Cyclones on Norfolk Island
Cyclones only occur occasionally on Norfolk Island. On average, they happen about 3 times a year. The hardest hit cities are Kingston.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 on Norfolk Island in the past 12 months was »Gabrielle«. It reached a wind speed of up to 111 km/h on February 11, 2023 at 6:00 pm local time near Kingston and was 69 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 165 km/h were measured (category 2).
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Back to overview: Norfolk Island
Current satellite image of the southwest Pacific Ocean
04.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones on Norfolk Island since 2018
Gabrielle: February 8-12, 2023
Wind speed:
max. 165 km/h
on land:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1148 km
Air pressure:
below 958 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Most Affected Cities
Kingston
Kingston
Hale: January 6-8, 2023
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
on land:
max. 72 km/h
Diameter:
max. 759 km
Air pressure:
below 992 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Most Affected Cities
Kingston
Kingston
Fili: April 4-9, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 100 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 989 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On April 8th, 2022 at 11:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 272 km north of Kingston.
Dovi: February 9-12, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 165 km/h
Diameter:
max. 241 km
Air pressure:
below 956 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On February 12th, 2022 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 151 km east of Kingston.
Dovi: February 7-12, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 167 km/h
Air pressure:
below 942 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On February 12th, 2022 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 184 km east of Kingston.
Ruby: December 11-15, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On December 15th, 2021 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 521 km northwest of Kingston.
Ruby: December 9-15, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Air pressure:
below 977 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On December 15th, 2021 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 591 km northwest of Kingston.
Niran: March 1-7, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 256 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 917 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On March 7th, 2021 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 516 km northwest of Kingston.
Niran: February 27 to March 7, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
Diameter:
max. 700 km
Air pressure:
below 921 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On March 7th, 2021 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 221 km north of Kingston.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Vao in New Caledonia on March 7th at 12:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Vao in New Caledonia on March 7th at 12:00 am.
Gretel: March 13-19, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 115 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 971 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On March 16th, 2020 at 12:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 182 km northwest of Kingston.
Gretel: March 13-19, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 115 km/h
on land:
max. 96 km/h
Diameter:
max. 993 km
Air pressure:
below 971 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Most Affected Cities
Kingston
Kingston
Oma: February 11-28, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Air pressure:
below 968 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall on Norfolk Island. On February 24th, 2019 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 356 km northeast of Kingston.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Noum in New Caledonia on February 25th at 5:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Noum in New Caledonia on February 25th at 5:00 am.
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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