1975–76 Australian region cyclone season

1975–76 Australian region cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	17 November 1975
Last system dissipated	9 May 1976
Strongest storm
Name	Joan
• Maximum winds	215 km/h (130 mph) (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	915 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Tropical lows	16
Tropical cyclones	16
Severe tropical cyclones	8
Total fatalities	>1
Total damage	$31 million (1976 USD)
Related articles
1975–76 South Pacific cyclone season 1975–76 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
Australian region tropical cyclone seasons 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78

The 1975–76 Australian region cyclone season was an above average tropical cyclone season.

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	November 17 – November 25
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 973 hPa (mbar)

Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	November 30 – December 10
Peak intensity	215 km/h (130 mph) (10-min); 915 hPa (mbar)

On the morning of November 30, 1975, satellite imagery showed a large cloud mass in the Timor Sea. The satellite photograph received on the morning of December 1 showed that significant organization had occurred in the cloud mass during the previous 24 hours. It was deemed at 0115 UTC that the system be named the developing cyclone Joan, located about 310 km west-northwest of Darwin. Joan's movement in the following 48 hours was towards the southwest at an average 5 km/h. The first evidence of the increasing strength of Joan came as the cyclone moved west-southwest past the northernmost areas of Western Australia on December 3. The cyclone's generally west-southwesterly track after December 2 took it away from the coast until 0900 6 December when it was about 420 km north of Port Hedland and the system turned southward. At about 2200 UTC December 7, 1975, the eye of tropical cyclone Joan crossed the coast about 50 km west of Port Hedland. The cyclone was travelling south-southwest at about 14 km/h and crossed over or adjacent to the homesteads on the pastoral properties Mundabullangana, Mallina, Coolawanyah, Hamersley, and Mount Brockman. As cyclone Joan crossed the coastal plain and the Chichester Range only a slow moderation of its intensity seems to have occurred, but as the cyclone crossed the Hamersley Range the available evidence suggests that a rapid weakening took place.

Tropical cyclone Joan was the most destructive cyclone to affect the Port Hedland area in more than 30 years. The city was subjected to sustained winds exceeding 90 km/h for about 10 hours with winds in excess of 120 km/h for three hours. The maximum measured wind gust of 208 km/h on December 8, 1975, is the fourth highest on record in Australia. Severe property damage occurred at Port Hedland and at other settlements close to the cyclone's path. Subsequent flooding damaged roads and sections of the iron ore railways, particularly that of Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd. Sheep losses were heavy but, remarkably, no loss of human life or serious injury was reported. The estimated damage to private property and public facilities is believed to have exceeded $25 million.^[1]

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	December 1 – December 10
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	December 12 – December 16
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 994 hPa (mbar)

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 11 – January 22
Peak intensity	155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min); 961 hPa (mbar)

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 15 – January 28
Peak intensity	175 km/h (110 mph) (10-min); 950 hPa (mbar)

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	January 30 – February 9
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 989 hPa (mbar)

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	February 13 – February 22
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 972 hPa (mbar)

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	February 22 – February 27
Peak intensity	140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min); 973 hPa (mbar)

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	February 24 – March 6
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 990 hPa (mbar)

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	February 25 – March 7
Peak intensity	155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min); 954 hPa (mbar)

Colin churned up rough seas all across the eastern coast of Australia and caused one fatality as a result when a large wave swept a woman off a cliff.

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	March 2 – March 13
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 988 hPa (mbar)

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	March 3 – March 6
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 988 hPa (mbar)

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	March 14 – March 17
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 995 hPa (mbar)

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	April 25 – April 28
Peak intensity	165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	May 3 – May 9
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 991 hPa (mbar)

• Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1975, 1976
• Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1975, 1976
• Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1975, 1976
• North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1975, 1976