1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season

Tropical cyclone season November 2014 SPac 1995 1994-95 South Pacific cyclone season summary.png November 12, 1994 March 5, 1995 Violet 970 70 10 4 official, 1 unofficial 3 1 None reported 2.5 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994-95, 1995–96, 1996–97 1994–95 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season 1994–95 Australian region cyclone season The 1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season was one of the least active South Pacific tropical cyclone seasons on record, with only four tropical cyclones officially occurring within the South Pacific Ocean basin between 160°E and 120°W. The season ran from November 1, 1994, until April 30, 1995, with the first disturbance of the season developing on November 12 and the last disturbance leaving the base on March 5. The most intense tropical cyclone during the season was Tropical Cyclone Violet, which briefly existed within the basin. After the season, the name William was retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists. During the season, tropical cyclones were officially monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service, New Zealand's MetService, and Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. Throughout the season, the United States Navy also monitored the basin and issued unofficial warnings through its Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center (NPMOC). Tropical cyclones that were located between the Equator and 25°S were monitored by the FMS, while any that were located to the south of 25°S were monitored by MetService. During the season, the JTWC issued warnings on any tropical cyclone that was located between 160°E and 180° while the NPMOC issued warnings for tropical cyclones forming between 180° and the American coast. The FMS, MetService, and BoM all used the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale and measured windspeeds over a 10-minute period, while the JTWC and the NPMOC measured sustained windspeeds over a 1-minute period. __TOC__ Seasonal summary The season was one of the most inactive tropical cyclone seasons on record, with only four tropical cyclones officially occurring within the South Pacific Ocean basin between 160°E and 120°W.Fiji Meteorological Service Tropical Cyclone Guidance for Season 2010/11 for the Fiji and the Southwest Pacific Climate Services Division October 26, 2010 May 19, 2024 http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/FMS_2010_TC_Guide2010_2011.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240519224155/http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/FMS_2010_TC_Guide2010_2011.pdf live May 19, 2024 The first tropical depression of the season developed out of an area of convection on November 12 to the northeast of Vanuatu, before it was named Vania on November 14 after it had become a Category 1 tropical cyclone. The cyclone went on to end a long dry spell in Vanuatu before it was last noted on November 19 to the west of Port Vila, Vanuatu. The basin remained quiet until December 13, when Tropical Depression 04P developed to the east of the Solomon Islands before going on to affect Fiji and Tonga.1994347S09167 1994 Tropical Cyclone Not Named (1994347S09167) International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship June 8, 2022 During the final days of 1994, several areas of low pressure developed within the South Pacific Convergence Zone between 8°S and 16°S, and 180°W and 160°W. During December 30, one of these areas of low pressure developed into a tropical depression within the northern Cook Islands, just to the east of Pukapuka Atoll.Laurent, Victoire Varney, Patrick Meteo France Historique des Cyclones de Polynesie Francaise 2014 French 978-2-9522946-1-4 137–139 History of Cyclones in French Polynesia Over the next couple of days, the depression moved southeastwards towards the Southern Cook Islands and gradually developed into Tropical Cyclone William. Throughout its lifetime, William moved southeast and affected parts of French Polynesia and the Cook Islands before becoming extratropical on January 3. After William left the basin on January 5, the basin remained quiet until March 6, when Severe Tropical Cyclone Violet briefly crossed into MetService's area before crossing back to the BoM's area hours later.International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship New Zealand Government IBTrACS South Pacific CSV dataset MetService 6 October 2022 30 April 2023 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/international-best-track-archive-for-climate-stewardship-ibtracs/v04r00/access/csv/ibtracs.SP.list.v04r00.csv The track information in MetService's area of responsibility were contributed by MetService to this international dataset. CSV After the season had ended, the name William was retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists due to its destructive effects. In 1995, the World Meteorological Organization designated the FMS as a Regional Specialized Meteorological Center. Systems Tropical Cyclone Vania SPac Vania 1994-11-15 0000Z.png Vania 1994 track.png November 10 November 19 60 55 980 A persistent cloud mass east of the Solomon Islands evolved into a tropical depression on November 12, according to the FMS.June 2, 1997 Tropical Cyclone Vania Fiji Meteorological Service https://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/virtual_disk_library/index.cgi/4274123/FID1030/DATA/TROPIC/SWP_NAR/1994_15.NAR April 23, 2023 April 23, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230423134529/https://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/virtual_disk_library/index.cgi/4274123/FID1030/DATA/TROPIC/SWP_NAR/1994_15.NAR live Shepherd Ian J Bate, Peter W June 2, 1997 The South Pacific and Southeast Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Season 1994-95 Australian Meteorological Magazine 143 – 151 46 http://www.bom.gov.au/jshess/docs/1997/shepherd.pdf April 23, 2023 November 23, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181123070431/http://www.bom.gov.au/jshess/docs/1997/shepherd.pdf live Located about 245 km mi on 5 northeast of Tikopia, the system had gale-force winds developing on its southern side.1994315S07168 1994 Tropical Cyclone Vania (1994315S07168) International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship April 2, 2019 The depression moved south-eastwards at first, before it turned southwestwards through Temotu Province towards Vanuatu, which prompted the FMS to start issuing special weather bulletins for the island nation during November 13.Beven, John L https://groups.google.com/g/sci.geo.meteorology/c/OHaZXvobi7Q https://web.archive.org/web/20230424112844/https://groups.google.com/g/sci.geo.meteorology/c/OHaZXvobi7Q Weekly tropical cyclone summary #171 (November 6 - 13, 1994) November 18, 1994 April 24, 2023 April 24, 2023 live Later that day, the JTWC initiated advisories, designating it Tropical Cyclone 01P. On November 14, the FMS named the system Vania, after it had become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale.211–216 1995 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report 1997 26 August 2020 https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a322611.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20220601061035/https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a322611.pdf live June 1, 2022 United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center Intensifying further, Vania moved through northern Vanuatu on November 15 as a category 2 tropical cyclone. Later that day, the FMS predicted that Vania would become a hurricane and issued a hurricane warning; however, Vania had peaked as a category 2 tropical cyclone with peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of between 55 kn km/h mph 5 on out, while the JTWC estimated that the system had peaked with 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 60 kn km/h mph 5 on out. Over the next couple of days, the system stalled and started to move westwards, before the FMS and JTWC issued their final advisories on the cyclone during November 18, as it had weakened below tropical cyclone intensity and degenerated into a sheared depression to the north of New Caledonia. The remnant low-level circulation was last noted during November 19, while they were located about 80 km mi 5 on to the west of Port Vila. Within Vanuatu, preparations had been completed for a storm-force cyclone, before the FMS issued a hurricane warning at 18:15 VUT (07:15 UTC) on November 15, which prompted a higher response from the residents of the island nation. The warning proved problematic as it was issued just after it had gone dark, which caused the higher response to be done in darkness when the winds were becoming stronger, which endangered residents. It was later realised that the hurricane warning should not have been issued, as only storm-force winds were experienced over Vanuatu, while various weather stations reported winds below 40 kn km/h mph 5 on out. Overall, the system had a minimal impact on the island nation, with damage reported to crops and bush houses, while heavy rain associated with the cyclone helped break a long dry spell of weather in Vanuatu. Vania also brought rain to parts of Fiji that were responsible for severe flooding within Tailevu Province, which in turn caused over 100 ha of crops to be damaged and the deaths of a significant number of farm animals.Information Sheet No. 125: List of Floods occurring in the Fiji Islands between 1840 and 2000 Fiji Meteorological Service August 15, 2001 http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/FJI_MET_2001_floods1840_2000.pdf April 25, 2023 live January 26, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220126144559/http://www.pacificdisaster.net/doc/FJI_MET_2001_floods1840_2000.pdfFlooding in the Fiji Islands between 1840 and 2009 Risk Frontiers Yeo, Stephen W October 1, 2010 https://library.sprep.org/sites/default/files/floods-fiji-1840-2009.pdf June 9, 2022 live McGree, Simon June 9, 2022 Devi, Swastika 41 https://web.archive.org/web/20220609121250/https://library.sprep.org/sites/default/files/floods-fiji-1840-2009.pdf Tropical Depression 04P SPac 04P 1994-12-15 2100Z.png 04P 1994 track.png December 13 December 17 spdepression 35 997 During December 13, a tropical depression developed about 1055 km mi 5 on off to the northeast of Suva, Fiji.Beven, John L https://groups.google.com/group/sci.geo.meteorology/browse_thread/thread/e289d691d9c5a1a2/9b049c1b997e4b25? https://web.archive.org/web/20220609120440/https://groups.google.com/g/sci.geo.meteorology/c/4onWkdnFoaI Weekly tropical cyclone summary #176 December 11 - 18 1994 December 24, 1994 June 9, 2022 June 9, 2022 live The system subsequently moved south-eastwards towards Fiji and gradually developed further before the NPMOC designated the system as Tropical Cyclone 04P and initiated advisories on the depression during December 15. At this time, the system was located about 110 km mi 5 on to the northeast of Labasa, Fiji, and was estimated to have maximum 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 35 kn km/h mph 5 out on on. Over the next couple of days, the system passed through Fiji's Lau Islands and Tonga's Haʻapai Group of islands before being declared extratropical as it moved below 25S and into MetService's area of responsibility. Within Fiji, there were no reports of any casualties, damage, or gale-force winds associated with the system; however, several pressures of between 995 - 1000 hPa inHg 4 off were reported. Tropical Cyclone William SPac William 1995-01-02 0531Z.png William 1994 track.png December 30 January 3 65 60 975 On December 30, the FMS reported that a tropical depression had developed about 860 km mi 5 on to the northeast of Pago Pago in American Samoa.1994364S11195 1994 Tropical Cyclone William (1994364S11195) International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship April 2, 2019 Over the next couple of days, the system moved towards the south-southeast and gradually developed further before the NPMOC designated the depression as Tropical Cyclone 05P.Tropical Cyclone William, December 30, 1994 - January 3, 1994 Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas May 21, 1996 November 16, 2014 Fiji Meteorological Service November 16, 2014 SWP 1994_18 https://www.webcitation.org/6U8HJWJsx?url=http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/virtual_disk_library/index.cgi/4274123/FID218/DATA/TROPIC/SWP_NAR/1994_18.NAR live mdy During January 1, TCWC Nadi reported that the depression had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone and named it William as it passed near the Cook Island of Autitaki. During the next day, William subsequently slowly accelerated as it passed near to or over several other Cook Islands and intensified into a Category 2 tropical cyclone. During January 3, the system passed near or over the French Polynesian islands of Maria and Rimatara, where sustained winds of 62 kn km/h mph out on and wind gusts of up to 83 kn km/h mph out on were recorded.fr Saison des perturbations tropicales Pacifique sud-ouest 1994–1995 1994–1995 Southwest Pacific tropical disturbance season 172 October 18, 1996 39–43 Météorologie Maritime 2107-0830 http://bibliotheque.meteo.fr/exl-php/docs/ILS_DOC/235545/doc00025125__PDF.txt https://web.archive.org/web/20220418165713/http://bibliotheque.meteo.fr/exl-php/docs/ILS_DOC/235545/doc00025125__PDF.txt April 18, 2022 Later that day, both the NPMOC and the FMS estimated that the system had peaked just below hurricane-force with winds of 60 kn km/h mph 5 out on as it left the tropics and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. William's extratropical remnants were tracked by MetService for another couple of days as they moved south-eastwards in the westerlies, before they were last noted near 40.0S 119.5E during January 5, as they moved out of the South Pacific basin. Throughout the Southern Cook Islands, it caused around 2500000 US$ worth of damage to crops, buildings, and coconut trees and destroyed a causeway to a tourist resort on Aitutaki. William injured two people and destroyed over 150 houses in French Polynesia, where local leaders accused Météo-France of underestimating William's intensity.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_EJWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kuoDAAAAIBAJ&dq=cyclone%20william&pg=2947%2C2103222 The Gainesville Sun Newmann, Steve January 10, 1995 June 21, 2011 Earthweek: Diary of the planet for the week ending January 6, 1995 Severe Tropical Cyclone Violet SPac Violet 1995-03-06 0200Z.png Violet 1995 track.png March 6 (Entered basin) March 6 (Exited basin) 70 70 970 On March 6, Severe Tropical Cyclone Violet moved south-eastwards and into the MetService's area south of 25S as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone. It then recurved south-westwards and moved out of the basin later on the same day.1995059S11155 1995 Severe Tropical Cyclone Violet (1995059S11155) International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship April 26, 2023 Tropical Cyclone 18P SPac 18P 1995-03-16 1831Z.png 18P 1995 track.png March 16 March 17 30 1000 The system that would become Tropical Cyclone 18P was first noted during March 15, while it was located about 250 km mi 5 on to the northeast of Nadi, Fiji.1995074S17175) 1995 Tropical Depression Not Named (1995074S17175) International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship June 8, 2022 Over the next couple of days, the system moved south-eastwards away from Fiji, before it was classified as Tropical Cyclone 18P by the NPMOC during March 16, while it was located about 365 km mi 5 on to the south-east of Nuku'alofa in Tonga.Beven, John L https://groups.google.com/g/sci.geo.meteorology/c/-q8y1QrgvnY https://web.archive.org/web/20220609120440/https://groups.google.com/g/sci.geo.meteorology/c/4onWkdnFoaI Weekly tropical cyclone summary #189 (March 12 - 19, 1995) December 24, 1994 June 9, 2022 June 9, 2022 live At this time, the system was estimated by the NPMOC, to have maximum 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 30 kn km/h mph 5 out on on. The system subsequently dissipated during the following day, while it was located within MetService's area of responsibility well to the northeast of Wellington, New Zealand. While 18P existed over the South Pacific, a trough of low pressure impacted Fiji, which caused moderate to heavy rain and flooding to be reported in Labasa and Nadi, while over 250 tonnes of canne were destroyed. Season effects This table lists all the storms that developed in the South Pacific basin during the 1994–95 season. It includes their intensity on the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, duration, name, areas affected, deaths, and damages. For most storms, the data is taken from TCWC Nadi and Wellington's archives; however data for 04P has been taken from the JTWC archives as opposed to TCWC Nadi and Wellington's, and thus the winds are over 1 minute as opposed to 10 minutes. SPac Vania November 12, 1994 November 18, 1994 Aus2 55 980 Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji 04P December 15, 1994 December 21, 1994 TD Not Specified Not Specified Fiji, Tonga Unknown Unknown William December 30, 1994 January 3, 1995 Aus2 60 975 Cook Islands, French Polynesia 2500000 None Violet March 6, 1995 March 6, 1995 Aus3 70 970 Queensland, New South Wales See also Tropical cyclones Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1994, 1995 Pacific hurricane seasons: 1994, 1995 Pacific typhoon seasons: 1994, 1995 North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1994, 1995 References 2 External links 1990 South Pacific cyclone yes 1994 y Category:South Pacific cyclone seasons Category:Articles which contain graphical timelines