2007-08 Australian region cyclone season
Encyclopedia
The 2007–08 Australian region cyclone season got off to an early start with the formation on 27 July of the first Tropical Cyclone which was not upgraded operationally to a cyclone but was later upgraded to a Cyclone during post storm analysis. This was the second time that a tropical Cyclone had formed during the month of July. The other one was Cyclone Lindsay in the 1996–1997 season. The next cyclone that formed was Cyclone Guba
which formed on 13 November with TCWC Port Moresby
assigning the name Guba on 14 November which was the first named storm within TCWC Port Moresby
's area of responsibility since Cyclone Epi in June 2003. Guba was also the first cyclone to occur in the Queensland region in the month of November since 1977.
Tropical Cyclone Lee also formed on 13 November and was named by TCWC Perth on 14 November with it moving into RSMC Réunion
's area of responsibility and being renamed Ariel. The next Cyclone to form within the Australian region was Melanie which formed on 27 December and was named on the 28th by TCWC Perth. Melanie was the first storm of the season which required Cyclone watches and warnings were issued for the Pilbara coast however it had weakened into a low pressure area before it made landfall.
Tropical Cyclone Helen was the first Tropical Cyclone to form in 2008 in the Southern Hemisphere which formed in TCWC Darwin's area of responsibility and was the first time that Darwin had experienced a tropical cyclone since Tropical Cyclone Gretel in the 1984–85 season
. Cyclone Nicholas made landfall north of Carnarvon on 20 February as a category one cyclone. Cyclone Ophelia actually formed in TCWC Darwin's area of responsibility but had moved into TCWC Perth's area when it was named. Tropical Cyclone Pancho formed on 23 March south of Christmas Island and was named by TCWC Perth on 25 March and reached Category 4 status with winds of 95 kn (186.2 km/h).
In April 2008 Tropical Cyclones Rosie and Durga were the first ever Tropical Depressions to be monitored within TCWC Jakarta's area of responsibility and Durga was also the first storm to reach Tropical cyclone status and named whilst being monitored by TCWC Jakarta. Durga was also the last storm of the season which officially ended on 30 April.
During Post storm analysis The Bureau of Meteorology upgraded the Tropical low to a tropical cyclone in its post-storm analysis, with maximum 10-min sustained winds of 75 km/h (45 mph) based on QuikSCAT
observations. The cyclone's intensity was estimated to have reached cyclone intensity from 29 July to 30 July.
The cyclone is the second on record to exist in the Western Australian region in July, the other being Cyclone Lindsay in 1996.
began issuing warnings on a developing tropical low which was located within the area of responsibility of TCWC Jakarta
. On 14 November, TCWC Perth upgraded the Tropical Low to Tropical Cyclone Lee, while the cyclone was still in TCWC Jakarta's area of responsibility. Later that day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
(JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
on Tropical Cyclone Lee, and then designated the storm as Tropical Cyclone 03S shortly after. The TCWC in Perth upgraded Lee to a Category 2 on 15 November. Later that day, TCWC Perth issued its final advisory on Lee as it crossed west of 90°E
, and the system was renamed Severe Tropical Storm Ariel by the Sub-Regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centre in Mauritius
; see 2007–08 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season.
began issuing warnings on a developing tropical low which was located near the southern Papua New Guinea
mainland on 13 November 2007, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
(JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
on the storm. Later that day, the JTWC issued its first advisory, designating the low as Tropical Cyclone 02P. TCWC Brisbane initiated tropical cyclone advices on the tropical low early on 14 November. Shortly after, TCWC Brisbane upgraded the system to Tropical Cyclone Guba, which was a name assigned by the TCWC in Port Moresby
. Guba drifted erratically off the Queensland
coast for the next two days, and intensified on 16 November, becoming a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone. Guba was a small, but intense system, forming a well-defined eye
. Guba began weakening on 17 November as it started to accelerate to the west towards the Queensland coast. However, it later turned northwards, avoiding the Australian mainland, then north-east while it continued to weaken. TCWC Brisbane downgraded Guba below tropical cyclone strength, and issued its last advisory early on 20 November.
Flooding in Papua New Guinea led to at least 150 deaths. In the Oro Province
, about 2,000 people were evacuated as a result of the flooding. Roads, bridges and 40 houses were washed away, as tide
s in the area reached two metres high. The provincial capital, Popondetta
, had its water supply shut down, and Papua New Guinea's national airline, Air Niugini
, suspended flights to Popondetta's main airport. The Rabaraba district in Milne Bay Province
was also hit by flooding, with 30 houses and food gardens washed away, and forcing the evacuation of about 100 people. The government in Papua New Guinea reported that an estimated 145,000 people were affected from the flooding in Oro Province. Six days of torrential rain led to a damage total of 200 million kina
($71.4 million USD
). Guba was the first tropical cyclone to be assigned a name from Port Moresby's name lists since Tropical Cyclone Epi in 2003. It is the first cyclone to occur in the Queensland region in the month of November since 1977.
was named Moderate Tropical Storm Dama, monitored by Météo France. The system then moved south-east, entering the area of responsibility of Perth
's Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, east of 90°E
. The storm however, was not at Tropical Cyclone strength when it crossed the area, but was still a tropical depression, in which the Perth TCWC began issuing shipping warnings.
identified a Tropical Low near 11.2°S and 117.2°E, and began issuing shipping warnings for the developing system. Early on 28 December, the TCWC in Perth upgraded the tropical low to a tropical cyclone and named it Melanie. The cyclone moved southwards, then turned to the south-west on 29 December and strengthened to a Category 2 (Australian scale). Cyclone watches and warnings were issued for the Pilbara coast. On 30 December Melanie began to weaken and become less organised. Melanie continued to weaken and the system was downgraded to Category 1 status on 31 December. Continued weakening took place thereafter and it weakened below cyclone status early on 2 January, when the final advisory was issued.
. On 3 January at 11 am ACST
(0130 UTC
) the TCWC in Darwin
, Australia, located near the edge of their Area of Responsibility, with TCWC Perth
, declared a Tropical Cyclone Warning for the coastal areas from Mitchell Plateau in Western Australia
to the Daly River Mouth in Northern Territory
with a Tropical Cyclone Watch declared for coastal areas from the Daly River Mouth to Goulburn Island which also included Darwin. Later that day a TCFA was issued by the JTWC who then upgraded the low to a Tropical Cyclone
designating the cyclone 10S later that day. On 4 January at 8 am ACST (2230 UTC), TCWC Darwin upgraded the Tropical Cyclone Warning to included Darwin, by 11am ACST (0103 UTC) the TCWC Darwin upgraded the Tropical low to Tropical Cyclone Helen which was located 380 km to the west/south west of Darwin moving towards the north East. During the afternoon of 4 January Tropical Cyclone Helen was steadily moving towards the east to the Daly River Mouth region, Approximately 7pm ACST (0930 UTC) TCWC Darwin upgraded the intensity to 50 knots (Category 2), making landfall at Channel Point approximately 130 km southwest of Darwin at 10pm ACST (1230 UTC), started to weaken due to interaction with land with it weakening in to a tropical low on 5 January as it had become less organised. on 6 January the JTWC issued its final warning on Tropical Cyclone Helen, and then later that day TCWC Darwin followed suit and issued its final advisory on Tropical Low Ex-Helen as it approached TCWC Brisbane
's Area of Responsibility.
The strongest wind gust recorded was at Charles Point Lighthouse with 120 kilometres an hour recorded during the Tropical Cyclone with Darwin Airport recording 102 kilometres an hour around 2 am ACST making it the first time since April 1985 for Darwin to experience Category 1 or more since Tropical Cyclone Gretel past Darwin on 12 April 1985. Damages from the storm amounted to an estimated A$
21.5 million ($15 million USD
).
identified a Tropical Low north north-west of the Cocos Islands, and began issuing shipping warnings. The low then moved south-west for the next few days, where it proceeded to enter an area of high vertical wind shear
, and began to rapidly weaken. The TCWC issued its final shipping warning on 2 January.
identified a Tropical Low South west of Christmas Island, and began issuing shipping warnings. Initially it was thought that it was going to intensify into a tropical Cyclone but later on 4 February, The cyclone began to weaken with the final gale warnings being issued by TCWC Perth later that day. Over the next few days the system drifted eastwards and then on 6 February began showing signs of intensification. The Following day, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
(JTWC) issued its first advisory, designating the low as Tropical Cyclone 17S. Later that day TCWC Perth reinstated Gale warnings on the tropical low. On 10 February The TCWC Perth and the JTWC issued their final advisories on the system.
identified a Tropical Low near 16.0°S
and 124.7°E, and began issuing tropical cyclone advices on the system. On 12 February, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing system. Later in the day, the JTWC issued its first advisory, designating it as Tropical Cyclone 19S. Early on 13 February, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth upgraded the tropical low to a tropical cyclone and named it "Nicholas". On 16 February, Nicholas was upgraded to a Severe Tropical Cyclone, but it was downgraded back to a tropical cyclone on 18 February. Nicholas squirmed around Western Australia before finally making landfall north of Carnarvon
on 20 February. Once inland, TCWC Perth discontinued advisories. The cyclone caused gales over the North West cape in Western Australia, and the town of Exmouth was on high alert.
identified a Tropical Low near the Northern Territory, and began issuing tropical cyclone advices on the system. On 29 February, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing system. On 1 March, the JTWC issued their first warning on Tropical Cyclone 21S. The low moved into TCWC Perth
's area of responsibility during the day. The low strengthened as it moved off the Kimberley coast, and was upgraded to Tropical Cyclone Ophelia by TCWC Perth. Ophelia intensified to a Category 2 cyclone on the Australian scale early on 2 March. The JTWC briefly upgraded Ophelia to a Category 1 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
later that day, but was downgraded to a tropical storm on the next advisory. Ophelia continued on a general south-westerly track parallel to the coast, and eventually weakened out to sea as TCWC Perth discontinued advisories.
and started issuing Gale Warnings on the low Later that day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
(JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on this tropical low which was located north-east of Australia. The next day, the JTWC issued its first advisory on the Tropical Low designating it as Tropical Cyclone 20P. Later that day, the JTWC issued its final advisory on the system noting the storm was becoming extratropical. However TCWC Brisbane continued to issue warnings on this Tropical Low as it approached the edge of Brisbane's Area off responsibility. On 1 March TCWC Brisbane issued its final Gale warning for the northern region as the Low moved into TCWC Wellingtons Area of responsibility.
The Next day Pancho became a severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, with Pancho rapidly intensified in to a minimal Category four cyclone on the Australian scale on 27 March. However during the 28th, Tropical Cyclone Pancho entered an area of increasing vertical wind shear and cooler sea surface temperature
s and within a few hours it was downgraded back to a Category 2 cyclone on the Australian scale. The cyclone then weakened back to a tropical low about 300 kilometres south-west of the Western Australian Gascoyne coast with gale-force winds remaining south of the low. with both TCWC Perth and the JTWC issuing their final warnings on Pancho that day.
The remnants of Poncho produced much needed rains over the drought stricken areas of Western Australia. Mandurah, Garden Island, and Rottnest recorded the highest rainfall totals during the event at 56.4 mm (2.22 in), 49.8 mm (1.96 in) and 49.4 mm (1.94 in) respectively. The heavy rains caused some flooding along several roads, forcing officials to temporarily shut them down. Large swells from the storm also washed rocks onto the roads near Exmouth.
Indonesia
, On 18 April. The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in Jakarta
then designated it as a Tropical Depression early on 20 April. The next day as the Tropical Depression moved southwards the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation alert on the developing system, and then later that day upgraded the tropical depression to Tropical Cyclone 28S.
On 22 April the Tropical Depression then moved into TCWC Perth's Area of responsibility and was upgraded to Tropical Cyclone Rosie. On 23 April Rosie encountered high vertical wind shear and began weakening, being downgraded in the early hours of the next day to a tropical low. The JTWC issued their last warning on the cyclone on 24 April as well.
on the developing system. However, RSMC La Reunion did not monitor the storm. The disturbance then moved out of Météo France's AOR, and into TCWC Jakarta's AOR, who then designated it as a Tropical Depression on 22 April. Later that day The JTWC initiated warnings on the Tropical Depression designating it as Tropical Cyclone 29S. Early the next day TCWC Jakarta Assigned the name Durga to the cyclone. The cyclone then weakened as it moved into TCWC Perth's area of responsibility, between Cocos and Christmas Islands. TCWC Perth then issued their final warnings on Ex Tropical Cyclone Druga as it was downgraded to a tropical low on 25 April.
, Darwin
, and Brisbane; TCWC Jakarta
in Indonesia
; and TCWC Port Moresby
in Papua New Guinea
. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center
also issues unofficial warnings for the region, designating tropical depressions with the "S" suffix when they form west of 135°E
, and the "P" suffix when they form east of 135°E
.
and 10°S
and between 90°E
and 125°E
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Jakarta
, Indonesia
.
, south of 10°S
, and west of 125°E
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth, Western Australia
. 01S was monitored as a Tropical Low operationally but during post Storm Analysis was upgraded to tropical cyclone status by TCWC Perth.
and 141°E
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Darwin, Northern Territory
.
between 141°E
and 160°E
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Brisbane, Queensland.
No tropical cyclones formed in this area in this season.
between 141°E
and 160°E
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Port Moresby
, Papua New Guinea
. Tropical cyclone formation in this area is rare, and prior to this season, no cyclones had developed in it since 2003.
in July 2008, it was decided that the name Guba was retired from the TCWC Port Moresbys Naming lists this season as TCWC Port Moresby uses names only once and then they are retired. The name Malia was promoted from the standby list to replace the name Guba. The name Auram was added to the standby list in place of Malia.
It was also decided that the 3 Australian Bureau of Meteorology naming lists would be merged into one main one list to be used within the whole of the Bureau of Meteorology's area of responsibility from the start of the 2008–09 tropical cyclone year. As a consequence all of the names being used in the 3 name lists were removed from the current list.
Cyclone Guba
Cyclone Guba was a tropical cyclone that resulted in 149 fatalities and severe damage across southeastern Papua New Guinea...
which formed on 13 November with TCWC Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
assigning the name Guba on 14 November which was the first named storm within TCWC Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
's area of responsibility since Cyclone Epi in June 2003. Guba was also the first cyclone to occur in the Queensland region in the month of November since 1977.
Tropical Cyclone Lee also formed on 13 November and was named by TCWC Perth on 14 November with it moving into RSMC Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
's area of responsibility and being renamed Ariel. The next Cyclone to form within the Australian region was Melanie which formed on 27 December and was named on the 28th by TCWC Perth. Melanie was the first storm of the season which required Cyclone watches and warnings were issued for the Pilbara coast however it had weakened into a low pressure area before it made landfall.
Tropical Cyclone Helen was the first Tropical Cyclone to form in 2008 in the Southern Hemisphere which formed in TCWC Darwin's area of responsibility and was the first time that Darwin had experienced a tropical cyclone since Tropical Cyclone Gretel in the 1984–85 season
1980-1985 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons
The 1980-1985 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons ran year-round from July 1 to June 30 during each year between 1980 and 1985. Tropical cyclone activity in the Southern Hemisphere reaches its peak from mid-February to early March....
. Cyclone Nicholas made landfall north of Carnarvon on 20 February as a category one cyclone. Cyclone Ophelia actually formed in TCWC Darwin's area of responsibility but had moved into TCWC Perth's area when it was named. Tropical Cyclone Pancho formed on 23 March south of Christmas Island and was named by TCWC Perth on 25 March and reached Category 4 status with winds of 95 kn (186.2 km/h).
In April 2008 Tropical Cyclones Rosie and Durga were the first ever Tropical Depressions to be monitored within TCWC Jakarta's area of responsibility and Durga was also the first storm to reach Tropical cyclone status and named whilst being monitored by TCWC Jakarta. Durga was also the last storm of the season which officially ended on 30 April.
Tropical Cyclone 01U
On 29 July an area of low pressure close to the edge off RSMC La Reunions Area of responsibility, was designated as Tropical Disturbance 01R, by the RSMC in La reunion. However this number was withdrawn in RSMC La reunions post storm Analysis. The JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on the developing system on 29 July and initiated warnings on the tropical cyclone late that day designating it as Tropical cyclone 01S. However by this time the cyclone had crossed 90E and had crossed into TCWC Perth's Area of Responsibility, who designated it as a Tropical Low and issued shipping warnings on the Tropical Low. Early on 30 July The Cyclone began to dissipate so the JTWC issued their final advisory that day. and the Bureau of Meteorology issued its last warning the next day.During Post storm analysis The Bureau of Meteorology upgraded the Tropical low to a tropical cyclone in its post-storm analysis, with maximum 10-min sustained winds of 75 km/h (45 mph) based on QuikSCAT
QuikSCAT
The QuikSCAT is an earth-observing satellite that provided estimates of wind speed and direction over the oceans to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and others. This "quick recovery" mission intended to replace the NASA Scatterometer , which failed in June 1997...
observations. The cyclone's intensity was estimated to have reached cyclone intensity from 29 July to 30 July.
The cyclone is the second on record to exist in the Western Australian region in July, the other being Cyclone Lindsay in 1996.
Tropical Cyclone Lee-Ariel
On 13 November, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
began issuing warnings on a developing tropical low which was located within the area of responsibility of TCWC Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
. On 14 November, TCWC Perth upgraded the Tropical Low to Tropical Cyclone Lee, while the cyclone was still in TCWC Jakarta's area of responsibility. Later that day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone forming from a tropical disturbance that has been...
on Tropical Cyclone Lee, and then designated the storm as Tropical Cyclone 03S shortly after. The TCWC in Perth upgraded Lee to a Category 2 on 15 November. Later that day, TCWC Perth issued its final advisory on Lee as it crossed west of 90°E
90th meridian east
The meridian 90° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.The Ninety East Ridge is named after the meridian....
, and the system was renamed Severe Tropical Storm Ariel by the Sub-Regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centre in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
; see 2007–08 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Guba
The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
began issuing warnings on a developing tropical low which was located near the southern Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
mainland on 13 November 2007, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone forming from a tropical disturbance that has been...
on the storm. Later that day, the JTWC issued its first advisory, designating the low as Tropical Cyclone 02P. TCWC Brisbane initiated tropical cyclone advices on the tropical low early on 14 November. Shortly after, TCWC Brisbane upgraded the system to Tropical Cyclone Guba, which was a name assigned by the TCWC in Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
. Guba drifted erratically off the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
coast for the next two days, and intensified on 16 November, becoming a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone. Guba was a small, but intense system, forming a well-defined eye
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
. Guba began weakening on 17 November as it started to accelerate to the west towards the Queensland coast. However, it later turned northwards, avoiding the Australian mainland, then north-east while it continued to weaken. TCWC Brisbane downgraded Guba below tropical cyclone strength, and issued its last advisory early on 20 November.
Flooding in Papua New Guinea led to at least 150 deaths. In the Oro Province
Oro Province
Oro Province, formerly Northern Province, is a coastal province of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital is Popondetta. The province covers 22,800 km², and has 133,065 inhabitants ....
, about 2,000 people were evacuated as a result of the flooding. Roads, bridges and 40 houses were washed away, as tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
s in the area reached two metres high. The provincial capital, Popondetta
Popondetta
Popondetta is the capital of Oro Province in Papua New Guinea.In 1951 the town became the focus of relief efforts after nearby Mount Lamington erupted and killed 4,000 people....
, had its water supply shut down, and Papua New Guinea's national airline, Air Niugini
Air Niugini
Air Niugini Limited is the national airline of Papua New Guinea, based in Air Niugini House on the property of Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby. It operates a domestic network from Port Moresby and Lae, as well as international services in Asia, Oceania, and Australia. Its main base is...
, suspended flights to Popondetta's main airport. The Rabaraba district in Milne Bay Province
Milne Bay Province
Milne Bay is a province of Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Alotau. The province covers 14,000 km² of land and 252,990 km² of sea, within the province there are more than 600 islands, about 160 of which are inhabited...
was also hit by flooding, with 30 houses and food gardens washed away, and forcing the evacuation of about 100 people. The government in Papua New Guinea reported that an estimated 145,000 people were affected from the flooding in Oro Province. Six days of torrential rain led to a damage total of 200 million kina
Kina
Kina can refer to:* Kina * Kina * Kina, Name of People's Republic of China in Bosnian, Croatian, Danish, Montenegrin, Norwegian, Serbian and Swedish language...
($71.4 million USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
). Guba was the first tropical cyclone to be assigned a name from Port Moresby's name lists since Tropical Cyclone Epi in 2003. It is the first cyclone to occur in the Queensland region in the month of November since 1977.
Tropical Low 04U
On 18 December, a Tropical Depression in the south-west Indian OceanIndian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
was named Moderate Tropical Storm Dama, monitored by Météo France. The system then moved south-east, entering the area of responsibility of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
's Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, east of 90°E
90th meridian east
The meridian 90° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.The Ninety East Ridge is named after the meridian....
. The storm however, was not at Tropical Cyclone strength when it crossed the area, but was still a tropical depression, in which the Perth TCWC began issuing shipping warnings.
Tropical Cyclone Melanie
On 27 December, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
identified a Tropical Low near 11.2°S and 117.2°E, and began issuing shipping warnings for the developing system. Early on 28 December, the TCWC in Perth upgraded the tropical low to a tropical cyclone and named it Melanie. The cyclone moved southwards, then turned to the south-west on 29 December and strengthened to a Category 2 (Australian scale). Cyclone watches and warnings were issued for the Pilbara coast. On 30 December Melanie began to weaken and become less organised. Melanie continued to weaken and the system was downgraded to Category 1 status on 31 December. Continued weakening took place thereafter and it weakened below cyclone status early on 2 January, when the final advisory was issued.
Tropical Cyclone Helen
In late December a tropical low formed over the Top End which was slow moving in the eastern Top End on 29 December, which began moving west during 1 January at the base of the Top End. By the evening of 2 January the Tropical low moved into the Joseph Bonaparte GulfJoseph Bonaparte Gulf
Joseph Bonaparte Gulf is a large body of water off the coast of the Northern Territory, Australia and Western Australia. It was named after Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon and King of Naples and then Spain by French explorer and naturalist Nicholas Baudin in 1803...
. On 3 January at 11 am ACST
Time in Australia
Australia uses Standard time, i.e: the same well defined time for a region. The proper names of Australia's time zones are Australian Western Standard Time , Australian Central Standard Time , and Australian Eastern Standard Time...
(0130 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
) the TCWC in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, Australia, located near the edge of their Area of Responsibility, with TCWC Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, declared a Tropical Cyclone Warning for the coastal areas from Mitchell Plateau in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
to the Daly River Mouth in Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
with a Tropical Cyclone Watch declared for coastal areas from the Daly River Mouth to Goulburn Island which also included Darwin. Later that day a TCFA was issued by the JTWC who then upgraded the low to a Tropical Cyclone
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
designating the cyclone 10S later that day. On 4 January at 8 am ACST (2230 UTC), TCWC Darwin upgraded the Tropical Cyclone Warning to included Darwin, by 11am ACST (0103 UTC) the TCWC Darwin upgraded the Tropical low to Tropical Cyclone Helen which was located 380 km to the west/south west of Darwin moving towards the north East. During the afternoon of 4 January Tropical Cyclone Helen was steadily moving towards the east to the Daly River Mouth region, Approximately 7pm ACST (0930 UTC) TCWC Darwin upgraded the intensity to 50 knots (Category 2), making landfall at Channel Point approximately 130 km southwest of Darwin at 10pm ACST (1230 UTC), started to weaken due to interaction with land with it weakening in to a tropical low on 5 January as it had become less organised. on 6 January the JTWC issued its final warning on Tropical Cyclone Helen, and then later that day TCWC Darwin followed suit and issued its final advisory on Tropical Low Ex-Helen as it approached TCWC Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
's Area of Responsibility.
The strongest wind gust recorded was at Charles Point Lighthouse with 120 kilometres an hour recorded during the Tropical Cyclone with Darwin Airport recording 102 kilometres an hour around 2 am ACST making it the first time since April 1985 for Darwin to experience Category 1 or more since Tropical Cyclone Gretel past Darwin on 12 April 1985. Damages from the storm amounted to an estimated A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
21.5 million ($15 million USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
).
Tropical Low 07U
On 31 December, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
identified a Tropical Low north north-west of the Cocos Islands, and began issuing shipping warnings. The low then moved south-west for the next few days, where it proceeded to enter an area of high vertical wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
, and began to rapidly weaken. The TCWC issued its final shipping warning on 2 January.
Tropical Low (17S)
On 4 February, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
identified a Tropical Low South west of Christmas Island, and began issuing shipping warnings. Initially it was thought that it was going to intensify into a tropical Cyclone but later on 4 February, The cyclone began to weaken with the final gale warnings being issued by TCWC Perth later that day. Over the next few days the system drifted eastwards and then on 6 February began showing signs of intensification. The Following day, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) issued its first advisory, designating the low as Tropical Cyclone 17S. Later that day TCWC Perth reinstated Gale warnings on the tropical low. On 10 February The TCWC Perth and the JTWC issued their final advisories on the system.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Nicholas
On 10 February, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
identified a Tropical Low near 16.0°S
16th parallel south
The 16th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 16 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
and 124.7°E, and began issuing tropical cyclone advices on the system. On 12 February, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing system. Later in the day, the JTWC issued its first advisory, designating it as Tropical Cyclone 19S. Early on 13 February, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth upgraded the tropical low to a tropical cyclone and named it "Nicholas". On 16 February, Nicholas was upgraded to a Severe Tropical Cyclone, but it was downgraded back to a tropical cyclone on 18 February. Nicholas squirmed around Western Australia before finally making landfall north of Carnarvon
Carnarvon, Western Australia
Carnarvon is a coastal town situated approximately 900 kilometres north of Perth, Western Australia. It lies at the mouth of the Gascoyne River on the Indian Ocean. The popular Shark Bay world heritage area lies to the south of the town and the Ningaloo Reef lies to the north...
on 20 February. Once inland, TCWC Perth discontinued advisories. The cyclone caused gales over the North West cape in Western Australia, and the town of Exmouth was on high alert.
Tropical Cyclone Ophelia
On 27 February 2008 the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in DarwinDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
identified a Tropical Low near the Northern Territory, and began issuing tropical cyclone advices on the system. On 29 February, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the developing system. On 1 March, the JTWC issued their first warning on Tropical Cyclone 21S. The low moved into TCWC Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
's area of responsibility during the day. The low strengthened as it moved off the Kimberley coast, and was upgraded to Tropical Cyclone Ophelia by TCWC Perth. Ophelia intensified to a Category 2 cyclone on the Australian scale early on 2 March. The JTWC briefly upgraded Ophelia to a Category 1 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
later that day, but was downgraded to a tropical storm on the next advisory. Ophelia continued on a general south-westerly track parallel to the coast, and eventually weakened out to sea as TCWC Perth discontinued advisories.
Tropical Low (20P)
Early on 28 February, Tropical Cyclone Warning Center Brisbane identified a Tropical low which was located about 100 nmi (185.2 km) north-east of Townsville, QueenslandTownsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
and started issuing Gale Warnings on the low Later that day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on this tropical low which was located north-east of Australia. The next day, the JTWC issued its first advisory on the Tropical Low designating it as Tropical Cyclone 20P. Later that day, the JTWC issued its final advisory on the system noting the storm was becoming extratropical. However TCWC Brisbane continued to issue warnings on this Tropical Low as it approached the edge of Brisbane's Area off responsibility. On 1 March TCWC Brisbane issued its final Gale warning for the northern region as the Low moved into TCWC Wellingtons Area of responsibility.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Pancho
On 23 March a Tropical low formed south-west of Christmas Island. The next day TCWC Perth, began issuing shipping warnings on the Tropical low. Later that day the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert, on the tropical low. They then started issuing warnings that day designating it as Tropical Cyclone 26S. The low then intensified in to a Tropical Cyclone and was named Pancho by TCWC Perth early on 25 March.The Next day Pancho became a severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, with Pancho rapidly intensified in to a minimal Category four cyclone on the Australian scale on 27 March. However during the 28th, Tropical Cyclone Pancho entered an area of increasing vertical wind shear and cooler sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature is the water temperature close to the oceans surface. The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a...
s and within a few hours it was downgraded back to a Category 2 cyclone on the Australian scale. The cyclone then weakened back to a tropical low about 300 kilometres south-west of the Western Australian Gascoyne coast with gale-force winds remaining south of the low. with both TCWC Perth and the JTWC issuing their final warnings on Pancho that day.
The remnants of Poncho produced much needed rains over the drought stricken areas of Western Australia. Mandurah, Garden Island, and Rottnest recorded the highest rainfall totals during the event at 56.4 mm (2.22 in), 49.8 mm (1.96 in) and 49.4 mm (1.94 in) respectively. The heavy rains caused some flooding along several roads, forcing officials to temporarily shut them down. Large swells from the storm also washed rocks onto the roads near Exmouth.
Tropical Cyclone Rosie
A tropical low formed south-west of SumatraSumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, On 18 April. The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
then designated it as a Tropical Depression early on 20 April. The next day as the Tropical Depression moved southwards the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation alert on the developing system, and then later that day upgraded the tropical depression to Tropical Cyclone 28S.
On 22 April the Tropical Depression then moved into TCWC Perth's Area of responsibility and was upgraded to Tropical Cyclone Rosie. On 23 April Rosie encountered high vertical wind shear and began weakening, being downgraded in the early hours of the next day to a tropical low. The JTWC issued their last warning on the cyclone on 24 April as well.
Tropical Cyclone Durga
On 21 April The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) identified a Tropical Disturbance which was located just inside Météo France's Area Of Responsibility (AOR) and issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation AlertTropical Cyclone Formation Alert
A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone forming from a tropical disturbance that has been...
on the developing system. However, RSMC La Reunion did not monitor the storm. The disturbance then moved out of Météo France's AOR, and into TCWC Jakarta's AOR, who then designated it as a Tropical Depression on 22 April. Later that day The JTWC initiated warnings on the Tropical Depression designating it as Tropical Cyclone 29S. Early the next day TCWC Jakarta Assigned the name Durga to the cyclone. The cyclone then weakened as it moved into TCWC Perth's area of responsibility, between Cocos and Christmas Islands. TCWC Perth then issued their final warnings on Ex Tropical Cyclone Druga as it was downgraded to a tropical low on 25 April.
Storm names
Tropical cyclones in this area were monitored by five Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs): the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, and Brisbane; TCWC Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
; and TCWC Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
also issues unofficial warnings for the region, designating tropical depressions with the "S" suffix when they form west of 135°E
135th meridian east
The meridian 135° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Australasia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
, and the "P" suffix when they form east of 135°E
135th meridian east
The meridian 135° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Australasia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
.
Indonesia
Tropical cyclones that developed between the EquatorEquator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
and 10°S
10th parallel south
The 10th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 10 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
and between 90°E
90th meridian east
The meridian 90° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.The Ninety East Ridge is named after the meridian....
and 125°E
125th meridian east
The meridian 125° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, Australia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
| Durga |
Southeast Indian Ocean
Tropical cyclones that developed east of 90°E90th meridian east
The meridian 90° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.The Ninety East Ridge is named after the meridian....
, south of 10°S
10th parallel south
The 10th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 10 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
, and west of 125°E
125th meridian east
The meridian 125° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, Australia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. 01S was monitored as a Tropical Low operationally but during post Storm Analysis was upgraded to tropical cyclone status by TCWC Perth.
| 01S | Lee | Melanie | Nicholas | Ophelia | Pancho | Rosie |
Arafura Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria
Tropical cyclones that developed south of the Equator between 125°E125th meridian east
The meridian 125° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, Australia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
and 141°E
141st meridian east
The 141st meridian east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Australasia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
.
| Helen |
Coral Sea
Tropical cyclones that developed south of 10°S10th parallel south
The 10th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 10 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
between 141°E
141st meridian east
The 141st meridian east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Australasia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
and 160°E
160th meridian east
The meridian 160° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Brisbane, Queensland.
No tropical cyclones formed in this area in this season.
Solomon Sea and Gulf of Papua
Tropical cyclones that develop north of 10°S10th parallel south
The 10th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 10 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
between 141°E
141st meridian east
The 141st meridian east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Australasia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
and 160°E
160th meridian east
The meridian 160° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
were assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. Tropical cyclone formation in this area is rare, and prior to this season, no cyclones had developed in it since 2003.
| Guba |
Retired Names
At the 12th meeting of the RA V Tropical Cyclone Committee in NiueNiue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
in July 2008, it was decided that the name Guba was retired from the TCWC Port Moresbys Naming lists this season as TCWC Port Moresby uses names only once and then they are retired. The name Malia was promoted from the standby list to replace the name Guba. The name Auram was added to the standby list in place of Malia.
It was also decided that the 3 Australian Bureau of Meteorology naming lists would be merged into one main one list to be used within the whole of the Bureau of Meteorology's area of responsibility from the start of the 2008–09 tropical cyclone year. As a consequence all of the names being used in the 3 name lists were removed from the current list.
See also
- List of Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 20072007 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 tropical storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the...
, 20082008 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2008 Atlantic hurricane season was a very active hurricane season with sixteen named storms formed, including eight that became hurricanes and five that became major hurricanes. The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of... - Pacific hurricane seasons: 20072007 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 2007 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It officially started on May 15, 2007 in the eastern Pacific, designated as the area east of 140°W, and on June 1, 2007 in the central Pacific, which is between the International Date Line and 140°W,...
, 20082008 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 2008 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It officially started May 15, 2008 in the eastern Pacific, started on June 1, 2008 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 2008.... - Pacific typhoon seasons: 20072007 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2007 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season which featured 24 named storms and 14 typhoons, compared to the average of 27 and 17 respectively. had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2007, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and...
, 20082008 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2008 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it runs year-round in 2008, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November... - North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2007, 20082008 North Indian Ocean cyclone seasonThe 2008 North Indian cyclone season was an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The North Indian cyclone season has no official bounds, but cyclones tend to form between April and December, with peaks in May and November...