1977–78 Australian region cyclone season

Tropical low (Australian scale)
Duration	13 December – 14 December (exited basin)
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (10-min);; 1003 hPa (mbar)

Duration	6 November – 11 November
Peak intensity	Winds not specified;; 990 hPa (mbar)

1977–78 Australian region cyclone season
1977–78 Australian region cyclone season
	Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	6 November 1977
Last system dissipated	11 April 1978
Strongest storm
Name	Alby
• Lowest pressure	930 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows	9
Tropical cyclones	5
Severe tropical cyclones	2
Total fatalities	Unknown
Total damage	Unknown
Related articles
	1977–78 South Pacific cyclone season; 1977–78 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season;
	Australian region tropical cyclone seasons; 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80

The 1977–78 Australian region cyclone season saw normal activity.

Storms

Cyclone Tom

Tropical Depression Sam-Celimene

Tropical Cyclone Trudy

Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	10 January – 20 January
Peak intensity	175 km/h (110 mph) (1-min); 954 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Vern

Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	27 January – 3 February
Peak intensity	150 km/h (90 mph) (1-min); 964 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Gwen

Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	25 February – 27 February
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min); 987 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Winnie

Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	16 March – 29 March
Peak intensity	205 km/h (125 mph) (1-min); 945 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Alby

Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	27 March – 5 April
Peak intensity	205 km/h (125 mph) (10-min); 930 hPa (mbar)

On 27 March, a tropical depression developed in the eastern Indian Ocean between Indonesia and Australia. It drifted to the southwest, and slowly strengthened into a tropical storm on 29 March. Alby continued slowly southwestward, and attained cyclone status on 30 March. The rate of intensification, which was slower earlier in its life, became more steady towards strengthening, and reached the equivalent of Category 3 status on 1 April. Tropical Cyclone Alby turned more to the south, and quickly reached a peak of 135 mph (217 km/h) later on 1 April. After maintaining its strength for 30 hours, Alby weakened as it turned to the southeast. Its forward momentum increased over the southeast Indian Ocean, and Alby was only an 85 mph (137 km/h) cyclone as it passed off the southwest coast of Australia on 4 April. It continued rapidly to the southeast, and became extra-tropical on 5 April while south of the continent.

On 4 April, Tropical Cyclone Alby passed close to the southwest corner of Western Australia, killing five people and causing widespread but mostly minor damage to the southwest. The damage bill was estimated to be $39 million (2003 dollars). A man was blown from the roof of a shed and a woman was killed by a falling pine tree. Another man was killed when a tree fell on the bulldozer he was operating and two men drowned when their dinghy overturned at Albany. Storm surge and destructive waves caused coastal inundation and erosion from Perth to Busselton, damaging the Busselton Jetty and Fremantle Harbour. Fires fanned by the strong winds burned an estimated 1,140 km² (440 sq mi) of forest and farming land.

Tropical Cyclone Brenda

Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	5 April – 14 April
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Hal

Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	6 April – 11 April
Peak intensity	240 km/h (150 mph) (10-min); 985 hPa (mbar)

References