Cyclones in Vanuatu
Cyclones only occur occasionally in Vanuatu. On average, they happen about 5 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Sanma, Malampa and Tafea.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 Vanuatu in the past 12 months was »Dovi«. It reached a wind speed of up to 65 km/h on February 9, 2022 at 11:00 am local time near Isangel and was 60 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 even measured (category 2).
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Current satellite image of the southwest Pacific Ocean
20.05.2022 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Vanuatu since 2018
Fili: 4th to 9th April 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 April 04th, 2022 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 508 km east of Luganville in Sanma.
Dovi: 9th to 12th February 2022
Wind speed:
max. 165 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 241 km
Air pressure:
below 956 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Tafea
Tafea
Cody: 8th to 15th January 2022
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 333 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On January 11th, 2022 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 447 km west of Isangel in Tafea.
Ruby: 11th to 15th December 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 December 14th, 2021 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 335 km southeast of Isangel in Tafea.
Niran: 1st to 7th March 2021
Wind speed:
max. 256 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 917 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On March 06th, 2021 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 447 km southeast of Isangel in Tafea.
Lucas: 31st January to 4th February 2021
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. On February 03rd, 2021 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 233 km east of Isangel in Tafea.
Bina: 30th January to 1st February 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. On January 31st, 2021 at 5:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 473 km northwest of Sola in Torba.
Yasa: 12th to 19th December 2020
Wind speed:
max. 256 km/h
Diameter:
max. 259 km
Air pressure:
below 914 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On December 14th, 2020 at 8:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 415 km northwest of Port-Vila in Shefa.
Harold: 1st to 11th April 2020
Wind speed:
max. 278 km/h
on land:
max. 244 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 903 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Sanma
Torba
Sanma
Torba
Gretel: 13th to 19th March 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 March 15th, 2020 at 11:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 559 km southeast of Isangel in Tafea.
Uesi: 6th to 17th February 2020
Wind speed:
max. 143 km/h
on land:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 969 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Sanma
Malampa
Sanma
Malampa
Tino: 15th to 20th January 2020
Wind speed:
max. 157 km/h
Diameter:
max. 278 km
Air pressure:
below 956 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On January 15th, 2020 at 11:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 337 km northwest of Sola in Torba.
Rita: 22nd to 29th November 2019
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 630 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On November 27th, 2019 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 165 km northwest of Lakatoro in Malampa.
Oma: 11th to 28th February 2019
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Eye:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 968 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Malampa
Sanma
Malampa
Sanma
Mona: 31st December 2018 to 9th January 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. On January 01st, 2019 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 571 km north of Sola in Torba.
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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