1990–91 South Pacific cyclone season

Tropical cyclone season April 2014 SPac 1991 1990-91 South Pacific cyclone season summary.png November 23, 1990 May 19, 1991 Sina 960 75 10 5 2 (record low, tied with 2025–26) 1 None reported 18.5 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 Timeline of the 1990–91 South Pacific cyclone season 1990–91 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season 1990–91 Australian region cyclone season The 1990–91 South Pacific cyclone season was the least active South Pacific cyclone season on record, tied with the 2025-26 season, with only two tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific basin to the east of 160°E. The season officially ran from November 1, 1990, to April 30, 1991, with the first disturbance of the season forming on November 23, 1990, while the final disturbance dissipated on May 19, 1991. During the season there were no deaths recorded from any of the tropical cyclones while they were within the basin. However, six people were killed by Cyclone Joy, when it made landfall on Australia. As a result of the impacts caused by Joy and Sina, the names were retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists. During the season, tropical cyclones were monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service and the New Zealand MetService, while other meteorological services such as the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Meteo France as well as the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center and Naval Western Oceanography Center (NWOC) also monitored the basin. The JTWC issued warnings between 160°E and the International Date Line, while the NWOC issued warnings for tropical cyclones forming between the International Date Line and the coasts of the Americas. Both the JTWC and the NWOC designated tropical cyclones with a number and either a P suffix with numbers assigned in order to tropical cyclones developing within the whole of the Southern Hemisphere. The FMS, MetService and the BoM all used the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale and estimate wind speeds over a ten-minute period, while the JTWC estimated sustained winds over a one-minute period, which are subsequently compared to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS). __TOC__ Seasonal summary As a result of the South Pacific Convergence Zone being both weaker and located further to the north than in previous seasons and the Madden–Julian oscillations being weaker and less regular defined than in previous tropical cyclone seasons.The South Pacific and Southeast Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Season 1990–1991 Bannister Anthony J Smith, K J 42 111–121 December 4, 1993 Australian Meteorological Magazine http://www.bom.gov.au/jshess/docs/1993/bannister.pdf October 20, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20240119184022/http://www.bom.gov.au/jshess/docs/1993/bannister.pdf January 19, 2024 live As a result, only three tropical cyclones occurred within the South Pacific basin between 160°E and 120°W, which made the season one of the least active on record.Tropical cyclones: climatology and impacts in the South Pacific 188–191 Appendix 1 syqPSpliRCwC yes Springer 978-0-387-71542-1 2007 Terry, James P The first tropical cyclone was first noted as a shallow depression on November 20 before it was named Sina on November 24 after it had intensified into a tropical cyclone.Ward, Graham F.A. Prediction of tropical cyclone formation in terms of sea-surface temperatures vorticity and vertical windshear March 1, 1995 June 16, 2010 Australian Meteorological Magazine 44 Australian Bureau of Meteorology http://www.bom.gov.au/amoj/docs/1995/ward.pdf After peaking as a category three severe tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, Sina affected Fiji, Tonga, Niue and the Southern Cook Islands with total damage estimated at over 18500000 before it was last noted on December 4, as it was absorbed by an advancing trough of low pressure near 50°S. During December 15, the precursor tropical low to Cyclone Joy developed near the Solomon Islands.International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship 1990 Severe Tropical Cyclone Joy (1990350S11165) April 20, 2022 1990350S11165 Over the next two days, the system moved westwards before it moved into the Australian region during December 17. The system was subsequently named Joy on December 19, before it made landfall on Queensland during December 26. The basin then remained quiet until March when three significant tropical depressions including 15 and 16P were observed within the Coral Sea/Australian region, which did not develop into tropical cyclones but were subject to gale warnings.1991 March 1991 Darwin Tropical Diagnostic Statement Australian Bureau of Meteorology 10 3 3 1321-4233 http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ntregion/statements/tropical/dtds-199103.pdf April 20, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20140420045758/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ntregion/statements/tropical/dtds-199103.pdf April 20, 2014 dead mdy 15P was first noted on March 3, while it was located about 900 km mi 5 on to the east of the Solomon Islands and over the next couple of days subsequently moved south-westwards and out of the South Pacific basin during the next day.International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship 1991 Tropical Low Not Named [15P] (1991062S09168) April 20, 2022 1991062S09168 16P was first noted on March 14, while located about 300 km mi 5 on to the southeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands.International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship 1991 Tropical Depression Not Named [16P] (1991074S11158) April 20, 2022 1991074S11158The figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (miles, or kilometers), following the convention used in the Fiji Meteorological Service's operational products for each storm. All other units are rounded to the nearest digit. Over the next couple of days the system moved towards the south-east before the JTWC designated the system 16P and initiated advisories on it during March 18, after it had moved into the South Pacific basin.1991 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report 6. Tropical Cyclone Warning Verification Statistics: Southern Hemisphere United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/1991atcr.pdf December 6, 2013 dead August 19, 2013 213–220 https://web.archive.org/web/20131206153810/http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/1991atcr.pdf 1992 mdy Over the next couple of days the system, moved towards the south-southeast, before it turned towards the southwest and passed over New Caledonia on March 20, before it was last noted during the next day moving out of the basin. The final tropical cyclone of the season, Lisa, moved into the Southern Pacific on May 11 at its peak intensity of 110 km/h (75 mph).International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship 1991 Severe Tropical Cyclone Lisa (1991124S08154) April 20, 2022 1991124S08154 During the next day as the storm moved towards the subtropical jet, Lisa rapidly weakened into a tropical depression before passing over Anatom Island without causing any significant damage. After the season both the names Sina and Joy were retired from the naming lists for the region, while it was determined that a weak gale force tropical cyclone had affected Tonga between December 14–17.http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/tonnc1.pdf The Kingdom of Tonga's Initial National Communication In response to its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change July 21, 2005 https://web.archive.org/web/20120331153403/http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/tonnc1.pdf live March 31, 2012 The Government of Tonga 12–13 July 7, 2011 mdy Systems Severe Tropical Cyclone Sina SPac Sina 1990-11-26 2100Z.png Sina 1990 path.png November 20 December 4 125 75 960 Cyclone Sina On November 20, the FMS started to monitor a shallow tropical depression that had developed within the South Pacific Convergence Zone to the west of Wallis Island.Tropical Cyclone Report 90/6: Tropical Cyclone Sina, November 24 - 30, 1990 Fiji Meteorological Service http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/JB_DM393b_FJI_1990_TC_Sina.pdf Prasad, Rajendra July 3, 1992 May 1, 2024 January 26, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220126144613/http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/JB_DM393b_FJI_1990_TC_Sina.pdf live mdy-all Ward, Graham F.A. March 1, 1995 Prediction of tropical cyclone formation in terms of sea-surface temperatures vorticity and vertical windshear 1 44 63–64 Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australian Meteorological Magazine http://www.bom.gov.au/jshess/docs/1995/ward.pdf May 1, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20221104033622/http://www.bom.gov.au/jshess/docs/1995/ward.pdf November 4, 2022 live Over the next three days the system moved towards the west-northwest and the Fijian dependency of Rotuma, before the JTWC initiated advisories and classified the depression as Tropical Cyclone 03P during November 24. The FMS subsequently named the system Sina after the depression had developed into a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, while it was located about 425 km mi 5 on to the northwest of Rotuma.International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship 1990 Tropical Cyclone Sina (1990327S07175) April 20, 2022 1990327S07175 During the next day the cyclone continued to intensify and developed an eye as it moved erratically towards the west-southwest and performed a small clockwise loop. During that day Sina's eye became very distinct on satellite imagery, as it intensified and the upper level steering flow which resulted in Sina moving erratically towards the southeast and Fiji. Later that day, the FMS reported that the system had peaked as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone, with 10-minute sustained wind speeds of 140 km/h mph 5 on.Hurricane Alley: Cyclones of the Southeast Pacific Ocean 1990–1991: Tropical Cyclone Sina November 24 – 30, 1990 Fiji Meteorological Service Mariners Weather Log 1992 36 4: Fall 1992 54 648466886 United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Oceanographic Data Center DeAngellis, Richard M 2027/uiug.30112104094179 0025-3367 The JTWC subsequently reported early the next day that Sina had peaked with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 140 km/h mph 5 on, which made it equivalent to a category 4 hurricane on the SSHWS. Sina remained at its peak intensity for most of that day, before it started to gradually weaken as it passed about 40 km mi 5 on to the south of Viti Levu before it passed over the island groups of Vatulele and Moala and the Southern Lau Islands during November 28. Early on November 29, Sina weakened into a category two tropical cyclone on the Australian scale just before it passed to the north of Tongatapu in Tonga. During that day the system moved eastwards towards the Southern Cook Islands and gradually weakened further. Early the next day, the system passed about 160 km mi 5 on to the south of Niue, before it recurved sharply towards the south-southeast later that day as it approached the Southern Cook Islands. The system subsequently rapidly weakened and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone under the influence of strong vertical wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures. Over the next couple of days Sina's extratropical remnants maintained a southeastward track, before it was absorbed by an advancing trough of low pressure near 50°S on December 4.The South Pacific and Southeast Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Season 1990–1991 Bannister Anthony J 42 111 – 121 Smith, K J December 4, 1993 Australian Meteorological Magazine Australian Bureau of Meteorology http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/docs/1993/bannister.pdf June 16, 2010 4 March 21, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120321172120/http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/docs/1993/bannister.pdf dead The cyclone caused over 18500000 US$ in damages as it affected Fiji, Tonga, Niue and the Southern Cook Islands. Ahead of the system affecting Fiji, hundreds of holidaymakers were evacuated from Fiji's outer island resorts to hotels on the mainland.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122326561 Tourists flee cyclone Sina The Canberra Times November 28, 1990 September 24, 2013 14 National Library of Australia Australian Associated PressSydney Morning Herald http://newsstore.smh.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=Cyclone+Sina&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=news901128_0128_4382 Hundreds flee path of cyclone; Fiji Sharma, Davendra Riley, Mark 13 November 28, 1990 May 6, 2013 High winds and heavy rain forced the closure of several local airports and the main Nadi International Airport. As Sina moved through the archipelago, the system destroyed or damaged houses and other building structures, while bringing down electric and telephone lines and uprooting trees. The system also washed away a railway bridge on Vanua Levu that was used to take sugar cane to Labasa's mills, growers had no choice but to go through the village of Korowiri.Fiji Methodists sour sugar crop Sunday Herald December 23, 1990 Gaunder, Y However, the workers refused to go into their fields unless they had police protection to go through the village, after Methodists from the local church attacked a group of growers for working on Sundays in defiance of Fiji's Sunday Observance Decree. Within Tonga only minor damage to weak structures, trees, banana plantations, electric and telephone lines was recorded. Within both Niue and the Southern Cook Islands, only minor damage to crops and structures was reported. Tropical Depression Joy SPac Joy 1990-12-17 0200Z.png Joy 1990 path.png December 17 December 17 (exited basin) 25 1001 Cyclone Joy On December 15, in response to the formation of Typhoon Russ, in the North-Western Pacific Ocean, a tropical low developed about 500 km mi 5 on to the south-east of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. Over the next two days the system moved westwards before it moved into the Australian basin during December 17, where it was later named Joy. Tropical Cyclone Lisa SPac Lisa 1991-05-11 0300Z.png Lisa 1991 path.png May 11 (Entered basin) May 13 60 55 975 Tropical Cyclone Lisa moved into the South Pacific from the Australian region during May 11, while it was a Category 2 tropical cyclone with sustained wind speeds of 110 km/h (75 mph).Fiji Meteorological Service Tropical Cyclone Report 91/1: Tropical Cyclone Lisa, May 7 - 13, 1991 June 1, 2022 May 1, 2024 July 3, 1992 Pandaram, Sudha http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/JB_DM393c_FJI_1991_TC_Lisa.pdf live https://web.archive.org/web/20220601161057/http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/JB_DM393c_FJI_1991_TC_Lisa.pdf mdy-all Australian Bureau of Meteorology Tropical Cyclone Lisa, May 8 - 13, 1991 July 4, 2013 August 19, 2013 http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/lisa.shtml https://web.archive.org/web/20130704032602/http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/lisa.shtml live mdy Over the next couple of days, Lisa moved south-eastwards and passed in between the Vanuatuan islands of Tanna and Anatom as it gradually weakened and lost its tropical cyclone characteristics. Lisa's remnants subsequently started to deepen during May 14, under the influence of an upper level mid latitude trough and reached a secondary peak intensity of 100 km/h (65 mph). Over the next few days the system continued to move towards the southeast while slowly weakening, until it dissipated about 2600 km mi 5 on to the east of Wellington, New Zealand. There were no reports of any significant damage associated with Lisa in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands. Other systems A weak gale force tropical cyclone affected Tonga between December 14–17. During March, three significant tropical depressions including 15P and 16P were observed within the Coral Sea/Australian region, which did not become tropical cyclones on the Australian scale but were subject to gale warnings. 15P was first noted on March 3, while it was located about 900 km mi 5 on to the east of the Solomon Islands and over the next couple of days subsequently moved south-westwards and out of the South Pacific basin during the next day. 16P was first noted on March 14, while located about 300 km mi 5 on to the southeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. Over the next couple of days the system moved towards the south-east before the JTWC designated the system 16P and initiated advisories on it during March 18 after it had moved into the South Pacific basin. Over the next couple of days the system moved towards the south-southeast before it turned towards the southwest and passed over New Caledonia on March 20, before it was last noted during the next day as it moved back into the Australian region. Season effects This table lists all the storms that developed in the South Pacific to the east of longitude 160°E during the 1990–91 season. It includes their intensity on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, duration, name, landfalls, deaths, and damages. All data is taken from the warning centers from the region unless otherwise noted. SPac Sina November 23, 1990 December 4, 1990 Aus3 75 960 Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Southern Cook Islands 18500000 None Joy December 15, 1990 December 17, 1990 TD 25 998 Solomon Islands Unknown None 15P March 3, 1991 March 4, 1991 DI Solomon Islands None None 16P March 15, 1991 March 21, 1991 TD 1000 New Caledonia None None Lisa May 11, 1991 May 19, 1991 Aus2 60 975 Solomon Islands, Vanuatu None None See also Tropical cyclones List of off-season South Pacific tropical cyclones Tropical cyclones in 1990 and 1991 Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1990, 1991 Pacific hurricane seasons: 1990, 1991 Pacific typhoon seasons: 1990, 1991 North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1990, 1991 Notes A References 30em External links 1990 y 1990 South Pacific cyclone yes Category:South Pacific cyclone seasons Category:Articles which contain graphical timelines