Cyclones in East Timor
Cyclones only occur occasionally in Timor-Leste. On average, they happen about 4 times a year. The hardest hit cities are Pante Makasar and Lospalos.The typical cyclone season depends on the summer monsoon. In the months before (May to June) and after (October to November), the most severe storms occur.
The most severe cyclone to make landfall in Timor-Leste in the past 12 months was »Ilsa«. It reached a wind speed of up to 69 km/h on April 9, 2023 at 6:00 am local time near Viqueque and was 176 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical storm cyclone. On the open sea, speeds of up to 237 km/h were measured (category 4).
Other natural hazards in East Timor:
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Back to overview: Timor-Leste
Current satellite image of the western Pacific
30.05.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in East Timor since 2018
Ilsa: April 8-13, 2023
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 237 km/h
on land:
max. 69 km/h
Diameter:
max. 704 km
Air pressure:
below 929 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Most Affected Cities
Lospalos
Viqueque
Lospalos
Viqueque
Ellie: December 22, 2022
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 72 km/h
Diameter:
max. 93 km
Air pressure:
below 994 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On December 22nd, 2022 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 588 km southwest of Lospalos.
Ellie: December 22, 2022 to January 6, 2023
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 72 km/h
Diameter:
max. 963 km
Air pressure:
below 990 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On December 22nd, 2022 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 214 km southwest of Lospalos.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Darwin in Australia on December 22nd at 3:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Darwin in Australia on December 22nd at 3:00 pm.
Anika: February 25 to March 3, 2022
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 100 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On February 25th, 2022 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 410 km south of Viqueque.
Anika: February 24 to March 4, 2022
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Air pressure:
below 978 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On February 25th, 2022 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 420 km south of Viqueque.
Seth: December 23, 2021 to January 7, 2022
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
Air pressure:
below 982 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On December 24th, 2021 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 328 km west of Lospalos.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Darwin in Australia on December 26th at 3:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Darwin in Australia on December 26th at 3:00 am.
Seroja: April 4-12, 2021
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 167 km
Air pressure:
below 972 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On April 4th, 2021 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 130 km southeast of Pante Makasar.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kupang in Indonesia on April 4th at 9:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kupang in Indonesia on April 4th at 9:00 pm.
Seroja: April 2-12, 2021
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 741 km
Air pressure:
below 968 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Most Affected Cities
Pante Makasar
Pante Makasar
Marian: February 21 to March 9, 2021
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 180 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1185 km
Air pressure:
below 954 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On February 23rd, 2021 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 364 km south of Suai.
Claudia: January 4-19, 2020
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 152 km/h
on land:
max. 102 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Air pressure:
below 963 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Most Affected Cities
Suai
Pante Makasar
Suai
Pante Makasar
Blake: January 4-10, 2020
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 96 km/h
Diameter:
max. 907 km
Air pressure:
below 986 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On January 4th, 2020 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 565 km southeast of Pante Makasar.
Ann: May 10-18, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 204 km
Air pressure:
below 989 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On May 18th, 2019 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 251 km west of Lospalos.
Lili: May 6-11, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
on land:
max. 50 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Most Affected Cities
Lospalos
Lospalos
Wallace: April 3-13, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 648 km
Air pressure:
below 992 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On April 6th, 2019 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 209 km south of Suai.
Veronica: March 18-30, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 235 km/h
on land:
max. 59 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Air pressure:
below 927 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Most Affected Cities
Pante Makasar
Suai
Pante Makasar
Suai
Riley: January 22 to February 5, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 970 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in East Timor. On January 22nd, 2019 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 210 km south of Suai.
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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