ANNIE
1973-74 season · AU197374_02U
History
Severe Tropical Cyclone Annie was a notably long-lived system that spent virtually its entire life over the open waters of the Indian Ocean. It began as an early-season monsoon low near 10°S, 105°E, well to the northwest of Western Australia, and was identified on 21 November 1973. Drifting west-southwestward over very warm water, the disturbance consolidated quickly and was named Annie by the Bureau of Meteorology's Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth on 22 November.
A strong and persistent subtropical ridge anchored over the Australian continent steered the cyclone on a sustained westward course, taking it further and further from the mainland. Over the following week Annie intensified rapidly, reaching Category 4 severe tropical cyclone status on the Australian scale. At its peak, as it passed to the south of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the central pressure fell to an estimated 940 hPa, with maximum 10-minute sustained winds of roughly 165–175 km/h (90–95 knots) and gusts estimated to have exceeded 230 km/h over open ocean.
Remarkably, Annie held severe tropical cyclone intensity for more than a week as it crossed thousands of kilometres of the southeastern Indian Ocean. In early December it moved west of 80°E, leaving the Australian region and passing into the South-West Indian Ocean basin, where responsibility for monitoring shifted to Météo-France at La Réunion. Progressively cooler sea surface temperatures and strengthening vertical wind shear eroded the system, which weakened steadily before dissipating over open water on 8 December 1973.
Annie never made landfall and caused no direct impacts to the Australian mainland, having formed far offshore and tracked away from the coast throughout its life. Its main practical consequence was for shipping: gale and storm warnings were maintained for high-seas trade routes across the southeastern Indian Ocean for an extended period. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands experienced squally weather and large swells from the cyclone's outer rainbands, but the destructive core stayed offshore. No deaths, injuries or structural damage were attributed to the system.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (137 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-11-21 00:00:00 | 1 | -9.0, 91.0 | 1006 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-21 03:00:00 | 1 | -9.3, 91.2 | 1005 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-21 06:00:00 | 1 | -9.6, 91.4 | 1003 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-21 09:00:00 | 1 | -9.8, 91.5 | 1001 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-21 12:00:00 | 1 | -10.0, 91.6 | 1003 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-21 15:00:00 | 1 | -10.2, 91.7 | 1005 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-21 18:00:00 | 1 | -10.4, 91.8 | 1004 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-21 21:00:00 | 1 | -10.6, 91.9 | 1005 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 00:00:00 | 1 | -10.8, 92.1 | 1004 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 03:00:00 | 1 | -10.9, 92.3 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 06:00:00 | 1 | -11.0, 92.6 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 09:00:00 | 1 | -11.0, 92.8 | 1000 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 12:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 93.1 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 15:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 93.4 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 18:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 93.7 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-22 21:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 94.0 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 00:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 94.2 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 03:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 94.4 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 06:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 94.6 | 1000 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 09:00:00 | 1 | -11.1, 94.8 | 999 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 12:00:00 | 1 | -11.2, 95.0 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 15:00:00 | 1 | -11.2, 95.2 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 18:00:00 | 1 | -11.3, 95.4 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-23 21:00:00 | 1 | -11.4, 95.6 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 00:00:00 | 1 | -11.5, 95.7 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 03:00:00 | 1 | -11.5, 95.8 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 06:00:00 | 1 | -11.6, 96.0 | 999 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 09:00:00 | 1 | -11.6, 96.2 | 997 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 12:00:00 | 1 | -11.7, 96.3 | 998 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 15:00:00 | 1 | -11.8, 96.4 | 998 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 18:00:00 | 1 | -11.9, 96.5 | 996 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-11-24 21:00:00 | 1 | -12.0, 96.6 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 00:00:00 | 1 | -12.1, 96.7 | 994 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 03:00:00 | 1 | -12.2, 96.8 | 994 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 06:00:00 | 1 | -12.2, 96.9 | 994 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 09:00:00 | 1 | -12.3, 97.0 | 994 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 12:00:00 | 1 | -12.4, 97.1 | 994 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 15:00:00 | 1 | -12.5, 97.2 | 994 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 18:00:00 | 1 | -12.6, 97.3 | 994 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-25 21:00:00 | 1 | -12.7, 97.4 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 00:00:00 | 1 | -12.7, 97.5 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 03:00:00 | 1 | -12.8, 97.7 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 06:00:00 | 1 | -12.7, 97.9 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 09:00:00 | 1 | -12.6, 98.1 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 12:00:00 | 1 | -12.5, 98.3 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 15:00:00 | 1 | -12.4, 98.5 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 18:00:00 | 1 | -12.3, 98.7 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-26 21:00:00 | 1 | -12.2, 98.9 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 00:00:00 | 1 | -12.0, 99.1 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 03:00:00 | 1 | -11.9, 99.3 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 06:00:00 | 1 | -11.8, 99.5 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 09:00:00 | 1 | -11.7, 99.7 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 12:00:00 | 1 | -11.6, 100.0 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 15:00:00 | 1 | -11.5, 100.3 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 18:00:00 | 1 | -11.4, 100.6 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-27 21:00:00 | 1 | -11.4, 100.9 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 00:00:00 | 1 | -11.5, 101.3 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 03:00:00 | 1 | -11.7, 101.6 | 993 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 06:00:00 | 1 | -12.0, 101.8 | 991 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 09:00:00 | 1 | -12.3, 101.9 | 990 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 12:00:00 | 1 | -12.7, 102.0 | 990 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 15:00:00 | 1 | -13.0, 102.0 | 990 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 18:00:00 | 1 | -13.4, 102.0 | 989 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-28 21:00:00 | 1 | -13.7, 102.0 | 989 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 00:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 102.0 | 988 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 03:00:00 | 1 | -14.3, 102.1 | 986 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 06:00:00 | 1 | -14.5, 102.1 | 984 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 09:00:00 | 1 | -14.7, 102.2 | 983 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 12:00:00 | 1 | -14.9, 102.2 | 983 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 15:00:00 | 1 | -15.0, 102.3 | 983 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 18:00:00 | 1 | -15.1, 102.4 | 982 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-29 21:00:00 | 1 | -15.2, 102.4 | 982 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 00:00:00 | 1 | -15.3, 102.5 | 981 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 03:00:00 | 1 | -15.4, 102.7 | 982 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 06:00:00 | 1 | -15.6, 102.9 | 981 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 09:00:00 | 1 | -15.8, 103.1 | 982 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 12:00:00 | 1 | -15.9, 103.4 | 986 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 15:00:00 | 1 | -15.8, 103.7 | 987 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 18:00:00 | 1 | -15.7, 103.9 | 986 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-11-30 21:00:00 | 1 | -15.6, 104.1 | 986 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 00:00:00 | 1 | -15.5, 104.2 | 988 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 03:00:00 | 1 | -15.4, 104.2 | 988 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 06:00:00 | 1 | -15.2, 104.1 | 987 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 09:00:00 | 1 | -15.0, 103.9 | 988 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 12:00:00 | 1 | -14.9, 103.7 | 992 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 15:00:00 | 1 | -14.9, 103.5 | 993 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 18:00:00 | 1 | -14.9, 103.3 | 993 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-12-01 21:00:00 | 1 | -15.0, 103.1 | 992 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 00:00:00 | 1 | -15.0, 102.9 | 994 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 03:00:00 | 1 | -15.1, 102.6 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 06:00:00 | 1 | -15.1, 102.3 | 992 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 09:00:00 | 1 | -15.2, 102.0 | 993 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 12:00:00 | 1 | -15.3, 101.7 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 15:00:00 | 1 | -15.4, 101.4 | 993 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 18:00:00 | 1 | -15.5, 101.0 | 992 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-02 21:00:00 | 1 | -15.6, 100.6 | 993 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 00:00:00 | 1 | -15.8, 100.2 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 03:00:00 | 1 | -15.9, 99.9 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 06:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 99.6 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 09:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 99.3 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 12:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 98.9 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 15:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 98.6 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 18:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 98.3 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-03 21:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 97.9 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 00:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 97.5 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 03:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 97.0 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 06:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 96.4 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 09:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 95.8 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 12:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 95.0 | 999 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 15:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 94.1 | 1002 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 18:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 93.2 | 1001 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-12-04 21:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 92.3 | 1001 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 00:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 91.4 | 1003 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 03:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 90.5 | 1003 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 06:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 89.7 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 09:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 89.1 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 12:00:00 | 1 | -16.3, 88.5 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 15:00:00 | 1 | -16.4, 88.0 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 18:00:00 | 1 | -16.5, 87.6 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-05 21:00:00 | 1 | -16.6, 87.3 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 00:00:00 | 1 | -16.7, 87.0 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 03:00:00 | 1 | -16.8, 86.8 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 06:00:00 | 1 | -17.0, 86.7 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 09:00:00 | 1 | -17.1, 86.6 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 12:00:00 | 1 | -17.2, 86.5 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 15:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 86.5 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 18:00:00 | 1 | -17.4, 86.4 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-06 21:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 86.4 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 00:00:00 | 1 | -17.7, 86.3 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 03:00:00 | 1 | -17.9, 86.2 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 06:00:00 | 1 | -18.1, 86.0 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 09:00:00 | 1 | -18.3, 85.9 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 12:00:00 | 1 | -18.5, 85.8 | 1005 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 15:00:00 | 1 | -18.7, 85.6 | 1007 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 18:00:00 | 1 | -18.8, 85.4 | 1006 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-12-07 21:00:00 | 1 | -18.9, 85.2 | 1007 hPa | 10 km/h |
| 1973-12-08 00:00:00 | 1 | -19.0, 85.0 | 1008 hPa | 10 km/h |