Track map of all the tropical depressions monitored by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the Naval Western Oceanography Center during the season
The
1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season was a below-average season with only two
tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific to the east of
160°E.[A 1] The season officially ran from November 1, 1994, to April 30, 1995 with the first disturbance of the season forming on November 12 and the last disturbance dissipating on March 17.[A 2] This is the period of the year when most tropical cyclones form within the South Pacific Ocean.[1]
During the season there was no one killed from tropical disturbances whilst they were within the South Pacific. Cyclone Vania helped end a long dry spell in
Vanuatu and caused minor damage to crops and houses in the country.[2] Cyclone William caused damage to crops, trees, and housing in the
Southern Cook Islands and destroyed a causeway to a resort on
Aitutaki.[2] As a result of the impacts caused by William, the name was retired from the
tropical cyclone naming lists.[1]
Within the South Pacific, tropical cyclones were monitored by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWC) in
Nadi, Fiji, and in
Wellington, New Zealand. Whilst tropical cyclones that moved to the west of 160°E were monitored as a part of the Australian region by the Australian
Bureau of Meteorology. Both the United States
Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the Naval Western Oceanography Center (NWOC) issued unofficial warnings within the southern Pacific. The JTWC issued warnings between
160°E and the
International Date Line whilst the NWOC issued warnings for tropical cyclones forming between the International Date Line and the coasts of the Americas. Both warning centres designated tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix with numbers assigned in order to tropical cyclones developing within the whole of the Southern Hemisphere. TCWC Nadi and TCWC Wellington both use the
Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, and measure windspeeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC and the NWOC measured sustained winds over a period of one minute and use the
Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.
This timeline includes information from post-storm reviews by TCWC Nadi, TCWC Wellington, the JTWC, and the NWOC. It documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. Reports among warning centers often differ; as such, information from all three agencies has been included.
Timeline of storms
All data for the timeline graphic is taken from TCWC Nadi/TCWC Wellington.
November
November 1
0000 UTC, (1200 FST) – The 1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season officially begins.[1][A 3][A 4][A 5]
November 10
1800 UTC, (0600 FST, November 11) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Depression 01P has formed 1180
km (735
mi) north of
Port Vila, Vanuatu.[3]
November 12
1200 UTC, (0000 FST, November 13) - TCWC Nadi designates Tropical Depression 01P as a tropical depression..[4]
November 13
0600 UTC, (1800 FST) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Depression 01P has intensified into a tropical storm.[3]
November 14
0000 UTC, (1200 FST) – TCWC Nadi reports that Tropical Depression 01P has intensified into a category 1 tropical cyclone and names it Vania.[4]
0000 UTC, (1200 FST) – TCWC Nadi reports that Tropical Cyclone Vania (01P), has intensified into a category 2 tropical cyclone.[4]
1200 UTC, (0000 FST, November 16) – TCWC Nadi reports that Tropical Cyclone Vania (01P), has reached its peak 10-minute sustained winds of 100
km/h (65
mph).[4]
1200 UTC, (0000 FST, November 16) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Storm Vania (01P), has reached its peak 1-minute sustained winds of 115 km/h (70 mph).[3]
November 16
1200 UTC, (0000 FST, November 17) – TCWC Nadi reports that Tropical Cyclone Vania (01P), has weakened into a category 1 tropical cyclone.[4]
November 17
1800 UTC, (0600 FST, November 18) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Storm Vania (01P), has weakened into a tropical depression.[3]
November 18
0000 UTC, (1200 FST) – TCWC Nadi reports that Tropical Cyclone Vania (01P), has weakened into a tropical depression and dissipated.[4]
November 19
0600 UTC, (1800 FST) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Depression Vania (01P), has dissipated.[3]
December
Image of Tropical Storm 04P on December 16.
December 13
0600 UTC, (1800 FST) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Depression 04P has formed 775 km (480 mi) east of
Honiara in the
Solomon Islands.[5]
December 15
1200 UTC, (0000 FST, December 16) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Depression 04P has intensified into a tropical storm. Simultaneously, they report that the storm has reached its peak intensity of 65 km/h (40 mph).[5]
December 16
1800 UTC, (0600 FST, December 17) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Storm 04P has weakened into a tropical depression.[5]
December 17
0000 UTC, (1200 FST) – The JTWC reports that Tropical Depression 04P has dissipated.[5]
Notes
^An average season has nine tropical cyclones, about half of which become severe tropical cyclones.
^TCWC Nadi warned on systems in the South Pacific which is located from the
equator to 25°S and from 160°E to 120°W. TCWC Wellington warns on systems from 25°S to 40°S and from 160°E to 120°W