Cyclones in Tuvalu
Cyclones only occur occasionally in Tuvalu. On average, they happen about 2 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Nui and Nukufetau.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.
Tuvalu has certainly been affected by the foothills of several cyclones, but during the past 12 months no cyclone reached the inhabited areas on land.
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Back to overview: Tuvalu
Current satellite image of the south-east Pacific
08.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Tuvalu since 2018
Bina: January 30 to February 1, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Tuvalu. On January 31st, 2021 at 6:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 589 km southeast of Tanrake Village in Nui.
Bina: January 29 to February 1, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 704 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Tuvalu. On January 31st, 2021 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 527 km southeast of Tanrake Village in Nui.
Tino: January 15-20, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 157 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 963 km
Air pressure:
below 956 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Nui
Nukufetau
Nui
Nukufetau
Sarai: December 24, 2019 to January 2, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 971 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Tuvalu. On December 25th, 2019 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 136 km southeast of Tanrake Village in Nui.
Mona: December 31, 2018 to January 9, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 985 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Tuvalu. On January 2nd, 2019 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 78 km southeast of Tanrake Village in Nui.
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.