NELLIE
1972-73 season · AU197273_10U
History
Severe Tropical Cyclone Nellie was a long-lived and intense system that spent its entire life over open water, never threatening the Australian mainland. It developed from an active monsoonal low in the eastern Indian Ocean on 13 March 1973, forming roughly 400 kilometres north-northwest of Broome. Warm sea surface temperatures exceeding 29°C allowed the disturbance to organise quickly, and the Perth Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre named it Nellie on 14 March as it reached Category 1 strength.
Guided by a strong and persistent subtropical ridge over the Australian continent, Nellie tracked on a broadly west-southwestward to westward course, steadily moving away from the coast. Intensification accelerated from 16 March, and on 17 March the system reached Category 4 severe tropical cyclone status on the Australian scale. At its peak, located approximately 700 kilometres northwest of North West Cape, Nellie had an estimated minimum central pressure near 940 hPa, with maximum sustained winds of about 165–175 km/h and gusts exceeding 230 km/h over the open ocean.
Nellie held severe tropical cyclone intensity for several days while continuing west across the Indian Ocean in the general direction of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. From around 20 March the system began a steady decline as it drew in cooler air and encountered stronger vertical wind shear at higher latitudes. The core weakened progressively, and Nellie fell below cyclone intensity over open waters on 23 March, well west of 90°E.
Because the cyclone remained hundreds of kilometres offshore from the Kimberley and Pilbara coasts throughout its life, no gale-force winds or significant rainfall reached the Western Australian mainland. Marine warnings were issued for shipping across the southeastern Indian Ocean, and outer rainbands and large swells produced squally conditions and elevated seas near the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, though the centre passed at a safe distance. No deaths, injuries or structural damage were attributed to Nellie, making it one of the more powerful yet harmless cyclones of an unusually active 1972–73 season.
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia
View full track data (81 observations)
| Date/Time (UTC) | Category | Position | Pressure | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-03-13 01:00:00 | 1 | -12.0, 127.0 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-13 04:00:00 | 1 | -12.2, 126.6 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-13 07:00:00 | 1 | -12.4, 126.0 | 1000 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-13 10:00:00 | 1 | -12.6, 125.4 | 1000 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-13 13:00:00 | 1 | -12.8, 124.7 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-13 16:00:00 | 1 | -13.2, 124.1 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-13 19:00:00 | 1 | -13.6, 123.4 | 999 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-03-13 22:00:00 | 1 | -13.9, 122.8 | 998 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 01:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 122.1 | 996 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 04:00:00 | 1 | -14.0, 121.4 | 994 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 07:00:00 | 1 | -14.1, 120.6 | 992 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 10:00:00 | 1 | -14.3, 119.7 | 990 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 13:00:00 | 1 | -14.6, 118.9 | 989 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 16:00:00 | 1 | -14.9, 118.1 | 988 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 19:00:00 | 1 | -15.3, 117.3 | 986 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-14 22:00:00 | 1 | -15.7, 116.6 | 984 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 01:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 115.6 | 982 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 04:00:00 | 1 | -16.3, 114.9 | 979 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 07:00:00 | 1 | -16.5, 114.1 | 976 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 10:00:00 | 1 | -16.8, 113.3 | 973 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 13:00:00 | 1 | -17.1, 112.6 | 971 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 16:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 112.0 | 968 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 19:00:00 | 1 | -17.4, 111.6 | 966 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1973-03-15 22:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 111.2 | 965 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 01:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 110.9 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 04:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 110.6 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 07:00:00 | 1 | -17.6, 110.4 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 10:00:00 | 1 | -17.6, 110.2 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 13:00:00 | 1 | -17.6, 110.0 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 16:00:00 | 1 | -17.6, 109.8 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 19:00:00 | 1 | -17.6, 109.7 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-16 22:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 109.5 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 01:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 109.4 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 04:00:00 | 1 | -17.5, 109.3 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 07:00:00 | 1 | -17.4, 109.2 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 10:00:00 | 1 | -17.4, 109.1 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 13:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 109.0 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 16:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 108.9 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 19:00:00 | 1 | -17.2, 108.7 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-17 22:00:00 | 1 | -17.1, 108.6 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 01:00:00 | 1 | -17.0, 108.4 | 964 hPa | 41 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 04:00:00 | 1 | -16.9, 108.2 | 966 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 07:00:00 | 1 | -16.7, 108.1 | 968 hPa | 39 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 10:00:00 | 1 | -16.5, 107.8 | 971 hPa | 36 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 13:00:00 | 1 | -16.4, 107.5 | 974 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 16:00:00 | 1 | -16.3, 107.2 | 977 hPa | 33 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 19:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 106.8 | 979 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1973-03-18 22:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 106.5 | 981 hPa | 31 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 01:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 106.0 | 982 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 04:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 105.5 | 983 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 07:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 105.1 | 983 hPa | 28 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 10:00:00 | 1 | -16.0, 104.7 | 985 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 13:00:00 | 1 | -16.1, 104.1 | 985 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 16:00:00 | 1 | -16.2, 103.8 | 986 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 19:00:00 | 1 | -16.4, 103.3 | 986 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-19 22:00:00 | 1 | -16.6, 102.9 | 986 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 01:00:00 | 1 | -17.0, 102.4 | 987 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 04:00:00 | 1 | -17.3, 102.1 | 988 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 07:00:00 | 1 | -17.6, 101.7 | 988 hPa | 26 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 10:00:00 | 1 | -17.9, 101.4 | 990 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 13:00:00 | 1 | -18.2, 101.1 | 990 hPa | 23 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 16:00:00 | 1 | -18.6, 100.8 | 991 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 19:00:00 | 1 | -19.0, 100.5 | 991 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-03-20 22:00:00 | 1 | -19.3, 100.2 | 991 hPa | 21 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 01:00:00 | 1 | -19.7, 99.6 | 992 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 04:00:00 | 1 | -19.9, 99.3 | 993 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 07:00:00 | 1 | -20.0, 98.7 | 993 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 10:00:00 | 1 | -20.0, 98.1 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 13:00:00 | 1 | -19.9, 97.5 | 995 hPa | 18 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 16:00:00 | 1 | -19.7, 97.2 | 996 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 19:00:00 | 1 | -19.6, 96.8 | 996 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-03-21 22:00:00 | 1 | -19.6, 96.4 | 996 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 01:00:00 | 1 | -19.6, 96.0 | 997 hPa | 15 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 04:00:00 | 1 | -19.7, 95.7 | 999 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 07:00:00 | 1 | -19.8, 95.4 | 999 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 10:00:00 | 1 | -19.9, 95.2 | 1001 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 13:00:00 | 1 | -20.0, 95.0 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 16:00:00 | 1 | -20.1, 94.9 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 19:00:00 | 1 | -20.2, 94.7 | 1002 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-22 22:00:00 | 1 | -20.3, 94.5 | 1003 hPa | 13 km/h |
| 1973-03-23 01:00:00 | 1 | -20.4, 94.4 | 1004 hPa | 13 km/h |