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Cyclone Hal      5 April to 22 April 1978

Tropical cyclone Hal developed from a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Carpentaria on 5 April 1978. Hal crossed the Far North Queensland coast as a category 1 before moving into the Coral Sea. Hal slowly continued southeastward weakening below cyclone intensity with unfavourable conditions for the next week. By April 13, Hal was steered poleward by a mid latitude trough and commenced transitioning as an extratropical cyclone in the North Tasman. Hal then strengthened as it moved towards New Zealand waters on 16 April.  

 

Ex-TC Hal continued to intensify nearing the Upper North Island on 18 April with gales affecting Northland. On 19 April, Hal crossed the central North Island over the Waikato as a deep 976 hPa extratropical.  Winds gusted between 100 to 130 km across a wide area of the Upper North Island but little damage was reported from wind or rain with the most intense side of the storm being out in the Tasman.  

 

 

Tropical summary

Name
Category 

Lowest pressure
Lowest land pressure

Mean Wind Speed 
Affected land

 
Hal
1
985 hPa
985 hPa

130 km/h (G- 170 km/h)
Far North Queensland, Australia
Ex-TC summary

Name
Category 

Lowest pressure
Lowest land pressure

Mean Wind Speed 
Affected upper NI

 


Hal
Extratropical
965 hPa
976 hPa

75 km/h (G- 130 km/h)
Northland, Auckland, Gulf Islands, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato
Cyclone Hal Track map 1978
Cyclone Hal MSLP 19 April 1978
Cyclone Hal mean wind speed 19 April 1978
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