Cyclone_Meli
1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season
Tropical cyclone season
The 1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season ran year-round from July 1 to June 30. Tropical cyclone activity in the Southern Hemisphere reaches its peak from mid-February to early March.
| 1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season | |
|---|---|
Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | December 27, 1978 |
| Last system dissipated | April 17, 1979 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Meli |
| • Maximum winds | 155 km/h (100 mph) (10-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 945 hPa (mbar) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total depressions | 9 |
| Tropical cyclones | 6 official, 2 unofficial |
| Severe tropical cyclones | 2 |
| Total fatalities | Unknown |
| Total damage | Unknown |
| Related articles | |
| South Pacific tropical cyclone seasons 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83 | |
Tropical Cyclone Fay
Severe Tropical Cyclone Gordon
| Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
| Duration | January 3 – January 9 (Exited basin) |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 965 hPa (mbar) |
Gordon developed on January 3 and left the basin on January 9.
Tropical Cyclone Henry
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
| Duration | January 29 – February 5 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar) |
Henry existed from January 29 to February 5.
Tropical Cyclone Kerry
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
| Duration | February 13 – February 15 (Exited basin) |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar) |
Tropical Cyclone Kerry has the distinction of being the longest lived cyclone in the Australian region. It formed on February 13, 1979, and caused severe damage in the Solomon Islands. It then tracked across the Coral Sea making landfall near Mackay, Queensland on March 1 and dissipated on March 6. Its lowest pressure was 955hPa.[1]
Tropical Cyclone Leslie
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
| Duration | February 21 – February 23 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar) |
Leslie existed from February 21 to February 23.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Meli
| Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale) | |
| Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
| Duration | March 24 – March 31 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min); 945 hPa (mbar) |
Cyclone Meli struck eastern Fiji on March 25. The island of Nayau suffered a direct hit and passed close to the islands of Lakeba and Cicia. Fiji suffered tremendous crop losses as a result of the storm.[2][3]
On March 27, 1979, Cyclone Meli brushed Fiji at peak intensity, causing substantial damage to the island. At least 50 people were killed by the storm.[3] Cyclone Meli had previously passed through Tuvalu damaging Funafuti atoll.
Other systems
Two systems were only recognized as tropical cyclones by the JTWC.
- Tropical Cyclone 11P: This storm moved in the circular path, entering the basin on February 3 and returning to the Australian region on February 6.
- Tropical Cyclone 23P: This storm existed from March 30 to April 3.
| Name | Dates | Peak intensity | Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Wind speed | Pressure | ||||||
| Fay | December 27 – 31 | Category 2 tropical cyclone | 100 km/h (65 mph) | 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) | ||||
| Gordon | January 3 – 9 | Category 3 severe tropical cyclone | 130 km/h (80 mph) | 965 hPa (28.50 inHg) | ||||
| Henry | January 29 – February 5 | Category 2 tropical cyclone | 100 km/h (65 mph) | 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) | ||||
| Kerry | February 13 – 15 | Category 2 tropical cyclone | 100 km/h (65 mph) | 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) | ||||
| Leslie | February 21 – 23 | Category 2 tropical cyclone | 100 km/h (65 mph) | 980 hPa (28.94 inHg) | ||||
| Meli | March 24 – 30 | Category 3 severe tropical cyclone | 155 km/h (100 mph) | 945 hPa (27.91 inHg) | ||||
| Season aggregates | ||||||||
| 155 km/h (100 mph) | 945 hPa (27.91 inHg) | |||||||
- Bureau of Meteorology (1992). Climate of Queensland, Commonwealth of Australia ISBN 978-0-644-24331-5
- "Archived copy" (PDF). gns.cri.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - "The British Association for Immediate Care: Cyclone". The British Association for Immediate Care. May 26, 2000. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2009.