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Southern Hemisphere 2002-2003 Tropical Cyclone Season Review
[Summaries and Track Data] [Prepared by Gary Padgett]

             A REVIEW OF THE 2002-2003 TROPICAL CYCLONE SEASON

                        FOR THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

     Following is a tabular summary of all the tropical depressions
  and tropical cyclones which occurred in the Southern Hemisphere
  between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2003 as reported in the Monthly
  Global Tropical Cyclone Summaries prepared by the author.

    (1) Number - this is the sequential cyclone number assigned by JTWC
        in Hawaii.

    (2) Name - the name (if any) assigned by the responsible Tropical
        Cyclone Warning Centre.  For systems in the South Indian Ocean
        west of 90E and in the Southwest Pacific east of 160E which were
        unnamed, the alphanumeric designator applied by La Reunion or
        Fiji, respectively, is given in this column.

    (3) Dates - range of dates for which tracking information for the 
        cyclone is available in the Global Tropical Cyclone Tracks files
        prepared by the author.  The dates given in most cases refer to
        the time the system was in warning status and generally do not
        include the pre-depression stages of the disturbance.

    (4) Pressure - Lowest central pressure (either estimated or recorded)
        during the lifetime of the cyclone.  An asterisk (*) following
        the pressure indicates the reading was an actual measured
        pressure.   Central pressure is given in millibars, which is
        numerically equivalent to hectopascals.

    (5) MSW 1-min avg - maximum 1-minute average sustained windspeed in 
        knots as assigned by JTWC.  An asterisk (*) following the MSW
        indicates that it was an actual measured value.

    (6) MSW 10-min avg - maximum 10-minute average sustained windspeed
        in knots as assigned by the responsible Tropical Cyclone Warning
        Centre.  An asterisk (*) following the MSW indicates that it was
        an actual measured value.

    (7) Basins - tropical cyclone basins where the cyclone tracked during
        its life:

        SWI - Southwest Indian Ocean - West of 90E
        AUW - Northwest Australia/Southeast Indian Ocean - 90E to 135E
        AUE - Northeast Australia/Coral Sea - 135E to 160E
        SPA - South Pacific Ocean - East of 160E

     A number in parentheses (e.g. (1) ) following an entry refers to
  a note following the entries for the given basin.   A separate table
  is given for each of the four Southern Hemisphere basins.

     Abbreviations for Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres:

  JTWC -    Joint Typhoon Warning Center, formerly on Guam, now at
            Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
  MFR -     Meteo France Reunion (RSMC La Reunion)
  RSMC -    Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre

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

                          SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN

 JTWC    NAME                DATES          CENT    MSW   MSW    BASIN
 NUM                                        PRS   1-MIN 10-MIN
                                            (mb)   (kts) (kts)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 01S  (MFR 01)              05-08 Sep       1000     35    30    SWI
 02S  Atang                 04-13 Nov        997     45    30    SWI
 03S  Boura                 15-23 Nov        968     75    65    SWI
 05S  Crystal               22-30 Dec        956     90    75    SWI
 07S  (MFR 05)              25 Dec-04 Jan    996     30    30    SWI/AUW
 08S  Delfina               30 Dec-01 Jan    984     55    50    SWI
 ---  (MFR 07) (2)          06-12 Jan       1000     --    25    SWI (1)
 09S  Ebula                 07-13 Jan        975     65    60    SWI
 11S  Fari                  23 Jan-01 Feb    984     55    50    SWI
 16S  Gerry                 08-17 Feb        940    105    90    SWI
 17S  Hape                  09-16 Feb        965     80    70    SWI
 18S  Isha                  11-14 Feb        995     45    35    SWI
 19S  Japhet                25 Feb-03 Mar    927    115   100    SWI
 23S  Kalunde               04-16 Mar        905    140   115    SWI
 ---  Luma                  06-12 Apr        985     75    65    SWI (3)
 28S  Manou                 02-10 May        952     75    80    SWI


 NOTES:

 (1) JTWC did not issue any warnings on these systems; hence, there are
     no 1-min avg MSW estimates.

 (2) This system was likely a redevelopment of Delfina, which had moved
     back over the Mozambique Channel from the African mainland.

 (3) System was carried operationally by MFR as a subtropical depression.
     JTWC did not issue any warnings--the 1-min MSW estimates were
     provided by Dr. Karl Hoarau of Cergy-Pontoise University, Paris.
 
 ************************************************************************

               NORTHWEST AUSTRALIA / SOUTHEAST INDIAN OCEAN

 JTWC    NAME                DATES          CENT    MSW   MSW    BASIN
 NUM                                        PRS   1-MIN 10-MIN
                                            (mb)   (kts) (kts)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ---  -----                 19-24 Jan        995     --    45     AUW (1)
 ---  -----                 04-06 Feb        998     --    30     AUW
 14S  Fiona                 04-13 Feb        930    100    95     AUW
 20S  Graham                26 Feb-01 Mar    985     35    40     AUW
 21S  Harriet               02-11 Mar        980     35    45     AUW
 24S  Craig                 07-12 Mar        980     35    55     AUW/AUE
 26S  Inigo                 01-08 Apr        900    140   130     AUW
 ---  -----                 08-11 May       1003     --    25     AUW


 NOTES:

 (1) System was unnamed operationally, but after post-storm analysis was
     upgraded to tropical cyclone status.

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

                     NORTHEAST AUSTRALIA / CORAL SEA

 JTWC    NAME                DATES          CENT    MSW   MSW    BASIN
 NUM                                        PRS   1-MIN 10-MIN
                                            (mb)   (kts) (kts)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ---  -----                 04-16 Jan        995     --    50     AUE (1)
 ---  -----                 28 Feb-01 Mar    997     --    40     AUE (2)
 22P  Erica                 02-16 Mar        915    140   115     AUE/SPA
 ---  Epi                   05-07 Jun        985     --    35     AUE (3)
 ---  -----                 24-26 Jun       1003     --    45     AUE (2)


 NOTES:

 (1) System was determined in post-storm analysis to have reached
     tropical cyclone intensity.

 (2) System was not a true tropical LOW but more hybrid in nature.

 (3) System was named by the Port Moresby, PNG, warning center.  JTWC did
     not issue any warnings on Epi.

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

                          SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN

 JTWC    NAME                DATES          CENT    MSW   MSW    BASIN
 NUM                                        PRS   1-MIN 10-MIN
                                            (mb)   (kts) (kts)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ---  (17F) (3)             03-05 Jul        999     --    25     SPA (1)
 ---  (01F)                 21-22 Oct       1002     --    25     SPA (1)
 04P  Yolande               29 Nov-06 Dec    995     40    35     SPA
 ---  (03F)                 10-20 Dec       1002     --    30     SPA (1)
 06P  Zoe                   23 Dec-01 Jan    890    155   130     SPA
 10P  Ami                   09-15 Jan        950    110    80     SPA
 12P  Beni                  19 Jan-05 Feb    920    125   110     SPA/AUE
 13P  Cilla                 25-30 Jan        995     35    40     SPA
 ---  (08F)                 30 Jan-09 Feb   1001     --    15     SPA (1)
 15P  Dovi                  05-12 Feb        920    130   110     SPA
 ---  -----                 18-21 Feb       1003     --    --     SPA (4)
 ---  (11F)                 06-08 Mar        998     --    --     SPA (5)
 25P  Eseta                 07-14 Mar        930    110    95     SPA
 27P  Fili                  13-15 Apr        987     45    50     SPA (6)
 29P  Gina                  04-09 Jun        950     90    80     SPA


 NOTES:

 (1) JTWC did not issue any warnings on these systems; hence, there are
     no 1-min avg MSW estimates.

 (2) Gales were associated with these systems but were well-removed from
     the center.

 (3) Number assigned by Fiji was the next sequential number for the 2001-
     2002 season.

 (4) No maximum wind estimates were given in the Fiji summaries for this
     system, and it likely was not purely tropical but rather hybrid in
     nature.

 (5) No maximum wind estimates were given in the Fiji summaries for this
     system.

 (6) JTWC issued only one warning on this system, estimating the 1-min
     avg MSW at 35 kts.  The 45-kt value indicated above was based on
     Dvorak ratings of T3.0 from SAB for an 18-hour period following
     JTWC's single warning.

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

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

Document: summ2000-2003.htm
Updated: 27th December 2006

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