1975–76 Australian region cyclone season

The 1975–76 Australian region cyclone season was an above average tropical cyclone season.

1975–76 Australian region cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed17 November 1975
Last system dissipated9 May 1976
Strongest storm
NameJoan
  Maximum winds215 km/h (130 mph)
(10-minute sustained)
  Lowest pressure915 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows16
Tropical cyclones16
Severe tropical cyclones8
Total fatalitiesUnknown
Total damageUnknown
Related articles

Systems

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ray

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationNovember 17 – November 25
Peak intensity130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min);
973 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Joan

Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationNovember 30 – December 10
Peak intensity215 km/h (130 mph) (10-min);
915 hPa (mbar)

On the morning of November 30, 1975, satellite imagery showed a large cloud mass in the Timor Sea. The satellite photograph received on the morning of December 1 showed that significant organization had occurred in the cloud mass during the previous 24 hours. It was deemed at 0115 UTC that the system be named the developing cyclone Joan, located about 310 km west-northwest of Darwin. Joan's movement in the following 48 hours was towards the southwest at an average 5 km/h. The first evidence of the increasing strength of Joan came as the cyclone moved west-southwest past the northernmost areas of Western Australia on December 3. The cyclone's generally west-southwesterly track after December 2 took it away from the coast until 0900 6 December when it was about 420 km north of Port Hedland and the system turned southward. At about 2200 UTC December 7, 1975, the eye of tropical cyclone Joan crossed the coast about 50 km west of Port Hedland. The cyclone was travelling south-southwest at about 14 km/h and crossed over or adjacent to the homesteads on the pastoral properties Mundabullangana, Mallina, Coolawanyah, Hamersley, and Mount Brockman. As cyclone Joan crossed the coastal plain and the Chichester Range only a slow moderation of its intensity seems to have occurred, but as the cyclone crossed the Hamersley Range the available evidence suggests that a rapid weakening took place.

Tropical cyclone Joan was the most destructive cyclone to affect the Port Hedland area in more than 30 years. The city was subjected to sustained winds exceeding 90 km/h for about 10 hours with winds in excess of 120 km/h for three hours. The maximum measured wind gust of 208 km/h on December 8, 1975, is the fourth highest on record in Australia. Severe property damage occurred at Port Hedland and at other settlements close to the cyclone's path. Subsequent flooding damaged roads and sections of the iron ore railways, particularly that of Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd. Sheep losses were heavy but, remarkably, no loss of human life or serious injury was reported. The estimated damage to private property and public facilities is believed to have exceeded $25 million.[1]

Tropical Cyclone Kim

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationDecember 1 – December 10
Peak intensity85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Sue

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationDecember 12 – December 16
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
994 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone David

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 11 – January 22
Peak intensity155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min);
961 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Vanessa

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 15 – January 28
Peak intensity175 km/h (110 mph) (10-min);
950 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Alan

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 30 – February 9
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);
989 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Beth

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 13 – February 22
Peak intensity130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min);
972 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Wally

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 22 – February 27
Peak intensity140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min);
973 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Hope

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 24 – March 6
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Colin

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 25 – March 7
Peak intensity155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min);
954 hPa (mbar)

Colin churned up rough seas all across the eastern coast of Australia and caused one fatality as a result when a large wave swept a woman off a cliff.

Tropical Cyclone Alice

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 2 – March 13
Peak intensity95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min);
988 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Dawn

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 3 – March 6
Peak intensity95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min);
988 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Linda

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 14 – March 17
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
995 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Watorea

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationApril 25 – April 28
Peak intensity165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min);
970 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Carol

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMay 3 – May 9
Peak intensity85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min);
991 hPa (mbar)

See also

  • Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1975, 1976
  • Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1975, 1976
  • Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1975, 1976
  • North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1975, 1976

References

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