HARRY
1976-77 season · AU197677_01U
History
Tropical Cyclone Harry was the opening system of the 1976–77 Australian region cyclone season, forming in the middle of December 1976 and spending its entire life over open water. The cyclone developed out of an active monsoonal low in the Coral Sea, north-northeast of Willis Island, on 15 December. Warm sea surface temperatures and a favourable upper-level environment allowed the disturbance to consolidate quickly, and it was classified as a Category 1 tropical cyclone and given the name Harry by the Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre on 16 December.
Steered by mid-level flow between a ridge over the Australian continent and an approaching upper trough, Harry tracked steadily southeastward across the Coral Sea rather than turning toward the Queensland coast. Intensification continued through 17 and 18 December, with the system reaching Category 3 severe tropical cyclone status on the Australian scale on 18 December. Peak intensity was attained as Harry passed well east of New Caledonia, with a minimum central pressure of around 960 hPa and maximum sustained winds estimated near 130–140 km/h, accompanied by gusts over open water exceeding 185 km/h.
As the cyclone moved south of about 25°S on 20 December it encountered progressively stronger vertical wind shear and cooler waters. The central convection quickly separated from the low-level circulation, and Harry degenerated into a subtropical low late on 20 December before dissipating entirely over the South Pacific Ocean on 21 December.
Because Harry remained well offshore throughout its six-day life, mainland Australia was spared any effects, and no land-based structural damage, injuries or deaths were attributed to the system. Its influence was confined to marine areas, where gales, heavy rain squalls and large swells affected Coral Sea waters and shipping lanes; commercial vessels and offshore fishing boats altered course to avoid the worst of the conditions. Harry was one of several cyclones in a slightly above-average season.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (49 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-12-15 00:00:00 | 1 | -8.4, 103.0 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-15 03:00:00 | 1 | -8.4, 102.6 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-15 06:00:00 | 1 | -8.5, 102.2 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-15 09:00:00 | 1 | -8.5, 101.3 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-15 12:00:00 | 1 | -8.6, 101.4 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-15 15:00:00 | 1 | -8.6, 101.0 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-15 18:00:00 | 1 | -8.7, 100.8 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-15 21:00:00 | 1 | -8.7, 100.6 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 00:00:00 | 1 | -8.8, 100.3 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 03:00:00 | 1 | -8.8, 100.0 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 06:00:00 | 1 | -8.9, 99.6 | 998 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 09:00:00 | 1 | -8.9, 99.3 | 996 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 12:00:00 | 1 | -9.0, 99.0 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 15:00:00 | 1 | -9.1, 98.8 | 992 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 18:00:00 | 1 | -9.3, 98.4 | 990 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1976-12-16 21:00:00 | 1 | -9.4, 97.8 | 988 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 00:00:00 | 1 | -9.5, 97.2 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 03:00:00 | 1 | -9.6, 96.9 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 06:00:00 | 1 | -9.7, 96.6 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 09:00:00 | 1 | -9.8, 96.3 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 12:00:00 | 1 | -10.0, 96.0 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 15:00:00 | 1 | -10.2, 95.8 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 18:00:00 | 1 | -10.5, 95.7 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-17 21:00:00 | 1 | -10.8, 95.5 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 00:00:00 | 1 | -11.0, 95.2 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 03:00:00 | 1 | -11.5, 95.0 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 06:00:00 | 1 | -12.0, 94.8 | 987 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 09:00:00 | 1 | -12.5, 94.4 | 990 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 12:00:00 | 1 | -13.0, 94.0 | 992 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 15:00:00 | 1 | -13.1, 93.2 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 18:00:00 | 1 | -13.2, 92.4 | 996 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1976-12-18 21:00:00 | 1 | -13.2, 91.6 | 998 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 00:00:00 | 1 | -13.3, 90.8 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 03:00:00 | 1 | -13.4, 90.4 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 06:00:00 | 1 | -13.5, 90.1 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 09:00:00 | 1 | -13.7, 88.8 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 12:00:00 | 1 | -13.8, 88.5 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 15:00:00 | 1 | -13.9, 87.8 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 18:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 87.2 | 1001 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-19 21:00:00 | 1 | -14.2, 86.5 | 1001 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 00:00:00 | 1 | -14.5, 85.9 | 1002 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 03:00:00 | 1 | -14.8, 85.0 | 1002 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 06:00:00 | 1 | -15.1, 84.4 | 1002 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 09:00:00 | 1 | -15.4, 83.7 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 12:00:00 | 1 | -15.7, 83.1 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 15:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 82.5 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 18:00:00 | 1 | -16.3, 81.9 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-20 21:00:00 | 1 | -16.6, 81.2 | 1006 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1976-12-21 00:00:00 | 1 | -17.0, 80.4 | 1009 hPa | 10 km/h |