LEO
1976-77 season · AU197677_12U
History
Severe Tropical Cyclone Leo developed from a tropical depression that moved off the West Kimberley coast, intensifying into a named tropical cyclone on 24 March 1977. Tracking southwestward over warm waters before curving sharply southward, Leo made landfall just east of Port Hedland on the Pilbara coast of Western Australia on 27 March 1977. Unusually, the system reached its peak intensity at the moment of landfall rather than weakening beforehand, crossing the coast as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone with an estimated minimum central pressure of 955 hPa and maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h. A peak gust of 200 km/h was recorded at Port Hedland, among the most intense ever measured there.
The storm caused severe damage to industrial infrastructure, residential buildings, and commercial properties across Port Hedland and surrounding pastoral stations. As Leo pushed inland, heavy rainfall triggered significant river flooding that inundated low-lying areas and severed land transport routes. The system dissipated on 28 March 1977. Leo also holds a place in Australian meteorological history for the quality of radar data collected during its approach, with coastal radar at Port Hedland tracking the cyclone's well-defined eyewall continuously from its offshore approach until it moved well inland near Carlindi Station.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (34 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-03-24 01:00:00 | 2 | -15.6, 124.8 | 1005 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-24 04:00:00 | 4 | -15.5, 124.3 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-24 07:00:00 | 1 | -15.5, 123.9 | 1000 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-24 10:00:00 | 1 | -15.4, 123.4 | 998 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-24 13:00:00 | 1 | -15.5, 123.0 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1977-03-24 16:00:00 | 1 | -15.7, 122.6 | 993 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1977-03-24 19:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 122.1 | 992 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-24 22:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 121.7 | 991 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 01:00:00 | 1 | -16.5, 121.3 | 990 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 04:00:00 | 1 | -16.7, 120.9 | 987 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 07:00:00 | 1 | -16.9, 120.5 | 984 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 10:00:00 | 1 | -17.1, 120.1 | 982 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 13:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 119.8 | 980 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 16:00:00 | 1 | -17.6, 119.6 | 977 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 19:00:00 | 1 | -17.8, 119.3 | 973 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1977-03-25 22:00:00 | 1 | -18.0, 119.1 | 969 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 01:00:00 | 1 | -18.2, 118.9 | 965 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 04:00:00 | 1 | -18.6, 118.8 | 963 hPa | 44 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 07:00:00 | 1 | -18.9, 118.7 | 962 hPa | 44 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 10:00:00 | 1 | -19.2, 118.7 | 961 hPa | 44 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 13:00:00 | 1 | -19.6, 118.7 | 960 hPa | 46 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 16:00:00 | 1 | -19.9, 118.9 | 960 hPa | 46 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 19:00:00 | 3 | -20.1, 119.0 | 965 hPa | 46 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 20:01:00 | 2 | -20.2, 119.1 | — | 46 km/h |
| 1977-03-26 22:00:00 | 2 | -20.3, 119.2 | 972 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 01:00:00 | 2 | -20.6, 119.3 | 980 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 04:00:00 | 2 | -21.1, 119.7 | 986 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 07:00:00 | 2 | -21.3, 120.1 | 991 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 10:00:00 | 2 | -21.4, 120.5 | 993 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 13:00:00 | 2 | -21.5, 120.9 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 16:00:00 | 2 | -21.6, 121.3 | 997 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 19:00:00 | 2 | -21.7, 121.8 | 999 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1977-03-27 22:00:00 | 2 | -21.7, 122.3 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1977-03-28 01:00:00 | 2 | -21.8, 122.8 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |