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User:Iune/SPac95

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Iune/SPac95
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formedNovember 23, 1996
Last system dissipatedJune 15, 1997
Strongest storm
NameBeti
 • Maximum winds165 km/h (105 mph)
(10-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure935 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total disturbances4
Tropical cyclones4
Severe tropical cyclones1
Total fatalities2 direct
Total damage$5.33 million (1996 USD)
Related articles
South Pacific tropical cyclone seasons
1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98

The 1995-96 South Pacific cyclone season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It began on November 1, 1995 and ended on April 30, 1996. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the southern Pacific Ocean east of 160°E. Additionally, the regional tropical cyclone operational plan defines a tropical cyclone year separately from a tropical cyclone season, and the "tropical cyclone year" runs from July 1, to June 30.[1]

Tropical cyclones between 160°E and 120°W and north of 25°S are monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service in Nadi. Those that move south of 25°S are monitored by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Wellington, New Zealand.[1]

Storms

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Tropical Cyclone Yasi

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Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 12 – January 19
Peak intensity85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min);
987 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Yasi began as a weak tropical low that formed over Fiji on January 12.[2] The tropical low persisted for a few days before it began to interact with the South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ).[2] The weak low began to move to the southeast and had a center of circulation that was difficult to locate.[2] Early on January 15, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began to monitor the tropical low.[3] Early on January 16, the tropical low began to quickly develop as it was aided by strong upper–level influence.[2] Later that morning, marginal gales were recorded as the storm passed over the island of Tongatapu.[2] At 1200 UTC that same day, the JTWC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 08P.[3] Finally, at 1200 UTC on January 17, the tropical low was upgraded to a Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian Scale) and given the name Yasi while well to the east of Tonga.[2] At the time, the storm had reached its peak intensity of 50 mph (80 km/h) (10-min winds)[4] However, in post–season analysis, it was found that the depression had reached Category 1 tropical cyclone strength at twelve hours earlier at 0000 UTC January 17.[2] At the same time, the JTWC assessed Tropical Cyclone 08P to have reached its peak intensity of 50 mph (80 km/h) (1-min winds).[3] Shortly after reaching peak intensity, Yasi began to accelerate to the southeast and by that night (UTC time) had a exposed center of circulation.[2] Early on January 19, as the storm was moving out of RSMC Nadi's Area of Responsibility, it became extratropical.[2]

Tropical Cyclone Zaka

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Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 9 – March 11
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Zaka was first noticed early on March 9 as a weak tropical low that was embedded in the SPCZ.[2] That afternoon, an upper trough moved into the New Zealand area and extended a jetstream to the island of New Caledonia.[2] Due to that, a major area of clouds developed east of New Caledonia making it hard to locate the center of circulation on satellite images.[2] At 1200 UTC that day, the tropical low strengthened into a tropical depression.[4] That evening, Matthew Island began to report gale–force winds.[2] Due to the reports, the tropical depression was upgraded to a Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) and named Zaka at 2100 UTC on March 9.[2] However, in post-season analysis, it was found that the low had strengthened into a tropical cyclone three hours earlier.[4] Early the next morning, Zaka reached its peak intensity of 45 mph (70 km/h) (10-min winds)[2] at the same time that the JTWC designated the storm as Tropical Cyclone 20P.[5] Soon afterward it weakened into a tropical low due to wind shear from the upper–level trough that helped in its formation.[2][4] The tropical depression dissipated late on March 11 (UTC time).[4]

Tropical Cyclone Atu

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Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 4 – March 18
Peak intensity85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min);
987 hPa (mbar)
  • Atu, 10 to 13 March 1996, Pacific Ocean

Severe Tropical Cyclone Beti

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Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 21 – March 29
Peak intensity165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min);
935 hPa (mbar)
  • Beti, 21 to 29 March 1996, Pacific Ocean

27 French francs, 5.33 USD (1996) [1]

Season effects

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This table lists all the storms that developed in the South Pacific to the east of longitude 160°E during the 1995–96 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, TCWC Wellington, BoM, or the JTWC. The Damage figures are in 1996 USD.

Name Dates Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Refs
Category Wind speed Pressure
Yasi January 12 - 19 Category 1 Tropical Cyclone 85 km/h (50 mph) 987 hPa (29.15 inHg) Fiji, Tonga Minor None [6][7]
QEII February 12 - 14 Tropical Depression Not Specified Not Specified None None None [8]
STD February 22–24 Shallow Tropical Depression Not Specified Not Specified Fiji Minor None [9]
Zaka March 9 - 11 Category 1 tropical cyclone 65 km/h (45 mph) 993 hPa (29.33 inHg) New Caledonia Minor None [8][7]
Atu March 10 - 18 Category 1 Tropical Cyclone 85 km/h (50 mph) 987 hPa (29.15 inHg) New Caledonia Minor None [8][7]
Beti March 21 - 29 Category 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone 165 km/h (105 mph) 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New Zealand 4.3 million 2 [8][10][nb 1]
Season aggregates
6 systems January 12 – March 29 165 km/h (105 mph) 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) 4.3 million 2

Retirement

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After the season, the World Meteorological Organization retired one name, Beti.[11] It was replaced by the name Bune.[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ The New Caledonian Government preliminary assessed damages as being FF145 million. This was converted to USD using the French franc-US Dollar conversion rate form Economagic for March 27. "French francs to United states dollar".)

References

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  1. ^ a b http://www.wmo.ch/web/www/TCP/OperationPlans/TCP24-English2004.pdf
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Callaghan, Jeff (August 1997). "The South Pacific and Southeast Indian Ocean tropical cyclone season 1995-96" (PDF). Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  3. ^ a b c "Joint Typhoon Warning Center Best Track for Tropical Cyclone 08P (Yasi)". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  4. ^ a b c d e "TCWC Wellington Best Track for the South Pacific 1967-2006". TCWC Wellington. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  5. ^ "Joint Typhoon Warning Center Best Track for Tropical Cyclone 20P (Zaka)". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Yasi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Wellington BT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference 95-96 SS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fiji was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Impact was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b "Tropical Cyclone Program—2008" (PDF). World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 2009-08-06.