Cyclones in Samoa
Cyclones only occur occasionally in Samoa. On average, they happen about 2 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Palauli, Vaisigano and Gagaifomauga.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.
Samoa has certainly been affected by the foothills of several cyclones, but during the past 12 months no cyclone reached the inhabited areas on land.
Other natural hazards in Samoa:
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Back to overview: Samoa
Current satellite image of the south-east Pacific
04.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Samoa since 2018
Zazu: December 13-16, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 100 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 985 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Samoa. On December 14th, 2020 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 227 km south of Gataivai in Palauli.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hihifo in Tonga on December 14th at 2:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hihifo in Tonga on December 14th at 2:00 am.
Zazu: December 12-16, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 704 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Palauli
Palauli
Wasi: February 20-23, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 537 km
Air pressure:
below 975 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Vaisigano
Palauli
Vaisigano
Palauli
Vicky: February 20-24, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 78 km/h
on land:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 759 km
Air pressure:
below 990 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Vaisigano
Gagaifomauga
Aiga-i-le-Tai
Va‘a-o-Fonoti
Vaisigano
Gagaifomauga
Aiga-i-le-Tai
Va‘a-o-Fonoti
Pola: February 25 to March 3, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 180 km/h
Diameter:
max. 204 km
Air pressure:
below 950 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Samoa. On February 26th, 2019 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 253 km east of Asau in Vaisigano.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Mata-Utu in Wallis and Futuna on February 26th at 2:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Mata-Utu in Wallis and Futuna on February 26th at 2:00 am.
Neil: February 9-10, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 69 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 994 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Samoa. On February 9th, 2019 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 370 km southeast of Asau in Vaisigano.
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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