List of off-season South Pacific tropical cyclones

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An off-season South Pacific tropical cyclone is a tropical cyclone that exists in the South Pacific basin outside of the official tropical cyclone season. The World Meteorological Organization currently defines the season as occurring between November 1 and April 30, of the following year, with approximately 96% of all activity occurring between these months. If a tropical cyclone should develop during the off-season, it is more likely to develop during May or October than any other month of the off-season. The official database provided by the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship, which dates back to 1892, shows that 56 tropical cyclones have existed in the basin during the off-season between May and October, while in addition 36 other systems that are not included in IBTRACS have monitored by the warning centres.

Cyclone Lola at peak strength on 24 October 2023

Off-season cyclones are most likely to occur in the Coral Sea, with most impacting either the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. The most recent off-season storm is Tropical Depression 01F, which developed during September 2018 and impacted the Solomon Islands. The strongest tropical cyclone to exist during the off-season was Severe Tropical Cyclone Lola of 2023, with maximum 10–minute sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h), and an estimated value of 930 hPa (27.46 inHg) of central pressure. The deadliest and most damaging system was Severe Tropical Cyclone Namu, which caused over 100 deaths, when it impacted the Solomon Islands during May 1986.

Background

Tropical cyclones are considered to be non-frontal, low pressure systems that develop, within an environment of warm sea surface temperatures and little vertical wind shear aloft.[1]

Within the South Pacific basin to the east of 160°E, the cyclone season is defined as running between November 1 and April 30 of the following year.[1] During the off-season a total of 91 tropical cyclones have been recorded during the off-season, with a total of 54 of these systems occurring after satellite imagery became regularly available during the 1969–70 season.[nb 1]

The first system to exist in the off-season on record was active during May 17, 1868 and was located near Vanuatu, according to records compiled by Stephen Sargent Visher. However, the official database shows that the first storm to occur in the basin outside of the current season was in 1912.[2] The most recent systems to exist in the off-season were Severe Tropical Cyclone Lola, which developed during October 2023. The strongest tropical cyclones to exist during the off-season in terms of wind speed was Severe Tropical Cyclone Donna of 2017 and Severe Tropical Cyclone Lola of 2023, with maximum 10–minute sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h), while the most intense by central pressure was Severe Tropical Cyclone Xavier of 2006, with a minimum value of 930 hPa (27.46 inHg). The deadliest and most damaging system was Severe Tropical Cyclone Namu, which caused over 100 deaths, when it impacted the Solomon Islands during May 1986.

Of the 57 known tropical systems that have been recorded during the off-season, a total of 33 tropical cyclones have been recorded in May or have persisted into the off-season after developing in April. A total of 18 tropical cyclones have developed during October, while three systems have been recorded in both June and July, while two have been recorded in September. The three systems recorded in June were all named tropical cyclones, with Gina and Keli considered to be a Category 3 severe tropical cyclones on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale. In addition Tropical Cyclone Raquel developed in June 2015 and was considered to be the latest system to develop in the South Pacific Ocean.[3] In addition as the system persisted into July 2015, it was unofficially considered to be a part of two tropical cyclone years.[3] Off the two systems recorded in July, Tropical Depression 17F in July 2002 was designated 17F, despite being the first system of the 2002–03 season.[4] Tropical Depression 01F/01P of July 2015, which subsequently persisted into August 2015.[5] The first system that developed during September was an unnamed system that occurred in 1924, which according to a report published by Greenpeace, caused damage to some ships to the west of New Caledonia.[6] The other system was declared to be a tropical depression by the Fiji Meteorological Service during September 1999, but was more likely to be a hybrid system rather than a proper tropical depression.[7]

The season with the most off-season systems was 1999–2000, which had a total of six tropical depressions existing during the off-season. The 1997–98, 2004–05 and 2013–14 seasons had four tropical cyclones during the off-season each, while the 1988–89 and the 1996–97 season had three off-season tropical cyclones.[8][9][10]

Systems

The wind speeds listed are maximum ten-minute average sustained winds, while the pressure is the minimum barometric pressure, both of which are estimates taken from the archives of either the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the Fiji Meteorological Service, and New Zealand's MetService. If there are no known estimates of either the winds or pressure then the system is listed as "Not specified" under winds or pressure, if there is no known estimated winds or pressure. For deaths and damages "None" indicates that there were no reports of fatalities or damages, although such storms may have impacted land. Where it The damage totals are the United States dollar of the year of the storm.

More information Name, Dates ...
Name Dates Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)
Deaths Ref(s).
Category Wind speed Pressure
UnnamedOctober 5 – 6, 1847Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNorfolk IslandNoneNone[11]
UnnamedMay 17, 1868Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedUnknownNoneNone[12]
UnnamedOctober 2, 1874Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedUnknownNoneNone[12]
UnnamedMay 5 – 8, 1912Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNew CaledoniaNoneNone[13]
UnnamedJune 20 – 26, 1912Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedFrench PolynesiaNoneNone[14]
UnnamedJuly 11 – 16, 1912Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueensland, New ZealandNoneNone[15]
UnnamedMay 5 – 11, 1916Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNew CaledoniaNoneNone[16]
UnnamedMay 24 – 29, 1916Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNew ZealandNoneNone[17]
UnnamedMay 14 – 20, 1919Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNew ZealandNoneNone[18]
UnnamedJuly 28, 1919Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedUnknownNoneNone[19]
UnnamedOctober 28 – 30, 1919Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedUnknownNoneNone[19]
UnnamedJuly 20 – 28, 1921Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueensland, New ZealandNoneNone[20]
UnnamedOctober 1 – 6, 1921Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueensland, New ZealandNoneNone[21]
UnnamedSeptember 1924Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedUnknownNoneNone[6]
UnnamedJune 1 – 7, 1925Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueenslandNoneNone[22]
UnnamedMay 1 – 6, 1926Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueenslandNoneNone[23]
UnnamedMay 15 – 20, 1926Tropical LowNot Specified999 hPa (29.50 inHg)QueenslandNoneNone[24]
UnnamedMay 26, 1926Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedFijiMinorNone[25]
UnnamedJune 1 – 4, 1929Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueenslandNoneNone[26]
UnnamedJuly 1 – 4, 1931Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueenslandNoneNone[27]
UnnamedJuly 1 – 4, 1934Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueenslandNoneNone[28]
UnnamedMay 24 – 27, 1935Tropical LowNot Specified1002 hPa (29.59 inHg)NoneNoneNone[29]
UnnamedAugust 30 
September 3, 1935
Not SpecifiedNot Specified999 hPa (29.50 inHg)QueenslandNoneNone[30]
UnnamedJuly 1 – 5, 1936Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNoneNoneNone[31]
UnnamedJuly 7 – 10, 1936Not SpecifiedNot Specified1002 hPa (29.59 inHg)NoneNoneNone[32]
UnnamedAugust 19 – 23, 1950Category 2 tropical cyclone95 km/h (60 mph)Not SpecifiedNoneNoneNone[33][34]
UnnamedSeptember 12 – 17, 1950Category 2 tropical cyclone110 km/h (70 mph)Not SpecifiedNew CaledoniaNoneNone[33][35]
UnnamedOctober 26 – 29, 1952Not SpecifiedNot Specified998 hPa (29.47 inHg)NoneNoneNone[36]
UnnamedJune 4 – 15, 1958Not SpecifiedNot Specified988 hPa (29.18 inHg)Solomon Islands, New Caledonia
New Zealand
NoneNone[37]
UnnamedJune 4 – 12, 1958Not SpecifiedNot Specified986 hPa (29.12 inHg)QueenslandNoneNone[38]
UnnamedMay 24 – 29, 1960Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueenslandNoneNone[39]
UnnamedMay 2 – 9, 1963Not SpecifiedNot Specified1007 hPa (29.74 inHg)Solomon Islands, QueenslandNoneNone[40]
UnnamedMay 7 – 14, 1963Not SpecifiedNot Specified1000 hPa (29.53 inHg)Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
New Caledonia
NoneNone[41]
UnnamedMay 10 – 12, 1963Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNew CaledoniaNoneNone[42]
UnnamedJune 22 – 25, 1963Not SpecifiedNot Specified1001 hPa (29.56 inHg)New CaledoniaNoneNone[43]
UnnamedJune 23 – July 4, 1963Not SpecifiedNot Specified986 hPa (29.12 inHg)New CaledoniaNoneNone[44]
EstherApril 26 – May 2, 1969Not SpecifiedNot Specified992 hPa (29.29 inHg)Papua New GuineaNoneNone[45]
UnnamedJune 22 – 23, 1970Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNoneNoneNone[46]
NoraOctober 29 – 30, 1970Tropical depressionNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedFijiMinorNone[6][47]
IdaMay 29 – June 5, 1972Category 3 severe tropical cyclone120 km/h (75 mph)965 hPa (28.50 inHg)Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
New Caledonia
70 million3[48][49]
BebeOctober 19 – 28, 1972Category 3 severe tropical cyclone155 km/h (100 mph)945 hPa (27.91 inHg)Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu22.5 million27[50][51][52][53]
UnnamedJuly 7 – 10, 1973Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNew CaledoniaNoneNone[54]
UnnamedJuly 8 – 14, 1973Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedQueenslandNoneNone[55]
UnnamedJuly 31 – August 4, 1976Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNoneNoneNone[56]
ClaudiaMay 13 – 18, 1981Category 1 tropical cyclone75 km/h (45 mph)990 hPa (29.23 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[57][58]
JotiOctober 31 
November 7, 1982
Category 2 tropical cyclone110 km/h (70 mph)975 hPa (28.79 inHg)VanuatuMinorNone[59][60][61]
UnnamedMay 11, 1983Tropical depressionNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNoneNoneNone[62]
UnnamedMay 16, 1983Tropical depressionNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNoneNoneNone[62]
NamuMay 15 – 22, 1986Category 3 severe tropical cyclone150 km/h (90 mph)955 hPa (28.20 inHg)Solomon Islands20 million111[63][64]
Blanch(e)May 20 – 27, 1987Category 1 tropical cyclone75 km/h (45 mph)990 hPa (29.23 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[65]
MeenaMay 1 – 10, 1989Category 1 tropical cyclone85 km/h (50 mph)990 hPa (29.23 inHg)Cape York PeninsulaMinorNone[66][67]
ErnieMay 6 – 12, 1989Category 1 tropical cyclone85 km/h (50 mph)990 hPa (29.23 inHg)NoneNoneNone[68][69]
UnnamedMay 28 – 30, 1989Tropical depressionNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedFijiNoneNone[70]
LisaMay 7 – 19, 1991Category 2 tropical cyclone110 km/h (70 mph)975 hPa (28.79 inHg)Solomon Islands, VanuatuNoneNone[71][72]
InnisApril 27 – May 6, 1992Category 2 tropical cyclone95 km/h (60 mph)985 hPa (29.09 inHg)Solomon Islands, VanuatuNoneNone[73][74]
JuneMay 2 – 11, 1997Category 2 tropical cyclone95 km/h (60 mph)985 hPa (29.09 inHg)Fiji60 millionNone[75]
37PMay 28 – 30, 1997Tropical cycloneNot Specified997 hPa (29.44 inHg)VanuatuNoneNone[nb 2][76]
KeliJune 7 – 17, 1997Category 3 severe tropical cyclone150 km/h (90 mph)955 hPa (28.20 inHg)Tuvalu, Fiji, Samoan islands10,000None[77][78]
LusiOctober 8 – 12, 1997Category 2 tropical cyclone100 km/h (65 mph)985 hPa (29.09 inHg)Vanuatu, FijiNoneNone[79][80]
03POctober 26 – 28, 1997Tropical depressionNot Specified997 hPa (29.44 inHg)NoneNoneNone[81][82]
MartinOctober 27 
November 5, 1997
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone155 km/h (100 mph)945 hPa (27.91 inHg)Cook Islands, French Polynesia$8 million28[79][83][84][85]
BartApril 28 – May 3, 1998Category 1 tropical cyclone85 km/h (50 mph)987 hPa (29.15 inHg)French PolynesiaMinor10[79][86][87]
26FMay 20 – 26, 1999Tropical depression75 km/h (45 mph)995 hPa (29.38 inHg)Queensland, New ZealandNoneNone[88][89]
20FApril 26 – May 2, 2000Tropical depression95 km/h (60 mph)1000 hPa (29.53 inHg)QueenslandNoneNone[90][91][92]
21FApril 28 – May 2, 2000Tropical depression65 km/h (40 mph)1000 hPa (29.53 inHg)QueenslandNoneNone[90][91][92]
22FMay 3 – 8, 2000Tropical depression75 km/h (45 mph)1001 hPa (29.56 inHg)NoneNoneNone[93][94]
23FMay 6, 2000Tropical depressionNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNoneNoneNone[93]
24FMay 20 – 23, 2000Tropical depression75 km/h (45 mph)1002 hPa (29.59 inHg)NoneNoneNone[93][94]
14FMay 1 – 3, 2001Tropical depression75 km/h (45 mph)1004 hPa (29.65 inHg)NoneNoneNone[95]
15FMay 7 – 9, 2001Tropical depression65 km/h (40 mph)999 hPa (29.50 inHg)NoneNoneNone[95]
17FJuly 3 – 4, 2002Tropical depressionNot Specified995 hPa (29.38 inHg)NoneNoneNone[4]
01FOctober 21 – 22, 2002Tropical depressionNot Specified1002 hPa (29.59 inHg)VanuatuNoneNone[96][97]
GinaJune 4 – 9, 2003Category 3 severe tropical cyclone150 km/h (90 mph)950 hPa (28.05 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[98][99]
01FOctober 28 – 30, 2004Tropical depressionNot Specified1001 hPa (29.56 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[100][101]
14FApril 14 – May 1, 2005Tropical depressionNot Specified1000 hPa (29.53 inHg)NoneNoneNone[102][103]
17FApril 26 – May 1, 2005Tropical depressionNot Specified1007 hPa (29.74 inHg)NoneNoneNone[102][103]
18FApril 29 – May 1, 2005Tropical depressionNot Specified1006 hPa (29.71 inHg)NoneNoneNone[102][103]
XavierOctober 20 – 26, 2006Category 4 severe tropical cyclone175 km/h (110 mph)930 hPa (27.46 inHg)Solomon Islands, VanuatuMinimalNone[104][105]
02FOctober 24 – 29, 2006Tropical depressionNot Specified1004 hPa (29.65 inHg)NoneNoneNone[106]
01FOctober 16 – 19, 2007Tropical depressionNot Specified1000 hPa (29.53 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[107]
17FMay 10 – 11, 2011Tropical depressionNot Specified1006 hPa (29.71 inHg)NoneNoneNone[108]
22FApril 28 – May 1, 2013Tropical disturbanceNot Specified993 hPa (29.32 inHg)FijiNoneNone[109]
01FOctober 19 – 20, 2013Tropical disturbanceNot Specified1004 hPa (29.65 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[110]
02FOctober 19 – 23, 2013Tropical depressionNot Specified1002 hPa (29.59 inHg)VanuatuMinorNone[110][111][112]
03FOctober 21 – 22, 2013Tropical depressionNot Specified1005 hPa (29.68 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[110]
04FOctober 25 – 27, 2013Tropical depressionNot Specified1007 hPa (29.74 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[110]
RaquelJune 28 – July 5, 2015Category 1 tropical cyclone65 km/h (40 mph)995 hPa (29.38 inHg)Solomon IslandsSignificant1[113][114][115]
01FJuly 29 – August 4, 2015Tropical depressionNot Specified1007 hPa (29.74 inHg)Solomon IslandsNoneNone[5]
02FOctober 12 – 18, 2015Tropical depression45 km/h (30 mph)1001 hPa (29.56 inHg)VanuatuNoneNone[116]
DonnaMay 1 – 10, 2017Category 5 severe tropical cyclone205 km/h (125 mph)935 hPa (27.61 inHg)Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
New Caledonia, New Zealand
Significant2[117][118]
EllaMay 7 – 14, 2017Category 2 tropical cyclone110 km/h (70 mph)977 hPa (28.85 inHg)Samoan Islands, Tonga
Wallis and Futuna, Fiji
MinorNone[119][120]
LiuaSeptember 26 – 28, 2018Category 1 tropical cyclone75 km/h (45 mph)994 hPa (29.35 inHg)Solomon IslandsNone0[121]
12FMay 16 – 21, 2019Tropical disturbanceNot Specified1004 hPa (29.65 inHg)NoneNone0
GinaMay 16 – 21, 2022Category 1 tropical cyclone75 km/h (45 mph)998 hPa (29.47 inHg)VanuatuUnknownUnknown
LolaOctober 19 –27, 2023Category 5 severe tropical cyclone215 km/h (130 mph)930 hPa (27.46 inHg)Solomon Islands, Vanuatu[122]
Close

Systems by month

Off-season systems are most likely to occur in May, with a total of 43 systems developing or persisting into the month, during October, when 22 have formed. By contrast, only 2 systems have developed in August and 4 in September.

More information Month, Number of cyclones ...
Number of recorded off-season cyclones by month
Month Number of cyclones
April[nb 3]
9
May
36
June
12
July
12
August
2
September
4
October
22
Close

Notes

  1. Regular satellite imagery of the basin became available during the 1969–70 season, thus the 1969–70 season is considered the start of the satellite era.
  2. Data on 37P was taken from the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
  3. The April statistic only show those systems that formed during the month and either dissipated on 30 April, or persisted into the off-season.

See also

References

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