1991–92 South Pacific cyclone season
1991–92 South Pacific cyclone season | |
---|---|
Seasonal boundaries | |
First system formed | November 13, 1991 |
Last system dissipated | May 2, 1992 |
Strongest storm | |
Name | Fran |
• Maximum winds | 205 km/h (125 mph) (10-minute sustained) |
• Lowest pressure | 920 hPa (mbar) |
Seasonal statistics | |
Total depressions | 14 |
Tropical cyclones | 11 |
Severe tropical cyclones | 7 |
Total fatalities | 21 |
Total damage | ≥ $360 million (1992 USD) |
Related articles | |
The 1991–92 South Pacific cyclone season was an above average tropical cyclone season, with eleven tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific basin between 160°E and 120°W. The first tropical cyclone of the season was first noted on November 13, 1991, while the last tropical cyclone dissipated on May 2, 1992. During the season at least 21 people were killed by tropical cyclones, while Tropical Cyclones Cliff and Innis were the only tropical cyclones not to cause any damage to any country in the Southern Pacific.
During the season, tropical cyclones were monitored by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWC) in
Seasonal summary
During the season, a significant increase in the amount of tropical cyclones occurring within the
The first tropical cyclone of the season was first noted as a tropical depression on November 13, before it was named Tia during November 16, after it had become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the
After Severe Tropical Cyclone's Val and Wasa-Arthur, the South Pacific Convergence Zone gradually moved back to its near-normal position between the
The names: Tia, Val, Wasa, Betsy, Esau and Fran were later retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists.
Systems
Severe Tropical Cyclone Tia
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | November 13 – November 21 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min); 960 hPa (mbar) |
On November 13, the FMS started to monitor a tropical depression that had developed within the
Apart from extensive damage on the Solomon Islands of Anuta and Tikopia which directly lay in Tia's path, the overall effect of the cyclone was minimal.[4] More than 1000 people were left homeless on Tikopia, after 90% of all dwellings were completely destroyed while the remaining 10% had either walls destroyed or roofs blown off.[1] The cyclone also destroyed seven of the eight church buildings and all but one of the classroom buildings belonging to the two primary schools while food crops were completely destroyed with all coconut trees either blown down or uprooted.[1] High seas and waves caused extensive damage to the coasts and flooded low-lying areas, salinating food crops such as taro and destroyed the water supply system on the island.[4] As a result, Tikopia was declared a disaster area by the Solomon Islands National Disaster Council.[4] Sustained windspeeds of 133 km/h (85 mph), wind gusts of 133 km/h (85 mph) and a minimum pressure of 987.9 hPa (30 inHg) were all reported by the automatic weather station on Anuta.[11][12] Within Vanuatu the damage was mainly confined to fruit trees within the Banks and Torres Island Groups, while minor damage was reported to some old houses on Ambae, Epi and Tongoa Islands.[11] On the Bank island of Mota, one man was slightly injured by flying corrugated iron while a church building was flattened.[1]
Severe Tropical Cyclone Wasa–Arthur
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | December 3 – December 16 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 940 hPa (mbar) |
On December 3, the FMS started to monitor a shallow tropical depression was embedded within a monsoon trough of low pressure over the Northern Cook Islands.[1] Over the next couple of days, the system gradually developed further as it moved south-westwards, before the NWOC and the FMS reported that the depression had developed into Tropical Cyclone Wasa during December 5.[1][5][13] After it had been named, Wasa slowed down and made a small cyclonic loop as it continued to intensify and became a category 3 severe tropical cyclone during December 7.[1][14]
Early on December 8, the NWOC reported that Wasa had peaked with 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 195 km/h (120 mph), which made it equivalent to a category 3 hurricane on the SSHWS.
On December 9, ahead of Cyclone Wasa affecting French Polynesia, the
Severe Tropical Cyclone Val
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | December 4 – December 17 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 940 hPa (mbar) |
Early on December 4, the FMS started to monitor a small
The cyclone lasted for five days in American Samoa and was designated by the United States Government as a major disaster on December 13, 1991. Western Samoa suffered more damage than American Samoa.[28][29][30][31] The cyclone devastated the islands with 150-mile-per-hour (240 km/h) winds and 50-foot (15 m) waves. The overall damages caused by Cyclone Val in American Samoa have been variously assessed. One estimate put the damages at $50 million in American Samoa and $200 million in Western Samoa due to damage to electrical, water, and telephone connections and destruction of various government buildings, schools, and houses.[1][32]
Severe Tropical Cyclone Betsy
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | January 4 – January 15 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 940 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Cyclone Cliff
Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | February 4 – February 9 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar) |
An area of low pressure developed within the monsoon convergence zone during February 4, to the north of the Society Islands.[1] Over the next couple of days, the system gradually consolidated as it moved eastwards and was subsequently named Cliff by the FMS, during February 6, after it had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone.[1]
Severe Tropical Cyclone Daman
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | February 11 – February 19 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 965 hPa (mbar) |
On February 11, the FMS started to monitor a shallow tropical depression that had developed within the monsoon trough to the south of Tokelau.[33] Over the next few days the system moved towards the west-southwest under the influence of an easterly steering flow, before the system started to accelerate and passed through the islands of Tuvalu during February 14.[33]
Severe Tropical Cyclone Esau
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | February 24 – March 7 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 195 km/h (120 mph) (10-min); 925 hPa (mbar) |
On February 24, a shallow tropical depression developed within the monsoon trough of low pressure, about 370 km (230 mi) to the northeast of
The system caused minimal damage and one death as it affected the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and New Zealand.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Fran
Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 5 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | March 4 – March 11 (exited basin) |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 205 km/h (125 mph) (10-min); 920 hPa (mbar) |
The origins of Fran were from a low that was first identified by
After weakening slightly due to land interaction, the cyclone slowly re-intensified. Cyclone Fran passed north of New Caledonia around 0000 UTC 10 March, only to turn towards the west and attained its secondary peak of 145 km/h (90 mph). The cyclone had slowed by this stage and it subsequently assumed a somewhat erratic southwest track towards the coast. Over the subsequent next three days, Fran weakened as it became less organized. The cyclone finally crossed the Queensland coast near The Town of 1770 at 1700 UTC 15 March. Fran subsequently moved inland and weakened to a tropical depression before re-curving to the southeast and moving back over water. The remnants of Fran tracked over Norfolk Island before ultimately being merged by a trough north of New Zealand.[42]
On the Wallis Islands and the Futuna Islands, damage to trees, telephone and power lines were experienced. Meanwhile, several boats sunk and buildings lost roofs. Vanuatu felt the worst of the storms impact in the South Pacific. In Erromango, homes were destroyed, considerable crop damage occurred and a storm surge was reported. On Efate, over 130 houses lost their respective roofs. Considerable amounts of rainfall was also reported, peaking on Wallis Island with 540 mm (21 in) of rain.[42]
In preparation of the storm, officials closed beaches along the
Tropical Cyclone Gene
Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | March 15 – March 19 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 985 hPa (mbar) |
During March 13, a tropical depression developed within a broad area of low pressure, about 215 km (135 mi) to the northwest of
Tropical Cyclone Hettie
Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | March 24 – March 29 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 987 hPa (mbar) |
During March 24, the FMS reported that a tropical depression had developed within the
After it had peaked in intensity, Hettie started to weaken and transition into an extratropical cyclone, under the influence of stronger vertical windshear and cooler sea surface temperatures.
Tropical Cyclone Innis
Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
Duration | April 23 – May 2 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 985 hPa (mbar) |
On April 23, the FMS started to monitor a depression that had developed within the South Pacific Convergence Zone, between Tokelau and the Cook Islands and was slowly deepening under the influence of a strong upper-level ridge of high pressure.[1][52] The system subsequently moved westwards and was over the western part of Tokelau by April 25, before it started to accelerate westwards under the influence of an intensifying anticyclone that was located near New Zealand.[52] Over the next couple of days the depression moved westwards and passed over southern Tuvalu during April 27, before the system slowed down while it was located about 555 km (345 mi) to the east of the Solomon Island: Anuta.[52][53] During April 28, the JTWC and FMS reported that the system had developed into a tropical cyclone, with the latter naming it as Innis.[13][52] After it had been named Innis continued to intensify further and acquired a symmetrical cloud signature during March 29, before the JTWC reported that the system had peaked with 1-minute maximum sustained windspeeds of 120 km/h (75 mph).[52][53]
Early the next day, the FMS reported that Innis had reached its peak 10-minute maximum sustained wind speeds of about 95 km/h (60 mph) which made it a category 2 tropical cyclone, while the system was located about 110 km (70 mi) to the east of Tikopia in the eastern Solomon Islands.[52] As it peaked in intensity, an amplifying upper-level trough in the Coral Sea produced north-easterly to north-westerly upper-level winds in the vicinity of Innis, which caused the system to turn towards the south and then southeast.[1] The trough of low pressure also increased vertical windshear over Innis, which meant that the system started to rapidly weaken during April 30, as it passed about 100 km (60 mi) to the east of Pentecost, Ambryn and Epi Islands.[52][54] By early on May 1, Innis had lost its cloud structure and as a result, the FMS reported that it was no longer classifiable as a tropical cyclone and downgraded it to a depression.[52][54] Despite some gale-force winds possibly occurring in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, there were no reports of any deaths or damage associated with Innis.[1][11]
Other systems
On January 17, the NWOC initiated advisories on Tropical Cyclone 13P, which had developed to the south of one of the Cook Islands, Manihiki.[13][55] The system subsequently moved south-eastwards through the Cook Islands and peaked with 1-minute wind speeds of 65 km/h (40 mph) before it transitioned into an extra-tropical cyclone during the next day.[13][55] During April 7, the FMS started to monitor a tropical depression that had developed about 620 km (385 mi) to the northeast of Nouméa, New Caledonia.[56] Over the next day the system moved south-eastwards and was absorbed into a frontal system during the next day.[56]
Season effects
This table lists all the storms that developed in the South Pacific basin during the 1991–92 season. It includes their intensity on the
Name | Dates active | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (US$) |
Deaths | Refs | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Category | Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Tia | November 12 – 21 | Category 3 severe tropical cyclone | 140 km/h (85 mph) | 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) | Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu | Minimal | None | [4][10] |
Val | December 4 – 17 | Category 4 severe tropical cyclone | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | Tuvalu, Tokelau, Cook Islands Wallis and Futuna, Tonga Samoa, American Samoa |
$300 million | 16 | [26] |
Wasa-Arthur
|
December 3 – 18 | Category 4 severe tropical cyclone | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | French Polynesia | $60 million | 2 | [14][15][20] |
Betsy | January 4 – 15 | Category 4 severe tropical cyclone | 165 km/h (105 mph) | 940 hPa (27.76 inHg) | Vanuatu | Unknown | 2 | |
13P | January 16 – 18 | Tropical depression | Not Specified | Not Specified | None | None | None | [55] |
Cliff | February 5 – 9 | Category 2 tropical cyclone | 95 km/h (60 mph) | 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) | French Polynesia | Unknown | Unknown | |
Daman | February 11 – 19 | Category 3 severe tropical cyclone | 130 km/h (80 mph) | 965 hPa (28.50 inHg) | Tokelau, Fiji, Vanuatu New Zealand |
Unknown | Unknown | |
Esau | February 24 – March 7 | Category 4 severe tropical cyclone | 195 km/h (120 mph) | 925 hPa (27.32 inHg) | Solomon Islands, Vanuatu New Caledonia, New Zealand |
Unknown | Unknown | |
Fran | March 4 – 17 | Category 5 severe tropical cyclone | 205 km/h (125 mph) | 920 hPa (27.17 inHg) | Wallis and Futuna, Fiji, Vanuatu New Caledonia, Australia |
Unknown | Unknown | |
Gene | March 15 – 19 | Category 2 tropical cyclone | 95 km/h (60 mph) | 985 hPa (29.09 inHg) | Cook Islands | Unknown | Unknown | |
Hettie | March 23 – 29 | Category 1 tropical cyclone | 75 km/h (45 mph) | 987 hPa (29.15 inHg) | French Polynesia | Minimal | None | [48][49] |
Unnamed | April 7 – 8 | Tropical depression | Not Specified | Not Specified | None | None | None | [56] |
Innis | April 23 – May 2 | Category 2 tropical cyclone | 95 km/h (60 mph) | 985 hPa (29.09 inHg) | Tokelau, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu | None | None | [52][53] |
Season aggregates | ||||||||
13 systems | November 12, 1991 – May 2, 1992 | 205 km/h (125 mph) | 920 hPa (27.17 inHg) | $360 million | 20 |
See also
- Tropical cyclones in 1991 and 1992
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1991, 1992
- Pacific hurricane seasons: 1991, 1992
- Pacific typhoon seasons: 1991, 1992
- North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1991, 1992
Notes
References
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- ^ a b Bannister Anthony J; Smith, K J (December 4, 1993). "The South Pacific and Southeast Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Season 1990–1991" (PDF). Australian Meteorological Magazine. 42 (4): 111–121. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ^ Taiki, Henry; West, Steve (April 2, 1993). Tropical Cyclone Prema – A brief perspective from the meteorological office (PDF) (Report). Vanuatu Meteorological Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
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- ^ a b c Beven, John L (April 20, 1992). "Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary #36". Retrieved January 30, 2015.