2011–12 South Pacific cyclone season
Encyclopedia
The 2011–12 South Pacific cyclone season will be 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, 2011 to April 30, 2012. However, any tropical cyclones that form between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 will count towards the season total.
Within the South Pacific, tropical cyclones are monitored by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC)
in Nadi, Fiji, and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC)
in Wellington, New Zealand. RSMC Nadi attaches a number and an F suffix to tropical disturbances that form in or move into the South Pacific. The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center
(JTWC) issues unofficial warnings within the South Pacific, designating tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix. RSMC Nadi and TCWC Wellington both use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, and measure windspeeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC measures sustained winds over a period of one minute and uses the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.
During October 2011, both RSMC Nadi and New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, issued seasonal forecasts which contained information on how many tropical cyclones were predicted to develop within the upcoming season. Both agencies expected that the season would see a below average amount of tropical cyclone activity within the South Pacific basin due to a weak La Nina during the first half of the season before Neutral conditions prevailed during the second part of the season. As a result of these conditions, RSMC Nadi predicted that 5-8 tropical cyclones would exist within the basin while NIWA predicted that 5-8 tropical cyclones would develop within the South Pacific as a whole.
. Over the next day, the disturbance moved towards the south-east along the trough, before convection surrounding the system decreased significantly as it interacted with the two main Fijian islands. As the storm interacted with the two islands, it weakened significantly. After moving south of both islands, 01F moved eastward for the next few days, as the storm continued to weaken. Early on November 17, RSMC Nadi issued its last advisory on Tropical Disturbance 01F, as the storm weakened into a low pressure area.
during the 2011–2012 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 2012 USD.
|-
| 01F || N/A || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| 1004 || Fiji
|| Unknown || None ||
|-class="sortbottom"
|Colspan=2| 1 Disturbance || November 13 – Still Active || || Unknown || 1004 || || Unknown || 0
|}
in Nadi, Fiji (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 the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center in Wellington, New Zealand (TCWC Wellington). Should a tropical cyclone move out of the basin and into the Australian region it will retain its original name. The first name used this season will be Cyril.
Within the South Pacific, tropical cyclones are monitored by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC)
Fiji Meteorological Service
The Fiji Meteorological Service is a Department of the government of Fiji responsible for providing weather forecasts and is based in Nadi. Since 1995, FMS has been responsible for naming and tracking tropical cyclones in the Southwest Pacific region...
in Nadi, Fiji, and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC)
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited was established as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1992. It employs about 215 staff and its headquarters are in Wellington, New Zealand...
in Wellington, New Zealand. RSMC Nadi attaches a number and an F suffix to tropical disturbances that form in or move into the South Pacific. The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) issues unofficial warnings within the South Pacific, designating tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix. RSMC Nadi and TCWC Wellington both use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, and measure windspeeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC measures sustained winds over a period of one minute and uses the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.
Seasonal forecasts
| Source/Record | Season/Date | TC Tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor... | STC Tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor... | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | (1969–70 – 2010–11) | 9 | - | |
| Record high activity | 1997-98 | 16 | ||
| Record low activity | 2003–04/2008–09 | 3 | 0 | |
| RSMC Nadi | October 2011 | 5-8 | 4-5 | |
| NIWA | October 2011 | 5-8 | 4-5 |
During October 2011, both RSMC Nadi and New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, issued seasonal forecasts which contained information on how many tropical cyclones were predicted to develop within the upcoming season. Both agencies expected that the season would see a below average amount of tropical cyclone activity within the South Pacific basin due to a weak La Nina during the first half of the season before Neutral conditions prevailed during the second part of the season. As a result of these conditions, RSMC Nadi predicted that 5-8 tropical cyclones would exist within the basin while NIWA predicted that 5-8 tropical cyclones would develop within the South Pacific as a whole.
Tropical Disturbance 01F
Late on November 13, RSMC Nadi reported that Tropical Disturbance 01F had developed within a trough of low pressure, about 400 km (248.5 mi) to the north of Suva, FijiSuva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
. Over the next day, the disturbance moved towards the south-east along the trough, before convection surrounding the system decreased significantly as it interacted with the two main Fijian islands. As the storm interacted with the two islands, it weakened significantly. After moving south of both islands, 01F moved eastward for the next few days, as the storm continued to weaken. Early on November 17, RSMC Nadi issued its last advisory on Tropical Disturbance 01F, as the storm weakened into a low pressure area.
Season effects
This table lists all the storms that developed in the South Pacific to the east of longitude 160°E160th meridian east
The meridian 160° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
during the 2011–2012 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 2012 USD.
|-
| 01F || N/A || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| 1004 || Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
|| Unknown || None ||
|-class="sortbottom"
|Colspan=2| 1 Disturbance || November 13 – Still Active || || Unknown || 1004 || || Unknown || 0
|}
Storm names
Within the Southern Pacific a tropical depression is judged to have reach 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 Regional Specialized Meteorological CenterRegional Specialized Meteorological Center
A Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre is responsible for the distribution of information, advisories, and warnings regarding the specific program they have a part of, agreed by consensus at the World Meteorological Organization as part of the World Weather Watch.-Tropical...
in Nadi, Fiji (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 the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center in Wellington, New Zealand (TCWC Wellington). Should a tropical cyclone move out of the basin and into the Australian region it will retain its original name. The first name used this season will be Cyril.
See also
- List of Southern Hemisphere cyclone seasons
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 20112011 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is tied for the third most active season on record with 1887, 1995 and 2010. It began on June 1, 2011, and ended on November 30, 2011, however these dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones develop in the Atlantic basin...
, 20122011 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is tied for the third most active season on record with 1887, 1995 and 2010. It began on June 1, 2011, and ended on November 30, 2011, however these dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones develop in the Atlantic basin... - Pacific hurricane seasons: 20112011 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 2011 Pacific hurricane season is an ongoing, annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season officially started on May 15, 2011, for the eastern Pacific, and started on June 1, 2011, for the central Pacific, both of which ended on November 30, 2011. These dates conventionally...
, 20122011 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 2011 Pacific hurricane season is an ongoing, annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season officially started on May 15, 2011, for the eastern Pacific, and started on June 1, 2011, for the central Pacific, both of which ended on November 30, 2011. These dates conventionally... - Pacific typhoon seasons: 20112011 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2011 Pacific typhoon season was the time of the year in which tropical cyclones form in the Western Pacific Ocean. The season ran throughout 2011 with most tropical cyclones forming between May and November. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean to the north of the equator...
, 20122011 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2011 Pacific typhoon season was the time of the year in which tropical cyclones form in the Western Pacific Ocean. The season ran throughout 2011 with most tropical cyclones forming between May and November. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean to the north of the equator... - North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 20112011 North Indian Ocean cyclone seasonThe 2011 North Indian Ocean cyclone season is an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The North Indian Ocean cyclone season has no official bounds, but cyclones tend to form between April and December, with peaks in May and November...
, 2012