Tropical cyclones in 2020
| Tropical cyclones in 2020 | |
|---|---|
 Year summary map | |
| Year boundaries | |
| First system | Blake |
| Formed | January 4, 2020 |
| Strongest system | |
| Name | Damien 1 |
| Lowest pressure | 955 mbar (hPa); 28.44 inHg |
| Longest lasting system | |
| Name | Esther |
| Duration | 14 days |
| Year statistics | |
| Total systems | 27 |
| Named systems | 16 |
| Total fatalities | 38 total, 3 missing |
| Total damage | $30.11 million (2020 USD) |
Throughout 2020, tropical cyclones will form within seven different tropical cyclone basins, which are located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year a total of 26 tropical cyclones have developed, with 15 of these being named by the appropriate warning centre. Tropical cyclones are primarily monitored by a group of ten warning centres, which have been designated as a Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) or a Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC) by the World Meteorological Organisation. These are the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Central Pacific Hurricane Center, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Météo-France, Indonesia's Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Papua New Guinea's National Weather Service, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) as well as New Zealand's MetService. Other notable warning centres include the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).
Global atmospheric and hydrological conditions
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2020) |
Summary
Systems
January
During January, no tropical cyclones developed within the Northern Hemisphere, while 10 systems existed within the Southern Hemisphere. Six of these systems were named and had gale force winds, while two of these named storms developed hurricane-force winds and were classified as Severe tropical cyclones. As the month opened, both Tropical Cyclones Calvinia and Sarai were weakening and gradually dissipated over the next few days. Tropical Cyclone Blake subsequently became the first named storm of the year and made two landfalls in the Kimberley Region, bringing heavy rainfall throughout the region. Adding on, Cyclone Tino brought considerable damage throughout the South Pacific in the middle portion of the month, and a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone formed, named Subtropical Storm Kurumí, becoming the first of its kind to be named in January later on in the month.
| Storm name | Dates active | Max wind km/h (mph) |
Pressure (hPa) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blake | January 4 – 11 | 75 (45) | 986 | Western Australia | Minor | None | |
| Claudia | January 4 – 17 | 150 (90) | 969 | Eastern Indonesia, Top End, Kimberley | None | None | |
| Tino | January 11 – 20 | 120 (75) | 970 | Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Samoan Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga | $5.83 million | 2 missing | |
| 05 | January 19 – 23 | 55 (35) | 999 | None | None | None | |
| Diane | January 22 – 26 | 95 (60) | 980 | Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion | Unknown | 31 | |
| Kurumí | January 23 – 25 | 65 (40) | 998 | São Paulo | None | 3 (1 missing) | |
| Esami | January 23 – 26 | 75 (45) | 993 | Rodrigues | None | None | |
| TL | January 23 – 30 | Unspecified | 998 | Northern Territory, Queensland | None | None | |
| 05F | January 24 – 26 | Unspecified | 1003 | Samoan Islands | None | None | |
| TL | January 31 – February 4 | Unspecified | 1007 | Christmas Island, Cocos Island | None | None |
February
The month of February saw 13 tropical cyclones develop, with eight being named. Cyclone Damien became the first storm of the month, impacting the Pilbara Region of Western Australia as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Cyclone Uesi also impacted the east coast of Australia and New Caledonia, killing 1 person. Later in the month, activity increased in the South Pacific with Cyclones Vicky and Wasi forming, bringing heavy rain to the Samoan Islands. Consequently, activity also increased in the Australian basin with Cyclone Esther and Ferdinand forming, with Ferdinand peaking as a high-end Category 2 hurricane and becoming the strongest of the month.
| Storm name | Dates active | Max wind km/h (mph) |
Pressure (hPa) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damien | February 2 – 11 | 170 (105) | 955 | Northern Australia, Kimberley | Moderate | None | |
| Uesi | February 3 – 15 | 120 (75) | 970 | Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, New South Wales, South East Queensland | Minor | 1 | |
| Francisco | February 3 – 15 | 80 (50) | 994 | Madagascar | Minor | 1 | |
| TL | February 6 – 8 | Unspecified | 1007 | Cocos Islands | None | None | |
| TL | February 13 | Unspecified | 1009 | None | None | None | |
| Gabekile | February 14 – 19 | 130 (80) | 976 | None | None | None | |
| 07F | February 14 – 21 | Unspecified | 998 | Tuvalu, American Samoa, Tokelau | None | None | |
| TL | February 15 – 17 | Unspecified | 1002 | Solomon Islands | None | None | |
| 08F | February 17 – 18 | 65 (40) | 994 | American Samoa, Niue | None | None | |
| Vicky | February 19 - 22 | 85 (50) | 988 | Samoan Islands, Niue | None | None | |
| Wasi | February 21 – 23 | 85 (50) | 990 | Wallis and Futuna, Samoan Islands | None | None | |
| Esther | February 21 - March 5 | 75 (45) | 988 | Far North Queensland, Northern Territory, Kimberley | None | None | |
| Ferdinand | February 22 – March 4 | 175 (110) | 960 | Lesser Sunda Islands | None | None |
March
March has currently seen three tropical cyclones form, with two being named.
| Storm name | Dates active | Max wind km/h (mph) |
Pressure (hPa) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL | March 9 – 14 | 75 (45) | 999 | Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara Western Australia | None | None | |
| Gretel | March 10 – 17 | 100 (65) | 980 | Top End, New Guinea, Queensland, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, New Zealand | None | None | |
| Herold | March 12 – Present | 185 (115) | 957 | Madagascar, Tromelin Island | None | None |
Global effects
| Season name | Areas affected | Systems formed | Named storms | Damage (USD) | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Atlantic hurricane season | None | 0 | 0 | None | None |
| 2020 Pacific hurricane season | None | 0 | 0 | None | None |
| 2020 Pacific typhoon season 3 | None | 0 | 0 | None | None |
| 2020 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | None | 0 | 0 | None | None |
| 2019–20 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season 2 | Madagascar, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Tromelin Island | 8 | 5 | $25 million | 31 |
| 2019–20 Australian region cyclone season 2 | Western Australia, Eastern Indonesia, Top End, Kimberley | 11 | 5 | None | None |
| 2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season 2 | Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Tokelau, American Samoa | 7 | 4 | $5.11 million | 3 |
| 2020 South Atlantic tropical cyclone season | São Paulo | 1 | 1 | None | 3 |
| Worldwide | (See above) | 27[a] | 16 | $30.11 million | 37[b] |
- ^ The sum of the number of systems in each basin will not equal the number shown as the total. This is because when systems move between basins, it creates a discrepancy in the actual number of systems.
- ^ The sum of the number of fatalities in each basin will not equal the number shown as the total. This is because when systems move between basins, it creates a discrepancy in the actual number of fatalities.
Notes
1The "strength" of a tropical cyclone is measured by the minimum barometric pressure, not wind speed. Most meteorological organizations rate the intensity of a storm by this figure, so the lower the minimum pressure of the storm, the more intense or "stronger" it is considered to be. The strongest winds were actually from Herold, at 115mph.
2 Only systems that formed either on or after January 1, 2020 are counted in the seasonal totals.
3 Only systems that formed either before or on December 31, 2020 are counted in the seasonal totals.
4 The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone/basin are based on the IMD Scale which uses 3-minute sustained winds.
5 The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone/basin are based on the Saffir Simpson Scale which uses 1-minute sustained winds.
6The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone are based on Météo-France which uses wind gusts.
See also
- Timeline of tropical cyclones in 2020
- Tropical cyclones by year
- List of earthquakes in 2020
- Tornadoes of 2020
References
External links
Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers
- US National Hurricane Center – North Atlantic, Eastern Pacific
- Central Pacific Hurricane Center – Central Pacific
- Japan Meteorological Agency – NW Pacific
- India Meteorological Department – Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea
- Météo-France – La Reunion – South Indian Ocean from 30°E to 90°E
- Fiji Meteorological Service – South Pacific west of 160°E, north of 25° S
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers
- Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency of Indonesia – South Indian Ocean from 90°E to 141°E, generally north of 10°S
- Australian Bureau of Meteorology (TCWC's Perth, Darwin & Brisbane) – South Indian Ocean & South Pacific Ocean from 90°E to 160°E, generally south of 10°S
- Papua New Guinea National Weather Service – South Pacific Ocean from 141°E to 160°E, generally north of 10°S
- Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited – South Pacific west of 160°E, south of 25°S
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Weather Service.
- Tropical cyclones by year
- 2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- 2020 Pacific hurricane season
- 2020 Pacific typhoon season
- 2020 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
- 2019–20 Australian region cyclone season
- 2020–21 Australian region cyclone season
- 2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season
- 2020–21 South Pacific cyclone season
- 2019–20 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- 2020–21 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- 2020-related lists
- Tropical cyclones in 2020