2003–04 South Pacific cyclone season

Infobox hurricane season
Basin=SPac
Year=2004
Track=2003-2004 South Pacific cyclone season summary.jpg
First storm formed=January 2, 2004
Last storm dissipated=March 23 2004
Strongest storm name=Heta
Strongest storm pressure=915
Strongest storm winds=115
Average wind speed=10
Total depressions=15
Total storms=
Total hurricanes=3
Total intense=
Fatalities=
Da

Inflated=
five seasons=2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06The 2003-04 South Pacific cyclone season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It began on November 1, 2003 and ended on April 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the southern Pacific Ocean east of 160°E. Additionally, the regional tropical cyclone operational plan defines a "tropical cyclone year" separately from a "tropical cyclone season", and the "tropical cyclone year" runs from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004.http://www.wmo.ch/web/www/TCP/OperationPlans/TCP24-English2004.pdf]

Tropical cyclones between 160°E and 120°W and north of 25°S are monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service in Nadi. Those that move south of 25°S are monitored by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Wellington, New Zealand.

__TOC__

torms

Tropical Depression 01F

Existed between December 5 and December 6. [ [http://www.australiansevereweather.com/cyclones/2004/summ0312.htm Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary December 2003 ] ]

evere Tropical Cyclone Heta

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=SPac

---

Track=Heta 2004 track.pngFormed=January 2
Dissipated=January 8
10-min winds=115
1-min winds=140
Pressure=915Cyclone Heta developed in the South Pacific Ocean and reached cyclone-force winds on January 1, 2004. It struck the island of Niue with a much more direct blow on January 6. Heta's eyewall hit Niue almost exactly at the height of the storm's power. It caused extensive property damage throughout the island, and two people were killed. Efforts to rebuild from the storm in Niue lasted almost the entire year of 2004.

Heta caused American Samoa to declare a state of emergency (officially a "Declaration of Emergency" in American Samoan law) on January 7, and even though officially the storm never made landfall there, it necessitated the emergency evacuation of 140 people and was responsible for property damage.cite web|url=https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/2004atcr/|title=Summary of South Pacific and South Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones|accessdate=2007-12-02|work=2004 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report|publisher=Joint Typhoon Warning Center]

The nation of Tonga was also affected by Heta, as the winds swept away trees that were needed for the country's food supply. However, Tonga did not receive a direct hit or suffer such extensive loss as Niue.

evere Tropical Cyclone Ivy

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=SPac

---

Track=Ivy 2004 track.pngFormed=February 23
Dissipated=February 28
10-min winds=90
1-min winds=105
Pressure=935Numbered 05F. Existed between February 21 and February 29. Caused heavy damage in Vanuatu. [ [http://www.australiansevereweather.com/cyclones/2004/summ0402.htm Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary February 2004 ] ]

Tropical Depression 06F

Formed on March 20, dumped heavy rainfall in Vanuatu. [http://www.australiansevereweather.com/cyclones/2004/summ0403.htm Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary March 2004 ] ]

Tropical Cyclone Grace

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=SPac

---

Track=Grace 2004 track.pngFormed=March 21
Dissipated=March 23
10-min winds=50
1-min winds=35
Pressure=985Entered the region from the west on March 23, became extratropical the next day.cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/silo/cyclones.cgi|title=Tropical Cyclone Information for Australia and Southern Hemisphere|accessdate=2007-12-02|work=Australia - East/2003-04|publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology] Designated as 07F by Nadi.

Tropical Depression 08F

Existed between March 28 and April 1.

Tropical Depression 09F

Existed between April 1 and April 3. [http://www.australiansevereweather.com/cyclones/2004/summ0404.htm Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary April 2004 ] ]

Tropical Depression 10F

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=SPac
Formed=April 6
Dissipated=April 9
10-min winds=32
1-min winds=35
Pressure=995Existed between April 6 and April 9. The storm was given the number 22P by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. It was responsible for causing severe flooding to Fiji and at least ten deaths. [http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/200604/mcinerney.pdf The South Pacific and southeast Indian Ocean tropical cyclone season 2003-04] ]

Tropical Depression 11F

Existed on April 7.

Tropical Depression 12F

Formed on April 7, later caused severe flooding in Fiji.

Tropical Depression 13F

Originated from the west in Brisbane's area of responsibility, drifted into the region for a while, and moved west again.

Tropical Disturbance 14F

Existed between April 18 and April 19.

Tropical Distubrance 15F

Existed for a few days until April 24.

torm names

Non-frontal low pressure systems of synoptic scale developing over warm waters are named whenever surface observations and/or Dvorak intensity analysis indicates the presence of gale force or stronger winds near the centre. Unlike the Atlantic standard, an unnamed tropical system may have gales in one or more quadrants but not near the centre.

Tropical cyclones forming between 160°E and 120°W are assigned names by the Fiji Meteorological Service. If a tropical cyclone forms in Wellington's area of responsibility, south of 25°S, the cyclone will still be given a name from the Fiji list. [ [http://www.australiansevereweather.com/cyclones/2007/summ0609.htm Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary September 2006 ] ] No tropical cyclone has ever been observed in the South Pacific Ocean east of 120°W, [ [https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/best_tracks/shindex.html JTWC Best Track Data ] ] and if one forms in the future, it is unclear how it will be handled.

Names used in the South Pacific are used sequentially, unlike lists used in the Atlantic Ocean and east Pacific Ocean by the National Hurricane Centre. Only the names used during this cyclone season are listed below. The complete list of names are found in the World Meteorological Organization's [http://www.wmo.ch/web/www/TCP/FactShtTCNames1July05.pdf official list] .

*Heta
*Ivy

Note also that Cyclone Grace entered the region from the Coral Sea in the Australian basin.

ee also

*List of Southern Hemisphere cyclone seasons
*Atlantic hurricane seasons: 2003, 2004
*Pacific hurricane seasons: 2003, 2004
*Pacific typhoon seasons: 2003, 2004
*North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2003, 2004

References

External links

* [http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/200604/mcinerney.pdf 2003-04 Season from Australian Meteorological Magazine]
* [http://www.met.gov.fj/documents/TC_Seasonal_Summary_03-041190690475.pdf RSMC Nadi Tropical Cyclone Season 2003-2004]
* [https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.html Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)] .
* [http://www.met.gov.fj/advisories.html Fiji Meteorological Service (RSMC Nadi)] .
* [http://www.metservice.co.nz/forecasts/index.asp Meteorological Service of New Zealand, Ltd. (TCWC Wellington)] .
* [http://www.wmo.int/index-en.html World Meteorological Organization]