HARRY

History

Tropical Cyclone Harry began as an eastward-moving tropical depression that developed on 7 February 1989 roughly 800 km west of Vanuatu, in the South Pacific basin. The system organised quickly and was upgraded to tropical cyclone status the following day, at which point it changed course and began tracking southward.

Continuing to deepen, Harry reached severe tropical cyclone intensity before passing across New Caledonia on 11 February. After returning over open water, the cyclone recurved sharply, adopting an east-northeasterly heading that carried it across 160°E and into the Australian region on 13 February.

Harry strengthened steadily over the next two days and attained its peak intensity on 15 February, with maximum sustained winds of 205 km/h and a minimum central pressure of 925 hPa. At around this time the cyclone had developed an unusually large eye, measuring roughly 85 km across. Harry then slowed dramatically, becoming almost stationary for the remainder of 15 February and into 16 February, before finally turning towards the southwest. It fell below severe tropical cyclone intensity on 17 February and shortly afterwards moved back out of the Australian basin.

Harry was one of several systems active in the western Coral Sea and Indian Ocean during a slightly above-average 1988–89 Australian region season.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia