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Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary January 2002
[Summaries and Track Data] [Prepared by Gary Padgett]

                  MONTHLY GLOBAL TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY
                      
                              JANUARY, 2002
                                

  (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.)

  ***********************************************************************

                            JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS
                      
  --> First Australian tropical cyclone of season forms
  --> First tropical storm of year in Northwest Pacific forms
  --> Intense tropical cyclone brushes Mauritius and Reunion Island
  --> Tropical storm damages Madagascar

  ***********************************************************************

               ***** 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 are 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 2001 was Vamei in late December while three tropical
  cyclones have already been named in 2002.  The next storm to develop
  will be named Noguri--the South Korean name for an animal (raccoon
  dog).

     The next 36 names on the list are (** indicates name has already
  been assigned in 2002):

       Tapah **          Kalmaegi          Mekkhala          Linfa
       Mitag **          Fung-wong         Higos             Nangka
       Hagibis **        Kammuri           Bavi              Soudelor
       Noguri            Phanfone          Maysak            Imbudo
       Rammasun          Vongfong          Haishen           Koni
       Chataan           Rusa              Pongsona          Morakot
       Halong            Sinlaku           Yanyan            Etau
       Nakri             Hagupit           Kujira            Vamco
       Fengshen          Changmi           Chan-hom          Krovanh


     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 2002 will be re-used
  in 2006.   In case more than 25 systems are named in one season, an
  auxiliary set will be used.   PAGASA names for 2002 are (** indicates 
  name has already been assigned in 2002):

           Agaton **           Juan                Rapido
           Basyang **          Kaka                Sibasib
           Caloy **            Lagalag             Tagbanwa
           Dagul **            Milenyo             Usman
           Espada              Neneng              Venus
           Florita             Ompong              Wisik
           Gloria              Paeng               Yayang
           Hambalos            Quadro              Zeny
           Inday


     In the unlikely event that the list is exhausted, the following
  names would be allocated as needed:  Agila, Bagwis, Ciriaco, Diego,
  Elena, Forte, Gunding, Hunyango, Itoy, and Jessa.


        **** Index to Feature of the Month Articles for 2001 ****

  Jan - TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES for the NORTHWEST PACIFIC BASIN
        (also Index to Feature of the Month Articles for 2000)

  Feb - An Eyewitness Account of a Very Intense Cyclone

  Mar - Western Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Names for 2001
        (also Charts of Monthly Net Tropical Cyclone Activity (NTC))

  Apr - REVIEW OF GLOBAL TROPICAL CYCLONE TERMINOLOGY

  May - RESULTS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE SURVEY - PART 1
        SIZE AS A POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION CRITERION

  Jun - RESULTS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE SURVEY - PART 2
        CLASSIFICATION OF TROPICAL VS SUBTROPICAL CYCLONES

  Jul - RESULTS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE SURVEY - PART 3
        WARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUBTROPICAL/HYBRID CYCLONES

  Aug - RESULTS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE SURVEY - PART 4
        MONSOON DEPRESSIONS

  Sep - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES
        2001 - 2002 SEASON

  Oct - AN UNREPORTED SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN CYCLONE

  Nov - ROUNDUP OF THE 2001 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON 

  Dec - A SURVEY OF VERY LOW-LATITUDE TROPICAL CYCLONES
                         
  ***********************************************************************
  
                           ACTIVITY BY BASINS

  ATLANTIC (ATL) - North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico

  Activity for January:  No tropical cyclones

  ***********************************************************************

  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
            -----------------------------------------------

     The Northwest Pacific basin did not have to wait very long into the
  new year to see some tropical action.   An area of convection noted on
  the 8th southeast of Yap subsequently developed into the year's first
  tropical depression and tropical storm, which was named Tapah by Japan.
  Tropical Storm Tapah brushed the east coast of Luzon before dissipating
  near the northern tip of the island.



                          TROPICAL STORM TAPAH
                        (01W / TS 0201 / Agaton)
                             9 - 14 January
              --------------------------------------------

  Tapah: contributed by Malaysia, is a giant freshwater catfish, the
         largest of the Malaysian freshwater fish


  A. Storm Origins
  ----------------

     An area of convection developed on 8 January approximately 290 nm
  southeast of Yap.  Animated multi-spectral imagery and a 08/0000 UTC
  surface analysis revealed the existence of a weak LLCC embedded in a
  broad monsoon trough.  A CIMSS upper-air analysis indicated that the
  disturbance was located in a region of weak to moderate vertical shear
  south of an upper-level ridge axis.   By 09/0000 UTC the system was
  located about 125 nm south-southeast of Yap.  Multi-spectral imagery
  and a 08/2047 UTC QuikScat pass revealed a better-defined LLCC with
  cycling deep convection.  A CIMSS analysis indicated that the upper-
  level environment was favorable for strengthening, hence, JTWC upgraded
  the development potential to fair.

     JTWC issued a TCFA at 09/2030 UTC when the system was centered about
  160 nm west-northwest of Yap.  Animated satellite imagery depicted a
  developing LLCC, although convection was still cycling in intensity,
  and a 200-mb analysis indicated diffluent easterlies aloft.    The
  disturbance had entered PAGASA's AOR by 0600 UTC on the 10th and
  warnings were initiated on Tropical Depression Agaton (a Filipino male
  name).  JTWC issued the first warning on Tropical Depression 01W six
  hours later when the center was roughly 140 nm north-northwest of
  Palau, moving west-northwestward at 6 kts.  The initial MSW was
  estimated at 30 kts.  (The JMV file indicates that in post-storm
  analysis, the depression stage was retroactively extended backward to
  09/1800 UTC.)  The LLCC had continued to move closer to the persistent
  deep convection in the northwest quadrant, and the latest QuikScat 
  pass indicated that the strongest winds were located in the northern
  semicircle within about 60 nm of the center.

     Tropical Depression 01W/Agaton was moving west-northwestward toward
  the Philippine Archipelago, steered by a low to mid-level ridge to the
  north.  By 11/0600 UTC some of the satellite intensity estimates had
  reached 35 kts, and by 1200 UTC more CI's of 35 kts were received by
  JTWC, hence, the depression was upgraded to tropical storm intensity
  at 1200 UTC when located 570 nm east-southeast of Manila, or about
  375 nm east-southeast of Catanduanes Island.   The LLCC had by that
  time moved under the deep convection, and the west-northwesterly
  motion had picked up a bit to 10 kts.   PAGASA upgraded 01W/Agaton
  to tropical storm intensity at 1800 UTC, but JMA did not upgrade the
  system for another twelve hours.


  B. Track and Intensity History
  ------------------------------

     At 0600 UTC on 12 January JTWC increased the MSW to 45 kts, based
  on CI estimates of 45 and 55 kts.  At the same time, JMA upgraded the
  system to Tropical Storm Tapah.  Six hours later Tapah reached its peak
  intensity of 50 kts when located only about 65 nm east of Catanduanes
  Island (or 260 nm east of Manila).  The cyclone was moving northwest-
  ward at 16 kts, and animated infrared satellite imagery revealed a
  low-level eye feature previously hidden under the CDO.    Deep
  convection, however, continued to cycle in intensity.  By 1800 UTC
  Tapah was experiencing some shear with most of the deep convection
  sheared to the north of the LLCC.   Satellite intensity estimates had
  dropped to 30 and 45 kts, so JTWC lowered the MSW back to 45 kts.
  At 13/0600 UTC the intensity was further lowered to 40 kts (based on
  CI estimates of 35 to 55 kts).

     An approaching mid-latitude trough weakened the ridge which had been
  steering Tapah on its west-northwestward track, and by 1200 UTC the
  storm was tracking north-northwestward at 14 kts off the east coast
  of Luzon.  The deep convection was still cycling in intensity, but
  overall the cyclone was weakening.  JMA and HKO downgraded Tapah to a
  tropical depression at 13/1200 UTC, and JTWC and PAGASA followed suit
  at 1800 UTC, based on CI estimates of 30 kts and available surface
  data.  JTWC (and PAGASA) issued the final warning on Tapah at 0000 UTC
  on 14 January with the center located just north of the northern tip
  of Luzon.   The MSW was estimated at only 20 kts, based on CI estimates
  of 25 kts and surface data reports.  The dissipating convection was
  located to the north-northeast of the partially-exposed center in a
  high vertical shear environment.


  C. Comparisons Between JTWC and Other Centers
  ---------------------------------------------

     Intensity estimates between the various warning centers compared
  very well for Tropical Storm Tapah.   JMA's and NMCC's peak 10-min avg
  sustained wind of 40 kts agrees closely with JTWC's peak 1-min avg MSW
  of 50 kts.  PAGASA, however, reported a more intense storm with peak
  10-min avg winds of 50 kts, equivalent to about 55-60 kts 1-min avg
  MSW.  Center position coordinates were in remarkably good agreement
  for such a relatively weak tropical storm.


  D. Damage and Casualties
  ------------------------

     No reports of damage or casualties resulting from Tropical Storm
  Tapah have been received by the author.

  ***********************************************************************

  NORTH INDIAN OCEAN (NIO) - Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea

  Activity for January:  No tropical cyclones


             North Indian Ocean Tropical Activity for January
             ------------------------------------------------

     As the month opened, the remnants of former Typhoon Vamei (32W) were
  dissipating in the southern Bay of Bengal.  No other tropical cyclones
  were observed in the North Indian Ocean basin during the month.

  ***********************************************************************

  SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN (SWI) - South Indian Ocean West of Longitude 90E

  Activity for January:  1 severe tropical storm
                         1 tropical cyclone
                         1 intense tropical cyclone


                        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
          ----------------------------------------------------

     After lying quiescent for a month, the Southwest Indian Ocean basin
  re-awakened at the end of December.    A tropical disturbance which
  formed in the Mozambique Channel late in December, 2001, subsequently
  developed into Severe Tropical Storm Cyprien, which made landfall in
  Madagascar and was responsible for considerable damage.  After another
  two quiet weeks, intense Tropical Cyclone Dina formed in the central
  Indian Ocean and brushed Mauritius and Reunion, bringing some very high
  winds to the islands.   While Dina was operating in the western portion
  of the basin, Tropical Cyclone Eddy formed in the eastern extremity of
  the region (just west of 90E) and followed a southerly trajectory into
  subtropical latitudes, reaching minimal cyclone (hurricane) intensity
  along the way.



                         TROPICAL STORM CYPRIEN
                            (MFR 05 / TC-08S)
                         30 December - 3 January
               -------------------------------------------


  A. Storm Origins
  ----------------

     JTWC issued a STWO at 2230 UTC on 29 December which noted that an
  area of convection had developed in the Mozambique Channel about 50 nm
  east of Beira, Mozambique.  Animated infrared imagery indicated that
  a possible LLCC existed on the western side of the deep convection.
  A 200-mb analysis and CIMSS shear products indicated that the system
  lay beneath an upper-level ridge axis with marginal vertical shear.
  MFR began issuing bulletins on the disturbance at 0600 UTC on the 30th.
  By 1800 UTC the LOW was centered approximately 90 nm east of Beira.
  While animated visible satellite imagery depicted a LLCC on the western
  side of the convection, a 30/1323 UTC TRMM pass revealed that there was
  little organization in the low-level flow or in the convection.

     At 0900 UTC on 31 December JTWC issued a TCFA for the disturbance,
  which was by then located about 330 nm west of Madagascar.  Satellite
  animation revealed a closed LLCC with increasing convective curvature
  noted during the previous few hours.  Most of the deep convection was
  in the southeastern quadrant, but CIMSS analysis products indicated
  that the LLCC was in a region of weak to moderate shear with favorable
  outflow aloft.  MFR upgraded the disturbance to tropical depression
  status with 30-kt winds at 01/0000 UTC.   The warning noted that winds
  to gale force might be occurring in isolated spots in the eastern
  quadrant up to 100 nm from the center.


  B. Track and Intensity History
  ------------------------------

     By 0600 UTC the depression had rapidly become better organized and
  was upgraded to Tropical Storm Cyprien, located about 230 nm northwest
  of Tulear on the southwestern coast of Madagascar.  Both MFR and JTWC
  estimated the intensity at 45 kts (10-min and 1-min averages respect-
  ively).  Satellite CI estimates (as reported by JTWC) were only 30 and
  35 kts, but a 01/0322 UTC QuikScat pass indicated unflagged winds of
  40-45 kts.  The LLCC was partially-exposed west of the deep convection.
  Cyprien was tracking eastward under the steering influence of a low to
  mid-level subtropical HIGH to the north.

     By 1800 UTC Cyprien's center was located approximately 145 nm north-
  northwest of Tulear, moving east-southeastward at 9 kts.    Dvorak
  intensity estimates had dropped to 35 and 45 kts, but a recent Quik-
  Scat pass had indicated some rain-contaminated winds of 50 kts over the
  southern semicircle.  MFR had upped the MSW to 55 kts at 1200 UTC where
  it remained for 18 hours.  Water vapor imagery indicated that moderate
  to strong westerlies were affecting the storm.  The combination of the
  subtropical ridge to the north and an approaching mid-latitude trough
  from the southwest were expected to steer Cyprien on a southeastward
  track toward Madagascar.

     At 0600 UTC on 2 January, Cyprien's center was moving inland over
  Madagascar near Morombe.  MFR's estimated 10-min avg MSW was 50 kts
  while JTWC's 1-min avg MSW was 45 kts.  A synoptic report of 43 kts
  (presumably a 10-min avg) was received from Morombe (WMO 67131) with
  an attendant SLP of 992 mb.  By 1800 UTC the weakening tropical storm
  was located inland near Toliara.  Satellite CI estimates were 30 and
  35 kts while a report of 29 kts was received from Toliara (WMO 67161).
  All the deep convection had been sheared east of the center.   The 1800
  UTC warning was JTWC's last, reporting the MSW (1-min avg) at 35 kts,
  but MFR estimated the 10-min avg MSW at 45 kts.    Cyprien was down-
  graded to a tropical depression at 03/0000 UTC, although some limited
  areas were still experiencing gale-force winds.   Morombe reported
  winds to 35 kts at 0000 UTC with a SLP of 1001 mb, and six hours later
  the wind was southwest at 29 kts.    (Thanks to Patrick Hoareau for
  sending me the Morombe observations.)    La Reunion issued their final
  bulletin on the dissipating Cyprien at 03/0600 UTC.


  C. Comparisons Between JTWC and Other Centers
  ---------------------------------------------

     JTWC's peak 1-min avg MSW estimate of 50 kts is equivalent to a
  10-min avg MSW of about 45 kts--somewhat lower than MFR's maximum
  10-min avg intensity of 55 kts.  However, the difference is not that
  great, and the two centers agree that Cyprien did not reach cyclone
  (i.e., hurricane) intensity.   Center position coordinates from the
  two warning centers were in good agreement.


  D. Damage and Casualties
  ------------------------

     Tropical Storm Cyprien was responsible for some moderate damage in
  portions of Madagascar.  In the Morombe district, where the storm made
  landfall, about 900 persons were affected with 180 houses destroyed.
  In addition sixteen administrative buildings were destroyed.  In the
  Morondova district, 1000 persons were adversely affected with 661
  houses destroyed.  Two persons were also reported missing near Morombe.
  Total damage in Madagascar resulting from Cyprien was estimated at
  $181,000 (US).



                         TROPICAL CYCLONE DINA
                           (MFR 06 / TC-10S)
                            17 - 26 January
               -----------------------------------------


  A. Storm Origins
  ----------------

     An area of convection developed on 15 January about 600 nm east of
  Diego Garcia within a region of moderate vertical shear.   Animated
  visible satellite imagery suggested that a weak LLCC had developed.
  The next day the disturbed area was relocated to a position approxi-
  mately 325 nm east of Diego Garcia.  Cycling convection was noted in
  association with a weak LLCC located within a broad trough.  MFR issued
  a tropical disturbance bulletin at 1200 UTC, and at 17/0030 JTWC
  upgraded the development potential to fair.

     Early on 17 January animated visible imagery indicated increasing
  organization of the system, and a SSM/I pass at 17/0309 UTC and a
  partial TRMM pass at 17/0328 UTC both indicated increasing consoli-
  dation of convection near the LLCC with developing banding in the
  northwest semicircle.  Also, a 200-mb analysis indicated weak to
  moderate vertical shear with strong diffluence aloft.  At 0630 UTC
  JTWC issued a TCFA for the system which was then located about 200 nm
  east-southeast of Diego Garcia.  The disturbance continued to develop
  rather rapidly and at 1200 UTC Mauritius upgraded the system to
  Tropical Storm Dina.   Dina was initially located approximately 220 nm
  south-southeast of Diego Garcia, moving southwestward at 22 kts with
  maximum 10-min mean winds estimated at 35 kts.


  B. Track and Intensity History
  ------------------------------

     At 1800 UTC on 17 January Tropical Storm Dina was passing about
  230 nm south of Diego Garcia, moving southwestward at 14 kts.  A
  mid-level ridge to the south was forecast to steer Dina on a south-
  westward course for the next few days.  The 10-min avg MSW estimate
  from MFR was 45 kts.    (Also at 17/1800 UTC, JTWC issued their first
  warning on the storm with a 1-min avg MSW of 55 kts, based on CI
  estimates of 35 to 55 kts.)  A recent SSM/I pass indicated a developing
  eyewall.   Dina continued to move along rather briskly to the south-
  west.  At 18/0600 UTC the storm was located 410 nm south-southwest of
  Diego Garcia and moving southwestward at 18 kts.   Winds were up to
  60 kts by this time, and MFR upgraded Dina to tropical cyclone status
  with 65-kt winds at 1200 UTC when located approximately 450 nm north-
  east of Rodrigues Island.  An 18/0716 UTC METSAT-5 image had depicted
  a well-defined 17-nm diameter eye.

     By 0600 UTC on the 19th Dina was located about 280 nm northeast of
  Rodrigues, and its forward motion had slowed considerably to 7 kts.
  The MSW (10-min avg) was up to 80 kts, and a 19/0134 UTC TRMM (37 GHz)
  image depicted a partial eyewall and a strong convective band over the
  northern quadrant.  A mid-level height center over the southern tip of
  Madagascar was forecast to build eastward during the next 24 hours,
  creating a more west-southwestward track for Dina.  This verified as
  the steadily-intensifying cyclone began to trek west-southwestward
  later on the 19th.    By 0600 UTC on 20 January the by-now intense
  cyclone was centered 110 nm north-northeast of Rodrigues, moving west-
  southwestward at 9 kts.

     Dina at this time was at its peak intensity of 115 kts (130 kts
  1-min avg MSW from JTWC) with an estimated minimum CP of 910 mb.
  Satellite Dvorak intensity estimates were T6.5 and T7.0, and a
  significant cooling of the cloud tops of the convective ring
  surrounding the distinct 19-nm diameter eye had been noted.  Gales
  extended out about 80 nm in the northern semicircle and 130 nm to the
  south, while hurricane force winds were estimated to extend outward
  40 nm from the eye.  After passing Rodrigues intense Tropical Cyclone
  Dina began to pose an increasingly serious threat to Mauritius.    At
  20/1800 UTC the cyclone was located 300 nm east-northeast of Port
  Louis, and by 0600 UTC on the 21st the gap had closed to 185 nm.  The
  wind field had expanded with gales extending outward over 100 nm in all
  quadrants and up to 170 nm in the southwestern quadrant.   Dina was
  moving westward at 10 kts and had weakened slightly from its peak of
  24 hours earlier.   Dvorak CI numbers were T6.0 and T6.5, and MFR
  reduced the MSW to 105 kts.  (JTWC similarly lowered the 1-min avg MSW
  to 120 kts.)    A 21/0505 UTC SSM/I pass depicted an outer convective
  ring developing around an existing inner eyewall, hence, it was thought
  that a concentric eyewall event might be about to occur.

     This didn't happen, however.  Another SSM/I pass at 21/1738 UTC
  no longer indicated concentric eyewalls with a single 26-nm eye noted
  in the latest infrared imagery.  At 1800 UTC Dina was centered only
  about 75 nm northeast of Port Louis, still moving westward at 11 kts
  with the MSW estimated at 100 kts (10-min avg).  Between 1800 UTC and
  22/0000 UTC the cyclone passed within 35 nm of the northern tip of
  Mauritius, and by 0000 UTC was centered about 50 nm or less north-
  northwest of the island.   At 0600 UTC Dina's center was located about
  60 nm northwest of Port Louis, or about 125 nm northeast of Reunion
  Island.   Winds were still 100 kts, and the eye diameter had expanded
  to 42 nm.   The storm was north-northeast of Reunion at 1200 UTC, and
  by 1800 UTC had passed 36 nm due north of the island and was located
  45 nm northwest of Reunion.    Dina's track had turned back to more of
  a west-southwesterly one (at 8 kts), and the eye appeared slightly
  elongated.

     At 0000 UTC on 23 January Dina was still sporting 100-kt winds (10-
  min avg) about 80 nm west-northwest of Reunion Island, but by 0600 UTC
  the storm was beginning to weaken some and MFR reduced the intensity
  to 90 kts.  (JTWC was still reporting a 1-min avg MSW of 115 kts, but
  lowered it to 100 kts on their next warning at 1800 UTC.)    Dina's
  center was located about 100 nm west of Reunion at 0600 UTC, and by
  1800 UTC the cyclone was moving southward at 9 kts from a position
  roughly 175 nm southwest of the island.   The MSW had been reduced to
  80 kts, and by 24/0600 UTC Dina was showing signs of the first stages
  of extratropical transition.   The system was moving southward at
  14 kts, and at 1200 UTC MFR downgraded Dina to a 60-kt tropical storm
  about 350 nm southwest of Reunion Island.

     JTWC issued their final warning on Dina at 24/1800 UTC, estimating
  the MSW (1-min avg) at 55 kts.  The storm was forecast to accelerate
  to the southeast as it interacted with a mid-latitude baroclinic
  system.  MFR continued to issue tropical warnings on Dina for another
  18 hours, finally declaring the storm extratropical at 25/1800 UTC
  when located about 570 nm south of Reunion Island.  The extratropical
  storm continued to move quickly to the southeast with the last bulletin
  from MFR being issued at 26/1200 UTC.


  C. Comparisons Between JTWC and Other Centers
  ---------------------------------------------

     Intensity estimates from La Reunion and JTWC, after conversion to
  a common time averaging period, agreed remarkably well, usually being
  within 5-10 kts of each other.  The respective peak MSW estimates:
  115 kts (10-min avg) from MFR and 130 kts (1-min avg) from JTWC,
  were in perfect agreement.


  D. Meteorological Observations
  ------------------------------

     The first island to be affected by Dina was Rodrigues.  The cyclone
  passed around 65 nm north of the island on 20 January.  Peak gusts of
  66 kts were recorded at Plaine Corail, while Pointe Canon reported
  gusts to 58 kts with a minimum SLP of 993.6 mb.

     Many locations on Mauritius experienced peak gusts well in excess
  of hurricane force.  Following are stations which experienced gusts
  in excess of 150 km/hr (82 kts) and the time (if known):

     Station            Gust (kts)      Date/Time (UTC)
     --------------------------------------------------
     Le Morne              124
     Fort William          114            21/2335
     Souillac              110
     Grand Gaube            99
     Riviere Noire          95
     Medine                 92            22/0250
     Q. Bornes              92
     T. A. Cerfs            90
     Beau. Songe            90
     N. Decouverte          90
     Balaclava              86
     Vacoas                 83            22/0120


  The lowest pressure recorded on Mauritius available to the author was
  935.9 mb from Vacoas at 21/2320 UTC.

     The following table lists the stations on Mauritius which recorded
  rainfall amounts exceeding 400 mm for a storm total:

     Region    Station                 Amount (mm)
     ---------------------------------------------
     West      Pierrefonds               745.2
               Tamarin Est.              570.0
               La Chaumiere              550.0
               Medine                    480.7

     South     Bois Cheri                424.0

     East      Sans Souci                490.0
               Bel Etang                 468.0

     Centre    Belle Rive (MSIRI)        591.3
               Reduit                    525.4
               Arnaud                    500+   (rain guage overflowed)
               Petrin                    500+               "
               Plaine Champagne          500+               "
               Quatre Bornes             402.2


     The observations from Mauritius were sent to the author by Patrick
  Hoareau.  (A special thanks to Patrick for sending them.)  Patrick
  also passed along several wind gust and rainfall observations from
  Reunion Island.  These are tabulated below:  first some peak gusts
  from locations along the coast, then peak gusts from more elevated
  sites, and finally some new record 24-hour rainfall amounts.

     Location            Peak Gust (kts)         Date/Time (UTC)
     -----------------------------------------------------------
     Gillot Airport           102                  22/1145
     Port Mathurin            102                  22/1300
     Pierrefonds Airport       98                  22/1300
     Le Port                   98                  22/1530


     Location            Elevation (m)  Peak Gusts (kts)  Date/Time (UTC)
     --------------------------------------------------------------------
     Piton Maido             2200            151
     La Plaine des Cafres    1500            120            22/1830
     Bellecombe              2200            114            22/1330
     Petite France           1200            104            22/2030


     Location          24-hr Amount (mm)  Prev. Record (mm)   Set In
     ---------------------------------------------------------------
     Colimacons/Mascarin     593                356            1993
     St. Denis               395                338            1987
     St. Leu                 388                310            1978
     La Possession           371                350            1962


  Although not a record, the Bellecombe resting place recorded a 24-hour
  total of 953 mm.  The record 24-hour total for this station was set in
  January, 1989, in association with Tropical Cyclone Firinga.  Further
  information from Philippe Caroff indicates that the Bellecombe resting
  place (volcano lodge) recorded a 48-hour total of 1360 mm while
  St. Denis on the coast recorded a 2-day total of 490 mm.


  E. Damage and Casualties
  ------------------------

     Rodrigues Island did not sustain any substantial damage or
  casualties as Dina passed by.  There was some disruption to water
  supply services, electricity and roads.   Damage was much more
  substantial on Mauritius, where there were five fatalities reported
  with at least 50 persons injured.   Many trees were downed and there
  was considerable disruption to utilities.   Most schools sustained
  serious damage and all were temporarily closed for several days.
  The important sugarcane crop was also severely damaged, with the loss
  projected to be around 15-20%, equivalent to about $47 million (US).

     On Reunion Island there was widespread damage to buildings with
  many roofs destroyed, and there was the usual disruption to electricity
  and water supply networks--at one point half of the island's homes
  were without electrical power.  Roads were littered with fallen trees,
  downed power lines and mudslides, and crops were heavily damaged.
  Two injuries were reported, but no fatalities were known to have
  occurred.

     Karl Hoarau has sent me some preliminary monetary damage estimates
  from Reunion Island.  (A special thanks to Karl for supplying the
  information.)

     Agriculture:                   76.0 million euros
     Roads:                         10.0 million euros
     Electricity:                    5.5 million euros
     Craft (cottage) industry:      12.6 million euros
     Houses, industry, buildings:   75.0 million euros
     -------------------------------------------------
     Total                         179.1 million euros

  Karl indicates that this is not a complete total of losses, and that
  the overall total damage due to Dina is probably about 200 million
  euros (equivalent to $185-190 million US).

     More information on the effects of Tropical Cyclone Dina can be
  found on the following website:  http://www.reliefweb.int> .


  F. Additional Comments
  ----------------------

     One casualty of Tropical Cyclone Dina on Reunion Island that was
  not human was Meteo France's Doppler radar.  The radar, which sat on
  an exposed location on top of a cliff at an elevation of 700 metres,
  was blown away by the cyclone's fierce winds.  In some information
  received several months ago, Philippe Caroff of the La Reunion TCWC
  stated that the radome was supposed to have withstood winds to
  300 km/hr (163 kts).   He relates that initially he did not believe
  winds could have reached that threshold, but after the AWS at Piton
  Maido (about 15 km south of the radar) recorded the gust to 151 kts,
  it seemed more plausible that gusts could have reached or exceeded
  163 kts.  The 151-kt gust was the last observation from the AWS, and
  at the time of Philippe's letter, no one had yet been able to obtain
  access to the station due to impassable roads.  He noted that there
  existed the distinct possibility that the AWS was destroyed or blown
  away, and that there was legitimate reason to doubt that the peak
  reported gust was the highest one experienced there.

     Philippe's e-mail also pointed out a very interesting fact about
  the track of Tropical Cyclone Dina as it approached Reunion Island.
  For about 10 hours on the morning of 22 January, as the storm neared
  the island, it had moved on a fairly straight heading of about 240
  degrees.   When Dina's center reached a point 36 nm due north of the
  island, the storm made an abrupt jog 30 degrees to the right, or due
  west.  After four hours, Dina veered southwestward and wound up almost
  at the exact spot where it would have been had it not undergone the
  deviation.  Philippe advances the hypothesis that the "detour" possibly
  resulted from orographical influences caused by the island's mount-
  ainous terrain.  In any case, the "detour" was a very lucky break for
  Reunion.  As it was, the eyewall itself remained about 15 nm offshore.
  Had the jog in the track not have occurred, Dina's center would have
  passed only about 27 nm from the island, bringing the intense eyewall
  winds very near or over portions of the island.



                         TROPICAL CYCLONE EDDY
                           (MFR 07 / TC-11S)
                            22 - 28 January
               -----------------------------------------


  A. Storm Origins
  ----------------

     On 18 January an area of convection developed about 500 nm
  west-northwest of Cocos Island and persisted for over twelve hours.
  The convection was cycling in intensity in the presence of moderate
  vertical shear.   By 19 January the disturbance was located farther
  west, about 600 nm west-northwest of Cocos Island.   A 19/1150 UTC
  QuikScat pass revealed an elongated LLCC associated with cycling
  convection.    A 200-mb analysis indicated that the disturbance was
  equatorward of the subtropical ridge within a region of moderate shear.
  On 20 January the system remained quasi-stationary with no significant
  changes in organization.  By 21 January the disturbance had drifted
  back eastward to a point approximately 500 nm west-northwest of Cocos
  Island, again with little change in organization.  On 22 January at
  1200 UTC, MFR issued a tropical disturbance bulletin for the system.
  Convection was still weak and cycling, and a QuikScat pass revealed
  that the LLCC was very weak.

     At 23/0300 UTC, JTWC upgraded the development potential to fair.
  The disturbance was then located about 400 nm west of Cocos Island.
  Animated satellite imagery showed continued cycling of the convection
  with increasing diffluence aloft and decreasing vertical shear.  A
  TCFA was issued at 1400 UTC with the system located approximately
  450 nm west of Cocos Island.  The disturbance was exhibiting increasing
  organization, and a 200-mb analysis indicated that the environment was
  becoming more favorable for intensification.  MFR upgraded the system
  to a 30-kt tropical depression at 1800 UTC, and JTWC initiated warnings
  on TC-11S at 24/0600 UTC, located roughly 525 nm west of Cocos Island.
  The depression was moving slowly southwestward, and animated visible
  imagery indicated deep convection developing over the vortex center
  with a weak banding feature wrapping in from the southeast quadrant.
  At 24/1200 UTC Mauritius upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm
  Eddy.  Eddy's center was located approximately 550 nm west of Cocos
  Island with peak winds estimated at 35 kts.


  B. Track and Intensity History
  ------------------------------

     At 1800 UTC on 24 January JTWC was still estimating the 1-min avg
  MSW at 30 kts, based on CI estimates of 30 and 35 kts.  Convection was
  still cycling over the vortex center, although Eddy's organization had
  improved during the previous 12 hours.   MFR upped the intensity to
  40 kts at 25/0000 UTC, and at 0600 UTC JTWC increased their 1-min avg
  MSW estimate to 45 kts.   Convection was increasing as Eddy tracked
  southward at 9 kts, steered by a mid-level ridge extending westward
  from the northwest Australian coast.   At 25/1800 UTC the storm was
  located approximately 545 nm west-southwest of Cocos Island.  Eddy
  had intensified--a 25/1235 UTC TRMM pass had revealed a convective
  band wrapping completely around the LLCC.  Both MFR and JTWC upped
  their respective MSW estimates to 55 kts.

     MFR upgraded Eddy to a 70-kt cyclone (i.e., hurricane) at 0600 UTC
  on the 26th with the storm centered about 575 nm southwest of Cocos
  Island.   A banding eye was visible, and the system was moving south-
  southeastward at 11 kts.  Gales extended outward from the center 115 nm
  in the southern semicircle and 60 nm to the north, while the radius of
  storm-force winds was estimated at 35 nm.   A 26/1240 UTC SSM/I pass
  indicated that convection was becoming restricted in the southern
  semicircle, and at 1800 UTC MFR reduced the intensity to 65 kts, based
  on CI estimates of 65 and 77 kts (1-min avg).

     The weakening trend continued and at 27/0000 UTC Eddy was downgraded
  to tropical storm status.  (JTWC lowered their 1-min avg MSW estimate
  to 60 kts at 0600 UTC.)     At 0600 UTC the storm was located about
  735 nm southwest of Cocos Island, moving south-southwestward at 8 kts.
  Eddy was forecast to move increasingly to the west as a mid-level ridge
  built to the south of the system.  Satellite imagery still depicted a
  persistent banding feature, but Eddy was forecast to continue weakening
  as it encountered increasing vertical shear and cooler SSTs.

     The track and intensity forecasts verified--by 1800 UTC Eddy was
  located 850 nm southwest of Cocos Island, moving westward at 14 kts
  with JTWC reporting only 40-kt winds (1-min avg).  MFR was somewhat
  higher at 50 kts, but reduced the intensity on the next warning.  Eddy
  was a sheared system with the remaining deep convection located about
  120 nm east of the LLCC.  By 0600 UTC on 28 January both MFR and JTWC
  had downgraded Eddy to 30 kts.   The depression was then located about
  950 nm southwest of Cocos Island, or roughly 1150 nm southeast of Diego
  Garcia, moving west-southwestward at 8 kts.   The system was severely
  sheared with the convection dissipating, and the 0600 UTC warning was
  the final one from JTWC.  Six hours later MFR also issued their last
  bulletin on the dissipating depression.


  C. Comparisons Between JTWC and Other Centers
  ---------------------------------------------

     Intensity estimates from JTWC and MFR compared reasonably well for
  Tropical Cyclone Eddy, after conversion to the same time averaging
  period.  In general, though, JTWC's MSW estimates were lower than those
  from La Reunion.  MFR's peak 10-min avg MSW of 70 kts is equivalent
  to a 1-min avg MSW of about 80 kts, whereas JTWC's intensity estimates
  never rose above 65 kts.  However, JTWC's warning at 26/1800 UTC did
  note that CI estimates were 65 and 77 kts, and it's possible that if
  that agency had issued a warning at 1200 UTC when Eddy was likely at
  its peak intensity, the MSW might have been reported as 70 or 75 kts.


  D. Damage and Casualties
  ------------------------

     Tropical Cyclone Eddy remained far from any land areas during its
  entire existence, and no marine damage or casualties are known to have
  resulted from the storm.

  ***********************************************************************

  NORTHWEST AUSTRALIA/SOUTHEAST INDIAN OCEAN (AUW) - From 90E to 135E

  Activity for January:  No tropical cyclones


               Northwest Australia/Southeast Indian Ocean
                     Tropical Activity for January
               ------------------------------------------

     No tropical cyclones or even significant tropical LOWs were observed
  during January in waters off northwestern Australia or in the Southeast
  Indian Ocean.  However, Tropical Cyclone Eddy formed near 90E and moved
  southward just west of that meridian, so likely gale-force winds and
  heavy seas affected the western extremity of the region for a few days
  as the storm moved into higher latitudes.
                                            
  ***********************************************************************

  NORTHEAST AUSTRALIA/CORAL SEA (AUE) - From 135E to 160E

  Activity for January:  1 tropical cyclone of storm intensity


                        Sources of Information
                        ----------------------

     The primary sources of tracking and intensity information for
  Northeast Australia/Coral Sea tropical cyclones are the warnings
  and advices issued by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres at
  Brisbane, Queensland, and Darwin, Northern Territory, and on very
  infrequent occasions, by the centre at Port Moresby, Papua New
  Guinea.  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 the Australian centres' coor-
  dinates 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.


                     Northeast Australia/Coral Sea
                     Tropical Activity for January
                     -----------------------------

     The first tropical cyclone of the 2001-2002 season in northeastern
  Australian waters began taking shape late in December, 2001, in the
  northern Gulf of Carpentaria.  The tropical LOW drifted slowly south-
  ward, strengthening into Tropical Cyclone Bernie on the 3rd and making
  landfall the next day in western Queensland near the Northern Territory
  border.   While no other tropical cyclones occurred in the region
  during the month, two systems classified as tropical depressions by
  Fiji were each briefly located west of 160E.  Tropical Depression 05F
  moved westward across 160E late in its life as it was weakening, and
  short-lived Tropical Depression 06F formed just west of 160E.  Both
  of these depressions produced some peripheral gales while in Fiji's
  AOR, but neither appear to have been associated with any gale-force
  winds while in Brisbane's region of warning responsibility.



                       TROPICAL CYCLONE BERNIE
                               (TC-09P)
                       30 December - 6 January
             -------------------------------------------


  A. Storm Origins
  ----------------

     A Tropical Weather Outlook issued by Darwin at 0445 UTC on 
  31 December noted that a developing tropical LOW was situated in
  the northern Gulf of Carpentaria about 80 nm northeast of Nhulunbuy
  and was stationary.  The potential for tropical cyclone development
  was forecast to become increasingly better after a couple of days.
  The first advice was issued at 31/2230 UTC with the system centered
  approximately 70 nm east-southeast of Nhulunbuy, or 120 nm northeast 
  of Alyangula, moving slowly southward.  JTWC first mentioned the LOW
  in a STWO issued at 1030 UTC on 1 January.     Animated visible and 
  infrared imagery depicted unorganized convection consolidating around
  the LLCC.   At 01/1930 UTC the LOW was relocated farther east to a
  point about 140 nm east of Alyangula, or 165 nm north of Mornington
  Island.  Darwin issued the first gale warning on the system at 2100
  UTC with the expectation that the LOW would become a tropical cyclone
  within the next 18-24 hours.   The disturbance by this time was moving
  very slowly south-southeastward.

     With convection continuing to organize around the center, JTWC 
  upgraded the development potential to good and issued a TCFA at 0800
  UTC on 2 January.    The Brisbane TCWC assumed responsibility for
  issuing advices on the developing system at 1400 UTC since the center
  was within their AOR (east of 138E in the southern Gulf).  Darwin,
  however, continued to issue High Seas Warnings.  At 1400 UTC the LOW
  was centered approximately 125 nm north of Mornington Island, moving
  south-southeastward at 8 kts with 30-kt maximum winds.  Convection
  slowly continued to consolidate around the LLCC and Brisbane named the
  system Tropical Cyclone Bernie at 03/0400 UTC.  Bernie at this time
  had become stationary about 145 nm east-northeast of Port McArthur, or
  125 nm north-northwest of Mornington Island.  The 10-min avg MSW was
  estimated at 35 kts.  (JTWC issued their first warning on TC-09P at
  0600 UTC, but estimated the 1-min avg MSW at 30 kts.)


  B. Track and Intensity History
  ------------------------------

     Bernie developed in an environment of weak to moderate vertical
  shear with the convection being sheared to the southwest of the
  LLCC.  A mid-level subtropical ridge just east of the cyclone, in
  combination with a 700-mb ridge centered to the southwest, was fore-
  cast to steer Bernie on a southwestward track.  Bernie continued to
  intensify, and at 1800 UTC reached its peak intensity of 50 kts when
  centered about 80 nm north-northwest of Mornington Island.  (JTWC's
  1-min avg MSW was 45 kts, based on CI estimates of 45 and 55 kts.)
  A buoy (WMO 52627) reported winds of 43 kts near the center at 1400
  UTC.  (Presumably this is a 10-min mean wind.)  

     By 04/0600 UTC Bernie was centered only 25 nm northwest of Morning-
  ton Island, moving slowly southward at 7 kts.  Darwin still reported
  the intensity at 50 kts, but JTWC lowered their 1-min avg MSW estimate
  to 40 kts, based on CI estimates of 35 and 45 kts and a buoy report
  (WMO 52627) of 32 kts near the center at 0500 UTC.   The center of
  Tropical Cyclone Bernie made landfall near 1300 UTC about 120 nm east-
  southeast of Port McArthur, or 30 nm west-southwest of Mornington
  Island.  Maximum sustained winds around the time of landfall were
  estimated at 35-40 kts.  The weakening cyclone continued to track 
  south-southwestward farther inland as it weakened.  A visible satellite
  image on 6 January still showed a fairly well-organized cloud system
  well south of the Gulf of Carpentaria coastline.


  C. Comparisons Between JTWC and Other Centers
  ---------------------------------------------

     Intensity estimates in JTWC's warnings for Tropical Cyclone Bernie
  compared reasonably well with those from Darwin and Brisbane, but 
  JTWC's values tended to run below those from the Australian warning 
  centers.  Brisbane estimated the peak 10-min avg MSW for Bernie at 
  50 kts, which would be about 60 kts on the 1-min avg scale.  JTWC's 
  peak MSW for Bernie, however, was 45 kts, equivalent to a 10-min avg 
  wind of about 40 kts.     Center position coordinates were in good 
  agreement with those from the Australian TCWCs.


  D. Meteorological Observations
  ------------------------------

     Buoy (WMO 52627), located at 15.0S, 139.0E, experienced gale-force
  winds for a period of over 24 hours as Bernie passed by.  At 03/1451
  UTC the buoy was reporting 10-min mean winds of 43 kts and a SLP of
  985.5 mb.   Winds dropped to 31 kts at 03/2130 UTC, but were back up
  to 42 kts at 03/2331 UTC and remained at or above 34 kts through at
  least 04/1802 UTC.  The lowest pressure reported by the buoy during
  this period was 985.1 mb at 03/1813 UTC.   At 03/0837 UTC QuikScat
  indicated a band of southeast to southwest winds of 40 to 55 kts on
  the western side of the storm about 40 to 75 nm from the center.

     The strongest winds reported by an AWS were at the Mornington Island
  site which is badly affected by a recently-built building and large
  trees.  Strongest gusts were in the 40 to 44 kt range sporadically
  from 03/1608 through 04/0400 UTC.  Mornington Island also recorded
  335 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 2300 UTC on 3 January.

     The Weipa tide gauge recorded a 0.4 metre storm surge at high tide
  at 0833 UTC on the 3rd, while the Karumba tide gauge recorded a 0.3
  metre storm surge at high tide at 1347 UTC on the 5th--well after
  landfall!  (A special thanks to Jeff Callaghan for sending me the
  above meteorological observations.)


  E. Damage and Casualties
  ------------------------

     According to the information sent to me by Jeff Callaghan, damage
  resulting from Tropical Cyclone Bernie was minor.  There was some
  beachfront erosion and sand loss around Karumba, and the boat ramp
  sustained some damage as a result of wave action.  All roads around
  Burketown and Doomadgee were closed due to flooding.  Some environ-
  mental damage occurred but no structural damage was reported.   Like-
  wise, Mornington Island and Sweers Islands experienced some environ-
  mental damage, but no structural damage was reported.

  ***********************************************************************

  SOUTH PACIFIC (SPA) - South Pacific Ocean East of Longitude 160E

  Activity for January:  3 tropical depressions


                        Sources of Information
                        ----------------------

     The primary sources of tracking and intensity information for
  South Pacific tropical cyclones are the warnings and advisories
  issued by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres at Nadi, Fiji (for
  waters north of latitude 25S), and Wellington, New Zealand (for
  waters south of latitude 25S).  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 the Southern Hemisphere
  centres' 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.


              South Pacific Tropical Activity for January
              -------------------------------------------

     No named tropical cyclones developed in the South Pacific east of
  longitude 160E during January, although the destructive Tropical
  Cyclone Waka, which had formed in late December, 2001, was still active
  into the early days of the new year.  (See the December, 2001, summary
  for the full report on Waka.)    There were three systems, however,
  forming in January which the Nadi TCWC classified as tropical depres-
  sions.  The first of these, TD-05F, formed on 31 December deep in the
  tropics roughly 325 nm east-northeast of Guadalcanal in the Solomon
  Islands.  The system drifted slowly south-southeastward, reaching a
  point about 400 nm north of Port Vila in Vanuatu by 0000 UTC on
  3 January, thence turning to the west-southwest and entering Brisbane's
  AOR around 06/0000 UTC.  The LOW was centered approximately 275 nm
  southwest of Guadalcanal at 0200 UTC on the 7th, and a STWO from
  Brisbane indicated that it had moderate potential to develop into a
  tropical cyclone.  However, a STWO issued by JTWC later in the day
  indicated that the system had weakened considerably.  JTWC had earlier
  issued a TCFA for the system on 1 January, but cancelled it the next
  day.  TD-05F was in essence a large, diffuse monsoon depression.  Fiji
  issued gale warnings for a few days in association with the system for
  monsoonal gales to the north and east of the depression that were
  detached from the center.

     Tropical Depression 06F was a short-lived system which formed on
  15 January about 450 nm west-northwest of Noumea, New Caledonia.  The
  depression was embedded in a monsoon trough which combined with a front
  to the southeast.  TD-06F moved generally eastward through the 16th,
  reaching a point about 175 nm south-southeast of Noumea by 2100 UTC.
  Fiji issued gale warnings for a band of peripheral gales to the south
  of the center.

     The final depression of January, TD-07F, was a very large, quite
  impressive-looking monsoon depression which was never able to
  consolidate its convection and develop as a tropical cyclone.  The
  broad center was located roughly 175 nm northwest of Fiji at 2100 UTC
  on 20 January.  Specifying an exact center for such a large, diffuse
  system was difficult, and the available coordinates reflect several
  relocations.  Generally, however, the depression drifted from its
  point of origin northwest of Fiji on the 20th to a position approxi-
  mately 100 nm west-southwest of Noumea by 2100 UTC on 27 January.
  Separate gale warnings were issued by Nadi from the 21st through the
  24th, and by Brisbane on the 24th and 25th, for a zone of gales well
  south of the center between the large depression and a strong anti-
  cyclone west of New Zealand in the Tasman Sea.
 
  ***********************************************************************

                              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
  in the following manner:

       (a) FTP to:  hrd-type42.nhc.noaa.gov [140.90.176.206]
       (b) Login as: anonymous
       (c) For a password use your e-mail address
       (d) Go to "data" subdirectory (Type: cd data)
       (e) Set file type to ASCII (Type: ascii)
       (f) Transfer file (Type: get remote_file_name local_file_name )
           (The files will be named with an obvious nomenclature--using
           January as an example:   jan02.tracks)
       (g) To exit FTP, type: quit

    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.   If anyone wishes to retrieve any of the previous summaries,
  they may be downloaded from the aforementioned FTP site at HRD.  The
  summary files are catalogued with the nomenclature:  jan02.sum, for
  example.

    Back issues can also be obtained from the following websites
  (courtesy of Michael Bath, Michael V. Padua, Tom Berg, Michael
  Pitt, and Rich Henning):

    http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/>
    http://www.typhoon2000.ph> OR http://66.40.4.61>
    http://www.hurricanealley.net/>
    http://www.qisfl.net/home/hurricanemike>
    http://www.met.fsu.edu/gsc/Docs/Grads/henning/cyclones/>

  NOTE:  The URL for Michael V. Padua's Typhoon 2000 website has
  changed.

     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.

     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 Wollongbar, New South Wales,
  Australia, for assisting me with proofreading the summaries.


  Prepared by: Gary Padgett
  E-mail:  [email protected]
  Phone:  334-222-5327

  ***********************************************************************
  ***********************************************************************

Document: summ0201.htm
Updated: 27th December 2006

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