Cyclones in Papua New Guinea
Cyclones only occur occasionally in Papua New Guinea. On average, they happen about 5 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Milne Bay, Gulf Coast and Bougainville.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 Papua New Guinea in the past 12 months was »Gabrielle«. It reached a wind speed of up to 65 km/h on February 8, 2023 at 10:00 am local time near Samarai and was 287 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).
Other natural hazards in Papua New Guinea:
› Volcanoes
› Earthquakes
› Tsunamis
› The most severe cyclones in the world
Back to overview: Papua New Guinea
Current satellite image of the southwest Pacific Ocean
07.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Papua New Guinea since 2018
Gabrielle: February 8-12, 2023
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 165 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1148 km
Air pressure:
below 958 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Tiffany: January 9-15, 2022
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 93 km
Air pressure:
below 986 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 9th, 2022 at 4:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 464 km south of Port Moresby in Gulf Coast.
Tiffany: January 8-17, 2022
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 8th, 2022 at 10:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 276 km south of Port Moresby in Gulf Coast.
Ruby: December 9-15, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Air pressure:
below 977 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On December 9th, 2021 at 10:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 303 km south of Panguna in Bougainville.
Niran: March 1-7, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 256 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Eye:
max. 74 km
Air pressure:
below 917 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On March 3rd, 2021 at 1:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 480 km southeast of Samarai in Milne Bay.
Niran: February 27 to March 7, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
Diameter:
max. 700 km
Eye:
max. 74 km
Air pressure:
below 921 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On March 4th, 2021 at 10:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 248 km south of Samarai in Milne Bay.
Lucas: January 31 to February 4, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 119 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 31st, 2021 at 10:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 323 km southwest of Samarai in Milne Bay.
Lucas: January 29 to February 4, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 115 km/h
on land:
max. 59 km/h
Diameter:
max. 907 km
Air pressure:
below 975 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Gulf Coast
Milne Bay
Gulf Coast
Milne Bay
Lucas: January 27-28, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 37 km/h
Diameter:
max. 574 km
Air pressure:
below 1000 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical depression
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 29th, 2021 at 4:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 373 km southeast of Port Moresby in Gulf Coast.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Cooktown in Australia on January 28th at 10:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Cooktown in Australia on January 28th at 10:00 pm.
Lucas: January 24-27, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 46 km/h
Diameter:
max. 482 km
Air pressure:
below 999 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical depression
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 24th, 2021 at 10:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 696 km southeast of Morehead in Western Province.
Kimi: January 17-19, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 100 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 990 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 17th, 2021 at 10:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 662 km southeast of Samarai in Milne Bay.
Kimi: January 15-19, 2021
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
Diameter:
max. 519 km
Air pressure:
below 990 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 16th, 2021 at 10:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 301 km south of Port Moresby in Gulf Coast.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Cooktown in Australia on January 16th at 4:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Cooktown in Australia on January 16th at 4:00 am.
Harold: April 1-11, 2020
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 278 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Air pressure:
below 903 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Bougainville
Bougainville
Gretel: March 13-19, 2020
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 115 km/h
Diameter:
max. 993 km
Air pressure:
below 971 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On March 13th, 2020 at 10:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 424 km southeast of Samarai in Milne Bay.
Esther: February 22 to March 1, 2020
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 204 km
Air pressure:
below 992 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On February 22nd, 2020 at 4:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 582 km southeast of Morehead in Western Province.
Esther: February 21 to March 4, 2020
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 87 km/h
Diameter:
max. 963 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On February 22nd, 2020 at 4:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 359 km southeast of Morehead in Western Province.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Nhulunbuy in Australia on February 22nd at 4:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Nhulunbuy in Australia on February 22nd at 4:00 pm.
Claudia: January 4-19, 2020
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 152 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Air pressure:
below 963 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Papua New Guinea. On January 7th, 2020 at 1:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 221 km southeast of Morehead in Western Province.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Nhulunbuy in Australia on January 6th at 4:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Nhulunbuy in Australia on January 6th at 4:00 pm.
Ann: May 10-18, 2019
Region:
Eastern 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 Papua New Guinea. On May 15th, 2019 at 10:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 321 km south of Morehead in Western Province.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Weipa in Australia on May 15th at 4:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Weipa in Australia on May 15th at 4:00 pm.
Trevor: March 14-25, 2019
Region:
Eastern Australia
Wind speed:
max. 204 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 167 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 948 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Milne Bay
Milne Bay
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.
The most severe earthquakes in the world
Climate and temperature development in Austria
Public holidays in Japan 2023-2027