MONTHLY GLOBAL TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY
JANUARY, 2003
Part 1
(For general comments about the nature of these summaries, as well as
information on how to download the tabular cyclone track files, see
the Author's Note at the end of this summary.)
NOTE: The January summary is being issued in two parts. This first
installment covers the Northwest Pacific and Southwest Indian Ocean
basins and contains the Feature of the Month. The second part will
cover the Australian Region and the South Pacific basin.
*************************************************************************
JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS
--> Tropical storm strikes Madagascar
--> South Pacific continues active with two intense damaging cyclones
--> Monsoon depression surprises Australian forecasters
--> First Northwest Pacific tropical storm of year forms
*************************************************************************
***** Feature of the Month for January *****
TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES for the NORTHWEST PACIFIC BASIN
Beginning in 2000, tropical storms and typhoons forming in the North
Pacific west of the Dateline have been assigned names by JMA taken from a
new list of Asian names contributed by fourteen nations and territories
from the western Pacific and eastern Asia. Names are not allocated
in alphabetical order and the majority are not personal names. Instead,
names of animals, plants, fictional characters, descriptive adjectives,
places--even foods--are utilized. The entire list consists of 140
names, and all names will be used before any are repeated. The last
name assigned in 2002 was Pongsona in early December while one tropical
cyclone has already been named in 2003. The next storm to develop
will be named Kujira--the Japanese word for 'whale'.
The next 36 names on the list are (** indicates name has already
been assigned in 2003):
Yanyan ** Etau Melor Mindulle
Kujira Vamco Nepartak Tingting
Chan-hom Krovanh Lupit Kompasu
Linfa Dujuan Sudal Namtheun
Nangka Maemi Nida Malou
Soudelor Choi-wan Omais Meranti
Imbudo Koppu Conson Rananim
Koni Ketsana Chanthu Malakas
Morakot Parma Dianmu Megi
Since 1963 PAGASA has independently named tropical cyclones forming
in the Philippines' AOR--from 115E to 135E and from 5N to 25N (except
for a portion of the northwestern corner of the above region). Even
though the Philippines contributed ten names to the international list
of typhoon names, PAGASA still continues to assign their own names for
local use within the Philippines. It is felt that familiar names are
more easily remembered in the rural areas and that having a PAGASA-
assigned name helps to underscore the fact that the cyclone is within
PAGASA's AOR and potentially a threat to the Philippines. Another
consideration may be PAGASA's desire to assign a name when a system is
first classified as a tropical depression. Since tropical and/or
monsoon depressions can bring very heavy rainfall to the nation which
often results in disastrous flooding, the weather service feels that
assigning a name helps to enhance public attention given to a system.
Beginning with 2001 PAGASA began using new sets of cyclone names.
These do not all end in "ng" as did the older names. Four sets of 25
names will be rotated annually; thus, the set for 2003 will be re-used
in 2007. In case more than 25 systems are named in one season, an
auxiliary set will be used. PAGASA names for 2003 are (** indicates
name has already been assigned in 2003):
Amang Juaning Roskas
Batibot Kabayan Sikat
Chedeng Lakay Tisoy
Dodong Manang Ursula
Egay Nina Viring
Falcon Onyok Wang-wang
Gilas Pogi Yoyoy
Harurot Quiel Zigzag
Ineng
In the unlikely event that the list is exhausted, the following
names would be allocated as needed: Abe, Berto, Charing, Danggit,
Estoy, Fuego, Gening, Hantik, Irog, Joker.
**** Index to Feature of the Month Articles for 2002 ****
Jan - TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES for the NORTHWEST PACIFIC BASIN
(also Index to Feature of the Month Articles for 2001)
Feb - WESTERN HEMISPHERE TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES for 2002
Mar - TABLES OF MONTHLY NET TROPICAL CYCLONE ACTIVITY (NTC)
Apr - ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THANKS TO MY SUPPORT TEAM
(also NOT QUITE "MED-CANES")
May - SOME OF MY FRIENDS' OUTSTANDING WEBSITES
Jun - PATTERNS OF ATLANTIC INTENSE HURRICANE ACTIVITY
Jul - TRACK FORECASTING WITH A KILO-MEMBER ENSEMBLE
Aug - A CYCLONE PHASE SPACE
DERIVED FROM THERMAL WIND AND THERMAL ASYMMETRY
Sep - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES
2002 - 2003 SEASON
Oct - SOUTHEAST PACIFIC CYCLONE OF APRIL, 2002
Nov - ADVANCED OBJECTIVE DVORAK TECHNIQUE
Dec - A CLIMATOLOGY OF INTENSE TROPICAL CYCLONES
IN THE SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN
***********************************************************************
ACTIVITY BY BASINS
ATLANTIC (ATL) - North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico
Activity for January: No tropical cyclones
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NORTHEAST PACIFIC (NEP) - North Pacific Ocean East of Longitude 180
Activity for January: No tropical cyclones
*************************************************************************
NORTHWEST PACIFIC (NWP) - North Pacific Ocean West of Longitude 180
Activity for January: 1 tropical storm
Sources of Information
----------------------
Most of the information presented below is based upon tropical
cyclone warnings and significant tropical weather outlooks issued
by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the U. S. Air Force and
Navy (JTWC), located at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In the companion
tropical cyclone tracks file, I normally annotate track coordinates
from some of the various Asian warning centers when their center
positions differ from JTWC's by usually 40-50 nm or more. All
references to sustained winds imply a 1-minute averaging period
unless otherwise noted.
Michael V. Padua of Naga City in the Philippines, owner of the
Typhoon 2000 website, normally sends me cyclone tracks based upon
warnings issued by the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the
Philippines' Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA). Also, Huang Chunliang of Fuzhou City, China,
sends me each month tracks obtained from warnings issued by the
National Meteorological Center of China (NMCC), the Central Weather
Bureau of Taiwan (CWBT) and the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). A very
special thanks to Michael and Chunliang for the assistance they so
reliably provide.
In the title line for each storm I have referenced all the cyclone
names/numbers I have available: JTWC's depression number, the
JMA-assigned name (if any), JMA's tropical storm numeric designator,
and PAGASA's name for systems forming in or passing through their
area of warning responsibility.
Northwest Pacific Tropical Activity for January
-----------------------------------------------
As was the case with 2002, the first Northwest Pacific tropical
cyclone of 2003 appeared early, around the middle of January. Tropical
Storm Yanyan began intensifying in the Pohnpei/Chuuk region, following a
west-northwesterly track ominously similar to that of the destructive
Super Typhoon Pongsona in December. Yanyan, however, remained a
tropical storm and sharply recurved around 100 nm east-northeast of Guam.
The summary for Tropical Storm Yanyan was written by Kevin Boyle of
Stoke-on-Trent, UK. A special thanks to Kevin for his assistance.
TROPICAL STORM YANYAN
(TC-01W / TS 0301)
13 - 21 January
-----------------------------------------
Yanyan: contributed by Hong Kong, China, is a fairly common pet name
for young girls
A. Storm Origins
----------------
Even though tropical cyclones that form in January are labeled as the
first of the year, climatologically speaking they are late-season storms.
Since 1990, seven years have produced a cyclone during January, five of
which (1990, 1992, 1997, 1999 and 2002) became named tropical storms.
However, the last January typhoon was Axel (1992) which affected the
Caroline Islands. The last major typhoon (>=100 kts) to occur in January
was Roy (1988), which rampaged across much of the Northwest Pacific.
JTWC began monitoring the pre-Yanyan disturbance at 0600 UTC on
11 January, assessing the development potential as poor. The 12/0600 UTC
STWO noted that animated satellite imagery was indicating an exposed
LLCC, located near 2.0N, 178.2E, associated with an area of weak
convection. Upper-level analysis showed weak vertical wind shear and
fair outflow aloft over the area. The MSW and MSLP were estimated at
10-15 kts and 1008 mb, respectively. Development potential was upgraded
to fair at 13/0600 UTC. At the same time JMA began classifying the
system as a 30-kt (10-min avg) tropical depression (near 2.4N, 173.8E).
Synoptic observations from Ebon and Jaluit Atolls at 14/0600 UTC
suggested there was at least a weak LLCC associated with this
disturbance, but SSM/I imagery was inconclusive. Fair development
potential continued through the 14th and was finally upgraded to good
at 15/1630 UTC.
The first warning soon followed at 15/1800 UTC on Tropical Depres-
sion 01W, located near 7.2N, 160.9E, or 160 nm east of Pohnpei with the
initial MSW set at 30 kts. Animated water vapor and enhanced infrared
satellite imagery indicated cycling but organizing deep convection,
although the LLCC was still difficult to locate in infrared satellite
imagery. Movement was toward the west-northwest at 15 kts under the
influence of a low to mid-level ridge to the north. By 1200 UTC,
16 January, animated multi-spectral satellite imagery showed the deep
convection diminishing markedly. The LLCC was fully-exposed at this time
and difficult to locate. In fact, synoptic and QuikScat data did not
indicate any obvious LLCC.
After a brief westward push, TD-01W returned to its original west-
northwestward heading at a faster pace of 18-19 kts, reaching a position
(at 17/0000 UTC) near 10.0N, 152.9E, or 170 nm north-northeast of Chuuk.
(The JMA position at the same time was 11.9N, 151.0E.) During this time,
deep convection was on the increase, although the LLCC remained
partially-exposed. TD-01W was upgraded to a 35-kt tropical storm at
17/0000 UTC.
B. Track and Intensity History
------------------------------
By 1200 UTC, 17 January, deep convective activity had waned again and
there was only a single thunderstorm noted over the weak LLCC on micro-
wave imagery. In addition, synoptic and QuikScat data showed maximum
winds of 25 kts along the northern edge of the system. This led to the
subsequent downgrading of TS-01W to a tropical depression. However, this
weakening proved to be temporary. A 17/1631 UTC TRMM pass and enhanced
infrared imagery showed increasing deep convection over a well-defined
LLCC, and shortly afterward, at 17/1800 UTC, TD-01W was upgraded back to
tropical storm status. At 18/0000 UTC, TS-01W was located approximately
130 nm east of Guam moving on a northwesterly track with a MSW of 40 kts.
Six hours later, JMA upgraded the system to a minimal tropical storm
and dubbed it Yanyan. At the same time, NMCC began monitoring the
storm in their bulletins (10-min avg MSW of 35 kts).
Tropical Storm Yanyan began its forecast northward heading and slowed
to a speed of 2 kts, much to the relief of residents of the Mariana
Islands who were ravaged by Super Typhoon Pongsona a month earlier.
Radar and a SSM/I pass indicated an exposed system with deep convection
located in the western and poleward quadrants. However, an 18/1534 UTC
TRMM pass and animated satellite imagery depicted redevelopment of deep
convection over the LLCC. Tropical Storm Yanyan reached its peak
intensity of 50 kts at 0000 UTC on 19 January, based on 50-kt winds near
the circulation centre as noted in QuikScat imagery at 18/2223 UTC.
(NMCC and JMA held the peak intensity to 45 kts and 35 kts,
respectively.) At this time Yanyan was located near 14.4N, 148.1E, or
approximately 140 nm east-southeast of Saipan. (JMA's 19/0000 UTC
position was 15.2N, 147.7E.)
Yanyan had recurved sharply onto an east-northeasterly track by late
on the 18th, being influenced by a low to mid-level ridge to the east.
This heading was expected to continue for the rest of Yanyan's career,
although the storm was moving northeastward at around 12 kts late on the
19th and early 20th. Weakening had already begun with an exposed LLCC
(southwest of the sheared-off deep convection) at 20/0000 UTC and the
MSW dropping below 35 kts at 20/1200 UTC. (Note: NMCC issued the last
bulletin on Yanyan at 20/0600 UTC). However, despite deep convection
redeveloping for a time, the system remained in a poorly-organised state
until the final advisory was issued by JTWC at 21/0000 UTC. This warning
located the centre near 18.3N, 156.5E, or 600 nm west of Wake Island.
The decoupled small LLCC drifted toward the east-northeast at a slower
speed of 6 kts, controlled by the lower-level surface flow. JMA
continued issuing advisories until 21/1800 UTC with the final position
relocated to 19.0N, 158.0E.
C. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
There have been no reports of damage or casualties associated with
Tropical Storm Yanyan.
(Report written by Kevin Boyle)
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NORTH INDIAN OCEAN (NIO) - Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea
Activity for January: No tropical cyclones
*************************************************************************
SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN (SWI) - South Indian Ocean West of Longitude 90E
Activity for January: 1 tropical disturbance
2 severe tropical storms
Sources of Information
----------------------
The primary sources of tracking and intensity information for
Southwest Indian Ocean tropical cyclones are the warnings issued by
the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre on La Reunion Island, part of
Meteo France (MFR), and the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre
for the basin. However, tropical cyclones in this region are named
by the sub-regional warning centres on Mauritius and Madagascar with
longitude 55E being the demarcation line between their respective
areas of warning responsibility. The La Reunion centre only advises
these agencies regarding the intensity of tropical systems. References
to sustained winds imply a 10-minute averaging period unless otherwise
stated.
In the companion tropical cyclone tracks file, I occasionally
annotate positions from warnings issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning
Center (JTWC) of the U. S. Air Force and Navy, located at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, when they differ from MFR's coordinates by usually
40-50 nm or more. The JTWC warnings are also the source of the
1-minute average maximum sustained wind values included in the
tracks file. Additionally, information describing details of
satellite imagery and atmospheric circulation features included in
the narratives is often gleaned from the JTWC warnings.
Southwest Indian Ocean Tropical Activity for January
----------------------------------------------------
As was the case with December, two tropical systems were named in the
Southwest Indian Ocean. However, neither reached cyclone (hurricane)
intensity. Severe Tropical Storm Ebula formed early in the month well
south of Diego Garcia and followed an almost straight south trajectory
which took the system into higher latitudes. Late in the month a weak
but tenacious disturbance moved west-southwestward from the Central
Indian Ocean and intensified quickly into Severe Tropical Storm Fari as
it approached southeastern Madagascar.
MFR issued warnings on an additional tropical disturbance concurrently
with Tropical Storm Ebula. This system, designated as Tropical Disturb-
ance 07, developed in the Mozambique Channel, most likely from the
remnants of Tropical Storm Delfina which had moved eastward from the
African mainland back out over the Channel. The center was located
about 300 nm west-southwest of Majunga, Madagascar, at 06/0000 UTC.
During the following days the disturbance drifted generally southward,
being located about 300 nm west of Tulear, Madagascar, at 08/1200 UTC.
Winds near the center of the system were likely never higher than 25 kts,
but stronger winds were forecast for the eastern and southern periphery
of the LOW. MFR dropped warnings after 10/0600 UTC, but resumed them
12 hours later when storm-force winds to 50 kts were reported well south
of the center. The system by then was extratropical and continued to
drift southward for another couple of days as it slowly weakened. JTWC
assigned a fair development potential to the LOW on the 6th and 7th, but
no warnings were issued.
TROPICAL STORM EBULA
(MFR-08 / TC-09S)
7 - 13 January
----------------------------------------
Ebula: submitted by Swaziland
A. Storm Origins
----------------
An area of convection developed and persisted on 6 January roughly
175 nm south-southwest of Diego Garcia. Animated infrared and multi-
spectral imagery indicated a developing LLCC. The system was moving
west-southwestward out of the equatorial trough, and an upper-level
analysis indicated favorable diffluence aloft with weak to moderate
vertical shear. The potential for development was assessed as fair.
MFR issued their first bulletin on Tropical Disturbance 08 at 1200 UTC
on the 7th with maximum winds estimated at 20 kts near the center and
up to 25 kts in the southern semicircle well away from the LLCC. JTWC
upgraded the development potential to good at 1800 UTC--cycling deep
convection had increased and was beginning to wrap into the LLCC in
the southwestern quadrant. The disturbance at this time was located
approximately 250 nm south-southwest of Diego Garcia.
JTWC issued their first warning at 0000 UTC on 8 January, estimating
the MSW (1-min avg) at 35 kts. By 1200 UTC the center of TC-09S was
located about 335 nm south of Diego Garcia, moving south at 15 kts.
MFR upgraded the system to tropical depression status with 30-kt winds
at 1800 UTC. JTWC upped their 1-min avg MSW estimate to 50 kts at
09/0000 UTC, based on CI estimates of 45 and 50 kts. Deep convection
had continued to increase and wrap into the LLCC, and satellite imagery
revealed a well-developed poleward outflow channel. At 09/0600 UTC
the Mauritius Meteorological Service named the system Tropical Storm
Ebula, then located about 550 nm south-southwest of Diego Garcia. MFR
concurrently upped the MSW (10-min avg) to 45 kts.
B. Track and Intensity History
-------------------------------
Throughout its entire history Tropical Storm Ebula followed a very
meridional trajectory, never deviating more than one degree of longi-
tude from 70E except as it was becoming extratropical late in its life.
By 0000 UTC on 10 January Ebula was centered about 600 nm south of Diego
Garcia. JTWC upped the intensity to 65 kts--minimal hurricane intensity
--but MFR's peak MSW for Ebula was 60 kts. The storm reached its peak
intensity (per MFR) at 10/0600 UTC when located approximately 725 nm
south of Diego Garcia. The severe tropical storm maintained a MSW of
60 kts for 18 hours before beginning to slowly weaken. The minimum
central pressure estimated by MFR was 975 mb. By 1200 UTC on the 10th,
CI estimates had reached 65 and 77 kts, but the system was beginning to
experience northwesterly shearing. Ebula was forecast to turn south-
eastward after 24 hours as the mid-level ridge to its south propagated
eastward.
By 0000 UTC on 11 January Tropical Storm Ebula was almost 1000 nm
south of Diego Garcia and moving south-southeastward at 15 kts. MFR and
JTWC lowered their respective intensity estimates to 55 and 60 kts.
Animated water vapor imagery indicated dry air entraining into the system
from the west with shearing apparent in the northern semicircle. By
1200 UTC the intensity was down to 50 kts from both warning centers with
the deep convection sheared to the south of the LLCC. JTWC issued their
final warning at 12/0000 UTC with the MSW (1-min avg) placed at 40 kts,
based on a CI estimate of 45 kts and a recent QuikScat pass. The LLCC
was partially-exposed with all the deep convection in the southern semi-
circle. JTWC forecast Ebula to complete extratropical transition within
12 hours, and MFR declared the system extratropical at 1200 UTC. Winds
had weakened to below gale force by the time the final MFR bulletin was
issued at 1200 UTC on the 13th.
C. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
No damage or casualties are known to have resulted from Severe
Tropical Storm Ebula.
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
TROPICAL STORM FARI
(MFR-09 / TC-11S)
23 January - 1 February
-------------------------------------------
Fari: contributed by Zimbabwe
A. Storm Origins
----------------
An area of convection developed on 20 January, and by 1800 UTC on the
21st was located roughly 600 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia. Animated
multi-spectral satellite imagery and a recent SSM/I pass revealed a
partially-exposed LLCC with associated weak deep convection to the south-
east of the center. An upper-level analysis indicated good outflow
poleward of the system with weak vertical shear over the center,
increasing to moderate in the southeastern quadrant. At 0500 UTC on the
22nd the development potential was upgraded to fair based on persistence
and improved organization. By 1800 UTC the disturbance was located
about 525 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia. A 22/0639 UTC TRMM pass had
depicted a well-defined LLCC north of the deepest convection.
MFR initiated bulletins on the system at 0600 UTC on 23 January,
numbering it as Tropical Disturbance 09. At 1200 UTC JTWC issued a
TCFA for the LOW which was moving west-southwestward at 11 kts. Deep
convection had continued to increase as the LLCC's organization gradually
improved. A 200-mb analysis showed that the system was near the upper-
level ridge axis with weak vertical shear and improving poleward outflow.
Two things happened at 1800 UTC: MFR upgraded the disturbance to a
30-kt tropical depression, and JTWC issued their first warning,
estimating the MSW (1-min avg) at 35 kts based on CI estimates of 30 and
35 kts and a 35-kt ship report. The center of TC-11S was located some
460 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, moving west-southwestward at
11 kts. The fortunes of the fledgling tropical system, however, reversed
quite rapidly. At 0600 UTC on the 24th, MFR downgraded the system back
to tropical disturbance status with 25-kt winds, and JTWC dropped their
1-min avg MSW to 20 kts and wrote the final warning. Animated satellite
imagery and a recent SSM/I pass indicated that the mid-level circulation
and associated deep convection had become decoupled from the LLCC and
moved approximately 5 degrees to the west. The remnant LOW was then
located about 500 nm south of Diego Garcia, and MFR continued to issue
bulletins on the weak system as it tracked west-southwestward across the
Southwest Indian Ocean.
At 25/1800 UTC the LOW was located approximately 765 nm southeast of
the Seychelles. Animated multi-spectral imagery indicated that the
disturbance consisted of an elongated trough with two LLCCs about
3 degrees apart. A 200-mb analysis indicated favorable diffluence aloft
as the system approached a col in the upper-levels. JTWC assessed the
potential for redevelopment as fair. MFR maintained the MSW near the
center at only 20 kts for a couple of days, but bumped this up to 25 kts
at 0600 UTC on 27 January and to 30 kts (tropical depression status) at
1800 UTC. A STWO issued by JTWC at 27/2100 UTC located the disturbance
about 225 nm east of the Madagascar coastline and noted that animated
imagery indicated deep convection continuing to cycle in intensity. A
CDO had formed, and recent SSM/I data depicted the LLCC partially-exposed
to the southeast of the deep convection. Further development was
anticipated as a 200-mb analysis indicated the depression was situated
in a region of weak vertical shear near the ridge axis with favorable
upper-level diffluence.
B. Track and Intensity History
------------------------------
JTWC resumed issuing warnings on TC-11S at 0000 UTC on 28 January with
an initial intensity of 35 kts. The center was located approximately
270 nm east of Antananarivo, Madagascar, moving west-southwestward at
13 kts. Deep convection had consolidated over the LLCC during the
previous 12 hours, and the system was forecast to continue tracking
southwestward toward a weakness in the low and mid-level ridge. At
1200 UTC the Meteorological Services of Madagascar upgraded the system
to tropical storm status and assigned the name Fari. Tropical Storm Fari
was then located about 185 nm east of Antananarivo. JTWC had upped the
MSW (1-min avg) to 40 kts, although animated satellite imagery indicated
some weakening in the convection as the system approached land.
MFR increased the intensity to 40 kts at 1800 UTC, and to the peak of
50 kts at 29/0000 UTC with Fari's center on the coast about 30 nm south
of Mahanoro, moving westward and inland at 10 kts. (JTWC's peak 1-min
avg MSW at 29/0000 UTC was 55 kts--in good agreement with MFR.) The
minimum central pressure estimated by MFR was 984 mb. MFR lowered the
intensity to 25 kts at 0600 UTC, although the warning noted that stronger
winds to 30 kts were occurring over water east of the center. By 1200
UTC Fari's center was located over land approximately 310 km south-
southwest of Antananarivo, moving southwestward at 17 kts. With this
fairly quick forward motion, the center of Fari had reached the south-
west coast of Madagascar by 30/0000 UTC and was moving out into the
Mozambique Channel.
Some slight re-intensification was forecast, but this never
materialized. JTWC issued their final warning at 0000 UTC on 31 January
with the 25-kt LOW located about 100 nm west of the southwestern coast
of Madagascar. The system was moving southward at 11 kts and this
general motion continued. MFR declared the remnants of Fari extra-
tropical at 31/1800 UTC when the system was located about 350 nm south-
southeast of Tulear, Madagascar. The extratropical depression continued
moving southward with the final MFR bulletin placing it almost 700 nm
south of Madagascar at 1200 UTC on 1 February.
C. Damage and Casualties
------------------------
A wetter-than-normal summer season had contributed to significant
flooding over many sections of Madagascar, including in and around the
capital of Antananarivo. Tropical Storm Fari only served to aggravate
the situation. The community of Marolambo was isolated due to land-
slides on the main national road, while the communes of Masomeloka,
Nosy Varika and Mananjary suffered serious damage to their infra-
structures (from 12 to 35%). Fari left over 3400 persons homeless
with major outbreaks of conjunctivitis and diarrhea reported. The
storm flooded 70% of the rice fields in the area where it made land-
fall and damaged 99% of banana and other fruit trees.
More information can be found at the following website:
<http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/vLND>
(Report written by Gary Padgett)
*************************************************************************
NORTHWEST AUSTRALIA/SOUTHEAST INDIAN OCEAN (AUW) - From 90E to 135E
Activity for January: 1 tropical LOW **
** - system formed east of 135E and moved westward into Perth's AOR
NOTE!!! The Northwest Australia/Southeast Indian Ocean region will be
covered in Part 2 of the January summary.
*************************************************************************
NORTHEAST AUSTRALIA/CORAL SEA (AUE) - From 135E to 160E
Activity for January: 1 tropical LOW (monsoon depression) **
** - system upgraded to tropical cyclone status in post-analysis
NOTE!!! The Northeast Australia/Coral Sea region will be covered in
Part 2 of the January summary.
*************************************************************************
SOUTH PACIFIC (SPA) - South Pacific Ocean East of Longitude 160E
Activity for January: 1 tropical cyclone of gale intensity
2 tropical cyclones of hurricane intensity
NOTE!!! The South Pacific basin will be covered in Part 2 of the
January summary.
*************************************************************************
EXTRA FEATURE
In order to shorten the amount of typing in preparing the narrative
material, I have been in the habit of freely using abbreviations and
acronyms. I have tried to define most of these with the first usage
in a given summary, but I may have missed one now and then. Most of
these are probably understood by a majority of readers but perhaps a
few aren't clear to some. To remedy this I developed a Glossary of
Abbreviations and Acronyms which I first included in the July, 1998
summary. I don't normally include the Glossary in most months in
order to help keep them from being too long. If anyone would like to
receive a copy of the Glossary, please e-mail me and I'll be happy
to send them a copy.
*************************************************************************
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This summary should be considered a very preliminary
overview of the tropical cyclones that occur in each month. The cyclone
tracks (provided separately) will generally be based upon operational
warnings issued by the various tropical cyclone warning centers. The
information contained therein may differ somewhat from the tracking and
intensity information obtained from a "best-track" file which is based
on a detailed post-seasonal analysis of all available data. Information
on where to find official "best-track" files from the various warning
centers will be passed along from time to time.
The track files are not being sent via e-mail. They can be retrieved
from the archive sites listed below. (Note: I do have a limited e-mail
distribution list for the track files. If anyone wishes to receive
these via e-mail, please send me a message.)
Both the summaries and the track files are standard text files
created in DOS editor. Download to disk and use a viewer such as
Notepad or DOS editor to view the files.
The first summary in this series covered the month of October,
1997. Back issues can be obtained from the following websites
(courtesy of Michael Bath, Michael V. Padua, Michael Pitt, and
Chris Landsea):
<http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/>
<http://www.typhoon2000.ph> OR <http://64.235.42.210>
<http://mpittweather.com>
<ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/pub/landsea/padgett/>
Another website where much information about tropical cyclones may
be found is the website for the UK Meteorological Office. Their site
contains a lot of statistical information about tropical cyclones
globally on a monthly basis. The URL is:
<http://www.met-office.gov.uk/sec2/sec2cyclone/sec2cyclone.html>
TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORTS AVAILABLE
JTWC now has available on its website the complete Annual Tropical
Cyclone Report (ATCR) for 2001 (2000-2001 season for the Southern
Hemisphere). ATCRs for earlier years are available also. Recently
added was the report for the Southern Hemisphere 2001-2002 season.
The URL is: <http://199.10.200.33/jtwc.html>
Also, TPC/NHC has available on its webpage nice "technicolor"
tracking charts for the 2001 Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific
tropical cyclones; also, preliminary storm reports for all the 2001
Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific cyclones are now available, as
well as track charts and reports on storms from earlier years.
The URL is: <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov>
A special thanks to Michael Bath of McLeans Ridges, New South Wales,
Australia, for assisting me with proofreading the summaries.
PREPARED BY
Gary Padgett
E-mail: garyp@alaweb.com
Phone: 334-222-5327
John Wallace (Eastern North Pacific, North Indian Ocean, Western
Gulf of Mexico)
E-mail: dosidicus@aol.com
Kevin Boyle (Eastern Atlantic, Western Northwest Pacific, South
China Sea)
E-mail: newchapelobservatory@btinternet.com
Simon Clarke (Northeast Australia/Coral Sea, South Pacific)
E-mail: saclarke@iprimus.com.au
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