KAREN
1976-77 season · AU197677_10U
History
Severe Tropical Cyclone Karen was active from 2 to 9 March 1977, making it the fourth cyclone of the 1976–77 Australian region season. The system developed gradually near the northwest coast of Western Australia, tracking roughly parallel to the shoreline without making a direct continental landfall. Karen reached peak intensity on 7 March, achieving Category 3 status on the Australian scale, with maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h and a minimum central pressure of approximately 970 hPa. Its eye diameter varied considerably, ranging between 25 and 55 kilometres.
Although Karen remained offshore throughout its life, its proximity to the coast produced prolonged gale-force winds along a substantial stretch of the Western Australian coastline, from Cape Leveque south to North West Cape. A tugboat in the Flying Foam Passage and the town of Exmouth both recorded barometric pressures of around 980 hPa as the system's intense core passed nearby on 6 March. The storm generated dangerous sea conditions that forced several vessels to seek shelter, including the Royal Australian Navy patrol boat HMAS Adroit. Despite the widespread coastal disruption and hazardous maritime conditions, structural damage on land was largely minor. Karen is regarded as a notable example of a severe offshore cyclone generating significant coastal impacts without ever crossing the Australian mainland.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (63 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-03-02 01:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 124.5 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-02 04:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 124.3 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-02 07:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 124.1 | 999 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-02 10:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 123.9 | 999 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-02 13:00:00 | 1 | -13.9, 123.7 | 999 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-02 16:00:00 | 1 | -13.9, 123.5 | 998 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-02 19:00:00 | 1 | -13.9, 123.3 | 997 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-02 22:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 123.1 | 997 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 01:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 122.9 | 996 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 04:00:00 | 1 | -14.1, 122.7 | 996 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 07:00:00 | 1 | -14.2, 122.6 | 994 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 10:00:00 | 1 | -14.3, 122.5 | 994 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 13:00:00 | 1 | -14.4, 122.4 | 994 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 16:00:00 | 1 | -14.5, 122.3 | 993 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 19:00:00 | 1 | -14.6, 122.2 | 992 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-03 22:00:00 | 1 | -14.7, 122.1 | 992 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 01:00:00 | 1 | -14.9, 122.0 | 992 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 04:00:00 | 1 | -15.0, 121.9 | 991 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 07:00:00 | 1 | -15.2, 121.9 | 989 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 10:00:00 | 1 | -15.4, 121.9 | 988 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 13:00:00 | 1 | -15.6, 122.0 | 987 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 16:00:00 | 1 | -15.8, 122.0 | 986 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 19:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 122.1 | 986 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1977-03-04 22:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 122.1 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 01:00:00 | 1 | -16.3, 122.1 | 985 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 04:00:00 | 1 | -16.6, 122.1 | 983 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 07:00:00 | 1 | -16.9, 122.0 | 982 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 10:00:00 | 1 | -17.1, 122.0 | 980 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 13:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 121.9 | 979 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 16:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 121.8 | 977 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 19:00:00 | 1 | -17.8, 121.4 | 976 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1977-03-05 22:00:00 | 1 | -18.0, 121.0 | 975 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 01:00:00 | 1 | -18.3, 120.5 | 975 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 04:00:00 | 1 | -18.6, 120.0 | 974 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 07:00:00 | 1 | -18.9, 119.6 | 973 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 10:00:00 | 1 | -19.2, 119.1 | 973 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 13:00:00 | 1 | -19.4, 118.5 | 973 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 16:00:00 | 1 | -19.6, 117.9 | 972 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 19:00:00 | 1 | -19.8, 117.3 | 971 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 21:30:00 | 1 | -20.3, 116.8 | — | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-06 22:00:00 | 1 | -20.3, 116.8 | 971 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 01:00:00 | 1 | -20.5, 116.4 | 970 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 04:00:00 | 1 | -20.7, 115.9 | 970 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 07:00:00 | 1 | -20.9, 115.4 | 970 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 10:00:00 | 1 | -21.1, 115.1 | 972 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 13:00:00 | 1 | -21.3, 114.8 | 978 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 16:00:00 | 1 | -21.5, 114.5 | 983 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 19:00:00 | 1 | -21.7, 114.2 | 986 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1977-03-07 22:00:00 | 1 | -22.1, 113.8 | 987 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 01:00:00 | 1 | -22.4, 113.6 | 990 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 04:00:00 | 1 | -22.7, 113.5 | 990 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 07:00:00 | 1 | -22.9, 113.4 | 992 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 10:00:00 | 1 | -23.1, 113.3 | 994 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 13:00:00 | 1 | -23.3, 113.2 | 997 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 16:00:00 | 1 | -23.5, 113.1 | 999 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 19:00:00 | 1 | -23.7, 112.9 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-08 22:00:00 | 1 | -23.9, 112.7 | 1001 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-09 01:00:00 | 1 | -24.1, 112.5 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-09 04:00:00 | 1 | -24.0, 112.0 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-09 07:00:00 | 1 | -23.5, 111.7 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-09 10:00:00 | 1 | -23.1, 111.5 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-09 13:00:00 | 1 | -22.7, 111.2 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-09 16:00:00 | 1 | -22.3, 111.0 | 1006 hPa | 13 km/h |