Cyclone Debbie: Inside the eye of the storm

Eerie footage inside the eye of Cyclone Debbie has emerged as residents on Hayman Island look outside to discover clear skies and little rain.

Cameron Berkham tweeted a video of the storm both before and after the eye – demonstrating the bizarre calm that descends halfway through a tropical cyclone.

"In the eye of #cyclonedebbie here on #haymanisland. Thoughts are with those suffering more damage and loss than we are," wrote Berkman.

In the middle of a cyclone, winds can reach staggering speeds of up to 175km/h, with gusts of 250km/h. Currently, the highest wind speeds recorded from category 4 Cyclone Debbie have peaked at 230km/h.

Yet in the eye of the storm – an odd circle of low air pressure that brings calm weather and respite – winds can drop off too little more than a gentle breeze.

The eye of a tropical cyclone ranges between 3km and 300km in diameter, and typically lasts for a period of two to three hours.

To many it’s considered the most dangerous period of a cyclone because of the false safety it gives those affected, and the fact the most intense period of any cyclone occurs as a "wall" that surrounds the eye.