2018–19 South Pacific cyclone season
The 2018–19 South Pacific cyclone season was a below-average season that produced 5 tropical cyclones, 2 of which became severe tropical cyclones. The season officially runs from November 1, 2018, to April 30, 2019; however, a tropical cyclone could have formed at any time between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, and would count towards the season total. During the season, tropical cyclones were officially monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and New Zealand's MetService. The United States Armed Forces through the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) also monitored the basin and issued warnings for American interests. RSMC Nadi attaches a number and an F suffix to tropical disturbances that form in or move into the basin, while the JTWC designates significant tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix. The FMS, the BoM and MetService all use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale and estimate wind speeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC estimates sustained winds over a 1-minute period, which are subsequently compared to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS).
2018–19 South Pacific cyclone season | |
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Season summary map | |
Seasonal boundaries | |
First system formed | September 26, 2018 (record earliest) |
Last system dissipated | May 21, 2019 |
Strongest storm | |
Name | Pola |
• Maximum winds | 165 km/h (105 mph) (10-minute sustained) |
• Lowest pressure | 950 hPa (mbar) |
Seasonal statistics | |
Total disturbances | 12 official, 1 unofficial |
Total depressions | 9 official, 1 unofficial |
Tropical cyclones | 5 |
Severe tropical cyclones | 2 |
Total fatalities | None |
Total damage | $50 million (2018 USD) |
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