and was hospitalised after a wall collapsed on him on 28 March.
Torrential rains—described by the Bureau of Meteorology as "phenomenal"—affected large portions of Queensland, particularly in the Pioneer River. Forty-eight-hour accumulations in the area exceeded —these areas see an average of of rain per year. West of Mackay, the Kinchant Dam and Middle Creek dams overflowed, prompting additional evacuation of residents. Multiple sections of the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Mackay were submerged by floodwaters, prompting its closure. The ex-tropical cyclone went on to cause damage further south, particularly around the Logan River and Albert Rivers, flooding infrastructure such as the Beenleigh railway station and resulting in the death of a 77-year-old man in Eagleby.
Damage to Queensland's sugar industry is expected to cost A$150 million (US$114.5 million). The majority of these costs lie in Proserpine and Mackay. 35% of all sugarcane in the Proserpine region and 20% of all sugarcane in the Mackay region were damaged, costing A$50 million (US$38.2 million) and A$81 million (US$61.8 million) respectively. Damage to winter crops in the Bowen–Gumlu region reached A$100 million (US$76.4 million). Insured losses across Australia reached A$1.65 billion (US$1.26 billion), with 73,000 damage claims being filed. Total economic losses reached A$3.5 billion (US$2.67 billion). In addition, a total of eight deaths were reported throughout Queensland.
On 3 April, a mother and two of her children drowned when their car plunged into the flooded Tweed River at Tumbulgum. In total, Debbie killed six people in New South Wales.
Debbie was the only name from the 2016–2017 season to be retired by the Bureau of Meteorology. It was replaced by Dara in mid-2018.
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