Cyclone Nigel

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Severe Tropical Cyclone Nigel
Cyclone Nigel on January 19, 1985
Meteorological history
FormedJanuary 14, 1985
DissipatedJanuary 20, 1985
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (FMS)
Highest winds150 km/h (90 mph)
Lowest pressure955 hPa (mbar); 28.20 inHg
Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds195 km/h (120 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities25
Damage$40 million (1985 USD)
Areas affectedVanuatu, Fiji
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata
Part of the 1984–85 Australian region and the South Pacific cyclone seasons

Severe Tropical Cyclone Nigel was the second of two tropical cyclones to affect Northern Vanuatu and the Fijian islands during January 1985. The system was first noted as an ill-defined low-pressure area ("low") located within the Intertropical Convergence Zone near the Cape York Peninsula. Over the next few days the low moved eastwards and increased in strength; it was named Nigel on January 16 as it developed into a tropical cyclone.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Severe Tropical Cyclone Nigel was first noted by the

Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale.[1][4] At this stage, the newly named system was located about 1010 km (630 mi) to the northwest of Port Vila, Vanuatu and was moving out of the Australian region and into South Pacific basin, where it came under the purview of the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS).[1][2]

As the newly named system moved into the basin on January 17, the FMS reported that Nigel had become a hurricane or a

windshear and drier air driven up from higher latitudes by Cyclone Eric.[5]

On January 19, the system moved south-eastwards through Fiji's

Auckland, New Zealand.[2]

Preparations and impact

Vanuatu

Cyclone Nigel was the second of three tropical cyclones to affect Vanuatu within a week, and the second of five tropical cyclones to impact Vanuatu in 1985.[6] Nigel affected the islands of Espiritu Santo, Ambae, Maewo and Pentecost between January 17 and 18, and was thought to have caused more damage than Cyclone Eric.[4][7] As the system passed near the weather station on Espiritu Santo, an anemometer was destroyed as it recorded a wind gust of 157 km/h (98 mph), while a minimum pressure of 987.9 hPa (29.17 inHg) was also recorded.[4][6]

After assessing the damage and finding thousands of people homeless, the Government of Vanuatu established a disaster relief and reconstruction fund.[8]

The Government of Vanuatu asked the Australian Government for emergency food aid and other emergency humanitarian relief assistance including shelters and sanitation equipment.[9] Australia flew in four survey teams by helicopter and sent six C-130 plane loads of humanitarian assistance which included plastic sheeting, ropes, medical supplies, clothing and rice.[8][10] UNDRO and the governments of the UK and the USA donated money to the Vanuatuan Government, while France donated a cargo of food that was flown in from Nouméa, New Caledonia.[8]

Fiji

Nigel was the second of two severe tropical cyclones to make landfall on the Fijian Island of Viti Levu within 36 hours, and the second of four tropical cyclones to impact Fiji in 1985.[11][12] Ahead of the system making landfall, relief efforts for Cyclone Eric, which had hit the same region just two days earlier, had to be suspended.[13] As the system affected Fiji, around 1000 people took shelter in the Nadi International Airport passenger terminal.[14]

Once Nigel left Fiji, on January 19, the relief effort from Cyclone Eric was resumed with ships sent to the outer islands to assess the damage.[14] 272 tourists were flown back to Melbourne Airport during January 21, after they had been through both systems.[15] The following day the Fijian Government outlined their long-term rehabilitation needs and requested international assistance from the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization and various countries.[10][13] These needs included a six-month food-rationing project for 10,000 households, a rehabilitation program for 10,000 shelters and improved internal communication including between the FMS in Nadi and the capital city Suva.[13] Australia donated $100,000 to the Fijian Prime Ministers Relief Fund in order to provide food to those who needed it.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Kuuse J (1985). "The Australian tropical cyclone season 1984–85" (PDF). Australian Meteorological Magazine. 33. Australian Bureau of Meteorology: 133–136. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "1985 Tropical Cyclone Nigel (1985014S16151)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  3. ^ Annual Tropical Cyclone Report: 1985 (PDF) (Report). Vol. 33. United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center. pp. 138, 246. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 9, 2025.
  4. ^
    OCLC 648466886
    .
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Krishna, Ram (12 February 1985). Tropical Cyclone Nigel: Preliminary Report (Report). Fiji Meteorological Service.
  6. ^ a b Tropical cyclones in Vanuatu: 1847 to 1994 (PDF) (Report). Vanuatu Meteorological Service. May 19, 1994. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  7. ^ Vanautu — Cyclonic Storms (Pacific Region): Situation Report 4 (UNDRO 85/0303). United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs. February 7, 1985. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c Vanuatu — Cyclones (PDF) (Disaster Case Report). United States Agency for International Development. 1985. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  9. ^ Fiji — Cyclonic Storms (Pacific Region): Information Report 3 (UNDRO 85/0155). United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs. January 20, 1985. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  10. ^ a b Fiji — Cyclonic Storms (Pacific Region): Situation Report 1 (UNDRO 85/0164). United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs. January 22, 1985. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  11. ^ "Thousands left homeless, 23 dead after cyclones". The Canberra Times. 22 January 1985. p. 5. Retrieved 3 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ Mcgree, Simon; Yeo, Stephen W; Devi, Swastika (December 16, 2010). Flooding in the Fiji Islands between 1840 - 2009 (PDF) (Report). Risk Frontiers. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 16, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  13. ^ a b c Fiji — Cyclones (PDF) (Disaster Case Report). United States Agency for International Development. 1985. pp. 1–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Second hurricane lashes Fiji". Star News. Associated Press. January 21, 1985. p. 5. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  15. ^ "Melbourne Paradise After Fiji Cyclones". The Sydney Morning Herald. The Associated Press. January 22, 1985. p. 5. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  16. ^ "IN Brief: Fijian Aid". The Canberra Times. 23 January 1985. p. 3. Retrieved 3 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
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