During 1977, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year, a total of 125 tropical cyclones had formed this year to date, while a record low of 64 tropical cyclones were named.

The most active basin in the year was the Western Pacific, which, however, documented only 19 named systems, but had over 50 tropical depressions forming. Conversely, both the North Atlantic hurricane and North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons experienced very highly below the long-term average number of cyclones reaching tropical storm intensity in recorded history, both numbering 6, respectively. Activity across the southern hemisphere's three basins—South-West Indian, Australian, and South Pacific—was just almost spread evenly, with each region recording an average total of 12 tropical cyclones.

The costliest tropical cyclone of the year was Hurricane Anita in the Atlantic which struck Northern Mexico in very late August. Damages are still unknown to date, but most estimates say that Anita caused at least US$500 million in total damage. The deadliest tropical cyclone of the year was the 1977 Andhra Pradesh cyclone in the North Indian Ocean, which killed at least 10 thousand people in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. The cyclone became the most intense cyclone to hit the state since reliable records began in 1891. It was also the third recorded Super Cyclonic Storm in the satellite era of the basin which began in 1960.

Global atmospheric and hydrological conditions

Systems

January

During January, a total of 9 tropical cyclones formed within the month with eight of those further intensifying to become official named systems. 1977 is one of only a few years to feature no storms forming in December of the previous year and dissipating in January of the listed year. Cyclone Clarence was the most intense of January, with pressure of 960 hPa, while Cyclone Irene was the strongest, with attained wind speeds of . +Tropical cyclones formed in January 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsClarenceJanuary 1–13130 (80)960St. Brandon, RéunionUnknownNoneIreneJanuary 6–13150 (90)970AustraliaUnknownNoneTD (Atring)January 10–1355 (35)1004PhilippinesUnknownNoneMarionJanuary 11–21110 (70)980Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New CaledoniaUnknownNoneJuneJanuary 16–26120 (75)965Vanuatu, New CaledoniaUnknownNoneDomitileJanuary 18–2365 (40)992Juan de Nova Island, MadagascarUnknownNoneEmilieJanuary 28–February 5100 (65)980Agaléga, Réunion, Madagascar, Mozambique, Northeastern South AfricaUnknown≥300FifiJanuary 29–February 10120 (75)985RéunionUnknown1KeithJanuary 29–February 185 (50)992AustraliaUnknownNone

February

+Tropical cyclones formed in February 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths Refs07FFebruary 3–975 (45)990Fiji, TongaUnknownNoneGildaFebruary 4–955 (35)1000NoneNoneNoneLilyFebruary 8–1265 (40)996AustraliaUnknownNoneMilesFebruary 9–1375 (45)994NoneNoneNoneHerveaFebruary 10–March 3110 (70)970Agaléga, MadagascarUnknownNoneNancyFebruary 12–1375 (45)998AustraliaUnknownNoneJack-IoFebruary 13–March 2165 (105)≤935Cocos (Keeling) Islands, RodriguesUnknownNone11FFebruary 20–2475 (45)990Cook IslandsUnknownNoneKarenMarch 2–9150 (90)970AustraliaUnknownNone

March

+Tropical cyclones formed in March 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsOttoMarch 6–1085 (50)984AustraliaUnknownNoneNormanMarch 9–24100 (65)980Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New CaledoniaUnknownNonePatMarch 17–18100 (65)980TongaUnknownNoneLeoMarch 24–28165 (105)955AustraliaUnknownNonePatsyMarch 23–3195 (60)990Marshall Islands None None

April

+Tropical cyclones formed in April 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsRobertApril 16–23130 (80)965French PolynesiaUnknownNoneVernaApril 28–May 3130 (80)973AustraliaUnknownNone

May

+Tropical cyclones formed in May 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths Refs01BMay 9–13100 (65)Not specifiedIndia, BangladeshUnknownNone02W (Bining)May 26–2755 (35)1000JapanMinimalNoneAvaMay 26–3065 (100)≤997NoneNoneNoneTwoMay 25–30UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNoneTD (West Pacific)May 28–30Not specified1006Mariana IslandsNoneNoneThreeMay 30–June 1UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNone

June

+Tropical cyclones formed in June 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths Refs02AJune 9–13165 (105)959OmanUnknown105TDJune 12Not specified1008PhilippinesNoneNoneUnnumberedJune 13–1445 (30)UnknownTexasNoneNoneRuth (Kuring)June 14–17110 (70)975Philippines, China, TaiwanUnknownUnknownBerniceJune 25–2865 (40)UnknownNoneNoneNoneTDJune 26–27Not specified1007NoneNoneNone

July

+Tropical cyclones formed in July 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsClaudiaJuly 3–7150 (90)UnknownNoneNoneNone04W (Daling)July 3–655 (35)994South ChinaNoneNoneTDJuly 4Not specified1008PhilippinesNoneNoneSixJuly 8–9UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNoneSevenJuly 9–10UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNoneSarah (Elang)July 14–22130 (80)970Palau, Philippines, South China, VietnamUnknownUnknownTDJuly 14–15Not specified1006PhilippinesNoneNoneTDJuly 14–18Not specified1006PhilippinesNoneNoneUnnumberedJuly 18–1955 (35)UnknownAlabamaNoneNoneThelma (Goring)July 19–27130 (80)950Philippines, Taiwan, China$629 Million33UnnumberedJuly 25–2645 (30)UnknownNoneNoneNoneEightJuly 25UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNoneVera (Huling)July 25–August 2205 (125)925Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, ChinaUnknown25WandaJuly 30–August 775 (45)985NoneNoneNoneTDJuly 30Not specified1002NoneNoneNoneNineAugust 1–2UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNone

August

+Tropical cyclones formed in August 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsUnnumberedAugust 1–455 (35)UnknownNoneNoneNoneTDAugust 10Not specified996NoneNoneNoneTDAugust 12Not specified998Mariana IslandsNoneNoneDoreenAugust 13–18120 (75)979Mexico, CaliforniaUnknownUnknownTDAugust 13–18Not specified996JapanNoneNoneTDAugust 14–18Not specified994NoneNoneNoneTDAugust 14–15Not specified1004NoneNoneNoneAmy (Ibiang)August 16–25110 (70)980Philippines, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, JapanUnknownUnknownTDAugust 17–20Not specified1004NoneNoneNoneTDAugust 20–21Not specified996Ryukyu IslandsNoneNone08WAugust 21–2275 (45)988JapanNoneNoneTDAugust 21Not specified996JapanNoneNoneTDAugust 27–28Not specified1000NoneNoneNoneAnita (Eleven)August 29–September 4280 (175)926Northeastern MexicoUnknown11Carla (Luming)August 31–September 665 (40)990Philippines, Vietnam, LaosUnknownNoneBabe (Miling) (WPAC)August 31–September 12205 (125)905Caroline Islands, Ryukyu Islands, East China$23 Million23

September

+Tropical cyclones formed in September 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsBabe (NATL)September 3–9120 (75)995Southern United States$13 MillionNoneThirteenSeptember 3–4UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNoneClaraSeptember 5–11120 (75)993The Carolinas, Nova ScotiaMinimalNoneTDSeptember 7–9Not specified996JapanNoneNoneTDSeptember 8Not specified1004VietnamNoneNoneTDSeptember 10Not specified1002Caroline IslandsNoneNoneDinah (Openg)September 11–26130 (80)965Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, CambodiaUnknown54TDSeptember 11–12Not specified1004NoneNoneNoneTDSeptember 11–12Not specified1002Caroline IslandsNoneNoneEmmaSeptember 12–21110 (70)965Mariana Islands, JapanNoneNoneNarsingSeptember 12–1345 (30)1002Caroline IslandsNoneNoneEmilySeptember 13–1465 (40)UnknownNoneNoneNoneUnnumberedSeptember 17–1945 (30)UnknownNoneNoneNoneFlorenceSeptember 20–24165 (105)UnknownNoneNoneNoneFreda (Pining)September 21–25100 (60)980Philippines, South ChinaNone1UnnumberedSeptember 22–2345 (30)UnknownNorthern MexicoNoneNoneGlendaSeptember 24–2765 (40)UnknownNoneNoneNoneDorothySeptember 26–29140 (85)980Bermuda, NewfoundlandNoneNoneTDSeptember 26–29Not specified1008Ryukyu IslandsNoneNoneTDSeptember 29Not specified1008NoneNoneNone

October

+Tropical cyclones formed in October 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsUnnumberedOctober 1–355 (35)UnknownWindward IslandsNoneNoneUnnumberedOctober 3–555 (35)UnknownNoneNoneNoneGildaOctober 3–9120 (75)965NoneNoneNoneHeatherOctober 4–7140 (85)978Northwest Mexico Southwest United States$15 MillionNoneTDOctober 8Not specified1008NoneNoneNoneFifteenOctober 11–1375 (45)990JapanNoneNoneRubingOctober 11–1555 (35)1004Mariana IslandsNoneNoneEvelynOctober 13–15130 (80)994Bermuda, Nova Scotia, NewfoundlandNoneNoneHarriet (Saling)October 14–20100 (60)980NoneNoneNoneFriedaOctober 16–1995 (60)1005Cayman Islands, BelizeNoneNoneIvyOctober 18–27150 (95)950Mariana IslandsNoneNone03AOctober 19–2255 (35)UnknownYemen, SomaliaNoneNoneSeventeenOctober 22–23UnknownUnknownNoneNoneNoneUnnumberedOctober 24–2555 (35)UnknownLouisianaNoneNone04BOctober 27–November 485 (50)UnknownAndaman and Nicobar Islands, South IndiaUnknownNoneJeanOctober 28–November 5120 (75)970NoneNoneNoneTDOctober 30–31Not specified1008NoneNoneNone

November

+Tropical cyclones formed in November 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsTasingNovember 3–545 (30)1008NoneUnknownUnknownNineNovember 3–755 (35)1006Eastern United States$203 Million53Kim (Unding)November 4–17120 (75)920Mariana Islands, Philippines$2.04 Million102TomNovember 6–1195 (60)990Papua New Guinea, Solomon IslandsUnknownNone058November 8–23165 (105)UnknownSouth IndiaUnknownUnknown068November 14–20230 (145)943South India$19610000TDNovember 15–17Not specified1006NoneNoneNoneAuroreNovember 18–29175 (110)927NoneNoneNoneTDNovember 24Not specified1010PhilippinesNoneNoneSteveNovember 24–December 4110 (70)965Tuvalu, FijiNoneNoneLucy (Walding)November 28–December 9205 (125)920Caroline IslandsNoneNone

December

+Tropical cyclones formed in December 1977 Storm name Dates active Max windkm/h (mph) Pressure(hPa) Areas affected Damage(USD) Deaths RefsBabetteDecember 3–865 (40)991NoneNoneNoneTessaDecember 5–1175 (45)990French PolynesiaUnknownNoneSamDecember 13–1495 (60)1003NoneNoneNoneCelimeneDecember 14–2395 (60)1003NoneNoneNoneMari (Yeyeng)December 18, 1977–January, 1978155 (95)945Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Philippines, Malaysia, IndonesiaUnknownUnknownAnneDecember 23–31100 (65)980Wallis and Futuna, Fiji, TongaUnknownUnknownDulcineeDecember 26–2850 (30)997NoneNoneNoneEstherDecember 28, 1977–January 2, 197880 (50)984NoneNoneNoneBobDecember 31, 1977–January 12, 1978155 (100)945Tuvalu, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, North New ZealandUnknownUnknown

References