2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season | |
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![]() Season summary map | |
Seasonal boundaries | |
First system formed | July 2, 2015 |
Last system dissipated | Currently active |
Strongest storm | |
Name | Raquel |
• Maximum winds | 45 km/h (30 mph) (10-minute sustained) |
• Lowest pressure | 998 hPa (mbar) |
Seasonal statistics | |
Total disturbances | 2 |
Total depressions | 2 |
Total fatalities | Unknown |
Total damage | Unknown |
Related articles | |
The 2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season is the period of the year when most tropical cyclones form within the South Pacific Ocean to the east of 160°E. The season officially runs from November 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016, however a tropical cyclone could form at any time between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 and would count towards the season total. During the season, tropical cyclones will be officially monitored by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) in Nadi, Fiji and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers in Brisbane, Australia and Wellington, New Zealand. The United States Armed Forces through the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) will also monitor the basin and issue unofficial warnings for American interests. RSMC Nadi attaches a number and an F suffix to tropical disturbances that form in or move into the basin while the JTWC designates significant tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix. RSMC Nadi, TCWC Wellington and TCWC Brisbane all use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale and estimate windspeeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC estimated sustained winds over a 1-minute period, which are subsequently compared to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS).
Seasonal summary
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/b7iet77k6c46f8ffrxg18kyezl9ijhp.png)
Storms
Tropical Depression Raquel
Tropical depression (Australian scale) | |
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | July 2 (Entered basin) – July 4 (Exited basin) |
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Peak intensity | 45 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 998 hPa (mbar) |
As the 2014-15 tropical cyclone year ended on June 30, Tropical Depression 17F, moved westwards out of the South Pacific basin and into the Australian region.[1][2] The system subsequently intensified into a tropical cyclone and was named Raquel, by the Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre as it impacted the Solomon Islands.[3] The system subsequently started to weaken and move eastwards during July 1, before it crossed 160°E and back into the South Pacific Basin as a tropical depression during the next day.[1][4][5]
Tropical Depression 01F
Tropical depression (Australian scale) | |
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | July 29 – August 4 |
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Peak intensity | 65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min); 1000 hPa (mbar) |
During July 29, RSMC Nadi reported that Tropical Disturbance 01F had developed, about 920 km (570 mi)* to the north-northeast of Honiara on the Solomon Island of Guadalcanal.[6] The system lied to the north of an upper level subtropical ridge of high pressure in an area of moderate vertical wind shear.[6] Over the next couple of days the system slowly organised further as it steered south-eastwards into an area of decreasing vertical wind shear.[7] As a result of further organization it was classified as a tropical depression during August 1.
Storm names
Within the Southern Pacific a tropical depression is judged to have reached tropical cyclone intensity should it reach winds of 65 km/h, (40 mph) and it is evident that gales are occurring at least halfway around the center. With tropical depressions intensifying into a tropical cyclone between the Equator and 25°S and between 160°E - 120°W named by the RSMC Nadi. However should a tropical depression intensify to the south of 25°S between 160°E and 120°W it will be named in conjunction with RSMC Nadi by TCWC Wellington. Should a tropical cyclone move out of the basin and into the Australian region it will retain its original name and vice versa.[2]
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Season effects
This table lists all the storms that developed in the South Pacific to the east of longitude 160°E during the 2015–16 season. It includes their intensity on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, duration, name, landfalls, deaths, and damages. All data is taken from RSMC Nadi and/or TCWC Wellington, and all of the damage figures are in 2015 USD.
Name | Dates | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | ||
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Category | Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
Raquel | July 2 – 4 | Tropical depression | 45 km/h (30 mph) | 998 hPa (29.47 inHg) | Solomon Islands | None | None | |
01F | July 29 – August 4 | Tropical depression | Not Specified | 1000 hPa (29.53 inHg) | Santa Cruz Islands | None | None | |
Season aggregates | ||||||||
2 systems | July 2 – Currently active | 45 km/h (30 mph) | 998 hPa (29.47 inHg) | None | None |
See also
- List of South Pacific cyclone seasons
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 2015, 2016
- Pacific hurricane seasons: 2015, 2016
- Pacific typhoon seasons: 2015, 2016
- North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2015, 2016
- 2015–16 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- 2015–16 Australian region cyclone season
References
- ^ a b Young, Steve (July 27, 2015). "Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Tracks: June 2015". Australian Severe Weather. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b RA V Tropical Cyclone Committee (May 5, 2015). Tropical Cyclone Operational Plan for the South-East Indian Ocean and the Southern Pacific Ocean 2014 (PDF) (Report). World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved August 2, 2015. Cite error: The named reference "TCOP" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (June 30, 2015). "Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin: Australia: Eastern Region: June 30, 2015 18z". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
- ^ Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (July 1, 2015). "Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin: Australia: Eastern Region: July 1, 2015 18z". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
- ^ RSMC Nadi — Tropical Cyclone Centre (July 2, 2015). "Tropical Disturbance Summary July 2, 2015 09z". Fiji Meteorological Service. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ a b RSMC Nadi — Tropical Cyclone Centre (July 29, 2015). "Tropical Disturbance Summary July 29, 2015 21z". Fiji Meteorological Service. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ^ RSMC Nadi — Tropical Cyclone Centre (July 31, 2015). "Tropical Disturbance Summary July 31, 2015 09z". Fiji Meteorological Service. Archived from the original on July 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
External links
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