Tropical Cyclone Winifred registered as a category three cyclone and recorded wind gusts up to 175 km per hour, near Cowley Beach south of Innisfail. Damage and disruption extended from north of Cairns to Cardwell and inland on a narrow front to Ravenshoe. Flooding occurred between Babinda and Tully.

The tide gauge at Clump Point recorded a storm surge of 1.6 m, wave run-up on beaches was approximately 2 m above the astronomical tide. Significant 24 hour rainfalls during the period were Topaz 304 mm, Ravenshoe 373 mm, Tully 212 mm, lnnisfail 221 mm and Babinda 251 mm. There were three deaths.

The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the 1986 damage at $40 million, with the 2011 estimated normalised cost of $205 million.