cyclone season cyclone season average year named storms formed entered began november ended april dates conventionally period year tropical cyclones form southern pacific_ocean east regional tropical cyclone operational plan defines tropical cyclone year separately tropical cyclone season tropical cyclone year runs july june season sixteen tropical depressions existed dates developing november dissipating april defined split sub areas monitored separate agencies area north monitored south monitored wellington new_zealand start season new naming policy introduced south pacific policy stated storm attaining gale force winds quadrant near center named contrast previous policy gale force winds completely surround center named season shift circulation resulted frequent episodes strong wind shear regular dry air deep tropics significantly tropical cyclogenesis average activity reflected unusually low number damaging storms systems significant effects land caused extensive flooding regarded damaging storms history approximately million damage attributed indirect fatality tropical cyclone related death year cardiac arrest seasonal summary cyclone season tropical cyclones severe tropical cyclones formed entered region numbers substantially seasonal average tropical cyclones severe tropical cyclones continued inactive trend seen years prior slightly active previous year season eastward shift led eastward displacement subtropical jet maximum placing near similar takes place event neutral season displacement subtropical jet resulted regular formation strong mid level australia leading abundance moderate strong wind shear additionally systems brought dry mid level air moved far north reflected average monthly relative humidity values basin sea surface temperatures generally slightly average january slight warming took place remainder season development cyclones season mainly aside tied julian phases developed prior arrival pulse reached basin early december pulse led development waves formations related waves second pulse arrived mid february associated development cyclones des storms tropical cyclone season formed upper level low pressure system november near island remaining nearly stationary storm general area week unfavorable conditions tropical cyclogenesis storm struggled develop significant convection preventing intensifying mph finally wind shear december system weakened tropical depression near dissipated days later slow movement storm produced substantial rainfall island resulting worst flooding years people killed nearly islands livestock died staple crop lost estimates placed damage severe tropical cyclone originated near trough low pressure mid december system remained disorganized week storm gradually matured attained tropical cyclone status december subsequently underwent rapid intensification attained peak intensity category severe tropical cyclone december winds mph shortly passed directly resulting widespread damage january cyclone began weaken underwent extratropical transition remnants persisted days observed near january path countries impacted storm significant losses took place person killed million million usd wrought damage hundreds structures destroyed nation agriculture destroyed winds excess mph battered destroying homes island largest city addition public losses environment severely affected native species bats lost roughly population lack fruit following storm requested international aid cope scale damage tropical cyclone forming initial disturbance tropical cyclone formed region moderate wind shear substantial development storm classified december open waters situated south upper level ridge system tracked slowly northeast intensified despite unfavorable conditions following days convection managed persist northern edge system center circulation december classified low tropical cyclone time situated roughly north northeast shortly wind shear increased relation approaching trough resulting weakening tropical depression following days depression drifted southward entering mid latitude intensifying strong extratropical cyclone south french tropical depression december began monitoring new tropical depression classified roughly east northeast large system similar depression drifted southeastward days turning southwest january system attained peak intensity winds mph pressure mbar hpa inhg despite having gale force winds system classified tropical cyclone winds significantly displaced center circulation determined system good chance developing tropical cyclone issued later canceled depression failed strengthen january system crossed entered area responsibility severe tropical cyclone second phase new low pressure system developed february situated eastern australia system tracked southeast rapidly organized system classified february upgraded severe tropical cyclone hours later later february system crossed entering basin peak intensity maximum winds estimated mph minimum pressure mbar hpa inhg ragged eye briefly seen satellite imagery moved decreasing sea surface temperatures combined effects rapid forward speed increased wind shear quickly weakened system february weakened non convective tropical depression remnants storm persisted day absorbed frontal system south tropical depression february tropical disturbance developed north northeast fiji situated monsoon trough edge anticyclone convection associated disturbance limited north eastern sides following days weak low level circulation gradually formed broad trough february deep convection began consolidating newly formed center response weak aloft moderate wind shear later day began monitoring low tropical depression embedded monsoon trough issued early february advisory tropical depression roughly hours later early february estimated system tropical storm minute sustained winds mph assessed system gale force winds upgrade depression tropical cyclone strongest winds removed center shortly reaching intensity wind shear displaced convection east cyclone storm weakened continued system left low level center fully exposed february prompted issue final warning depression weakening system noted later day moving southward open waters following pattern similar formation des formed area disturbed weather east australia late february precursor system formed time initial disturbance developed typhoon northwestern pacific march sufficient development taken place classify system tropical depression tropical cyclone early day march des underwent brief period rapid intensification attaining peak strength mph minimum pressure mbar hpa inhg initially storm forecast impact mid level ridge northeast forced system southeast island direct hit storm proximity mountains favorable environmental conditions des began weaken march following day storm devoid convection marking remnant low pressure system remnants des monitored days dissipated south fiji des remained coast storm strongest winds impact land weather stations coast measured winds mph damage reported relation tropical depression early march persistent area convection accompanied weak low level circulation noted roughly west situated underneath upper level ridge system experienced weak moderate shear favorable outflow later day began monitoring system tropical depression early march issued later advisory tropical storm deep convection increased coverage organization low system tracked generally southeastward life response low mid level ridge north northeast estimated peak winds mph passed close system passed close island reports damage system passed south ridge experienced stronger shear displacing convection southeast march system quickly weakened combined effects shear decreasing sea surface temperatures system dissipated later day south fiji storms addition storms listed monitored weak tropical depressions tropical disturbance season december tropical depression developed near fiji tracking westward system attained peak intensity mph minimum pressure mbar hpa inhg weakening took place december system transitioned extratropical cyclone following days remnants depression drifted southeastward noted december southeast fiji january tropical depression formed west northwest embedded monsoon trough system tracked generally eastward attained peak winds mph strongest winds located south system peripheral band january system began weakening interacted frontal system near completely losing identity later day january large tropical depression designated formed northwest fiji system depression failed organize definite center relocated times existence january gale warnings issued association cyclone strong pressure gradient anticyclone south tracking generally southwestward system slowly deepened attaining minimum pressure mbar hpa inhg early january discontinued advisories storm february tropical depression formed northeast fiji tracked southward strong convergence east depression produced area mph winds gusts mph system noted february southeast fiji february tropical disturbance formed north weak system having winds mph remained nearly stationary day discontinued advisories disturbance tropical depression formed march southeast initially system quasi stationary relocated following day broad size depression subsequently drifted west southwestward noted march located approximately south southeast fiji existence gale warnings issued periphery system pressure gradient cyclone area high pressure northeast new_zealand april tropical depression formed northwest depression drifted east southeast dissipating following day cyclone season tropical depression formed april north northeast relocating substantially south depression moved slowly general area days dissipating april unknown reasons numbering season system season formed july addition systems officially monitored possible subtropical cyclone developed late march march area low pressure developed approximately northwest french aided favorable aloft deep convection developed center system prompting issue march hours later increasing wind shear displaced convection center circulation redevelopment deemed unlikely cyclone moved cooler waters april monthly tropical cyclone summary noted possible tropical cyclone southeast pacific displayed features tropical subtropical cyclone operationally wellington new_zealand issued gale warnings system assessed tropical subtropical system later studied france believed tropical storm end march upper level trough associated cold developed southeast pacific_ocean march low level circulation developed roughly east despite moderate wind shear system intensified tropical depression early april owing subtropical ridge north depression tracked west southwestward area decreased shear subsequently system able intensify tropical storm evening april storm remained shear quickly intensified april convection remaining half degree center circulation evening hours eye like feature appeared satellite imagery system simultaneously estimated reached peak intensity strong tropical storm minute winds mph hours later dry air storm circulation caused rapidly weaken tropical depression afternoon april low fully exposed system longer classified tropical cyclone season effects table storms formed cyclone season includes duration names landfall denoted bold location names damages death totals damage deaths include totals storm extratropical wave low damage figures usd
2001–02 South Pacific cyclone season