Australian State Rocked by Cyclone [Photos]

While we're used to high winds in Wyoming, hurricanes are a bit unusual. And for whatever reason, they're not called hurricanes outside of North America, but rather cyclones. A particularly nasty one, Cyclone Yasi, rolled through the Australian state of Queensland Wednesday.

ABC — that's the Australian Broadcast Company — reports no one was killed by the cyclone, although it has caused such significant damage it's being compared to Hurricane Katrina.

Unfortunately, the cyclone is hardly the only exceptional weather to strike Australia in current months. Last year there were terribly wildfires that killed dozens and this year other Australian states have been gripped by devastating flooding.

We in Wyoming have been fortunate enough to avoid cyclones (well, I guess it's more geography than luck) and monster snow storms this winter. That said, it's been cold.