TROPICAL CYCLONE activity (2nd Quarter SUMMARY)

The PEAC archives western North Pacific tropical cyclone numbers, track coordinates, and 1-minute average maximum sustained wind taken from operational warnings issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) of the U. S. Air Force and Navy, located at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Western North Pacific tropical cyclone names are obtained from warnings issued by the Japanese Meteorology Agency (JMA), which is the World Meteorological Organization's Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) for the western North Pacific basin. The PEAC archives South Pacific tropical cyclone names, track coordinates, central pressure, and 10-minute average maximum sustained wind estimates from advisories issued by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers at Brisbane, Nadi, and Wellington. The numbering scheme and the 1-minute average maximum sustained wind estimates are taken from warnings issued by the JTWC. There are sometimes differences in the statistics (e.g., storm maximum intensity) for a given tropical cyclone among the agencies that are noted in this summary.

For purposes of seasonal statistics, the JTWC archives Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone activity for 2006 within the period July 2005 through June 2006. The JTWC annual total of tropical cyclones in the southern hemisphere for this past Southern Hemisphere cyclone season was 23, which is 5 below the normal annual total of 28. Ten of the cyclones reached hurricane status. By Ocean basin: there were 15 cyclones in the South Indian Ocean and 8 cyclones in the South Pacific. Cyclone Monica (23P) was the final cyclone of the Southern Hemisphere season, and reached an astonishing intensity of 155 kt sustained 1-minute wind speed as it tracked westward offshore the northern coastline of Australia’s Northern Territory. TC Monica was the strongest tropical cyclone on record to affect Australia’s Northern Territory. Monica's estimated maximum intensity was stronger than TC Tracy in 1974, TC Neville in 1992 and TC Ingrid in 2005. Monica was an unusual late season tropical cyclone and was the only cyclone to affect the NT area of responsibility in the 2005/06 season. A month earlier in March 2006, Cyclone Larry made landfall along the northeast coast of Australia near the town of Innisfail. Larry was a major cyclone earning the highest Category 5 intensity classification by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.  

In the the North Indian Ocean and western North Pacific Ocean, there were 7 tropical cyclones during the first half of 2006: 1 in the Arabian Sea (TC 01A), 2 in the Bay of Bengal (TC 02B and TC 03B), and 4 in the western North Pacific (Tropical Storm 01W, Typhoon Chanchu (02W), Tropical Strom 03W, and Super Typhoon Ewiniar (04W)). Tropical Storm 01W and Tropical Storm 03W were not named by the JMA. Super Typhoon Ewiniar was first numbered by the JTWC on 30 June, but was later named by the JMA on 02 July. It became a super typhoon over water well northwest of Yap on July 5 th. Ewiniar affected Yap (see local summary in Yap Section). Shortly after Ewiniar formed in Micronesia, very large Tropical Storm Bilis (TC 05W) formed south of Guam. Moderately heavy rains were experienced throughout Guam, the CNMI, Yap and Palau as Bilis moved through this region of Micronesia (see further discussions of the impact of Bilis in the local summaries). The western North Pacific typically experiences 5 or 6 numbered tropical cyclones through June of the calendar year. Early season tropical cyclone activity in the western North Pacific is enhanced during El Niño years, and suppressed in the years that follow El Niño. During La Niña, basin-wide tropical cyclone numbers may be near normal, but the activity is typically shifted to the west.

In May 2006, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center forecasted a slightly below average tropical cyclone season (June 1—Nov. 30th) with 2 or 3 tropical cyclones in the central Pacific basin. Thus far, Hurricane Daniel is the only tropical cyclone within the Central Pacific basin (140ºW to 180ºW). In late July, the remnants of Hurricane Daniel brought some gusty winds and heavy rainfall (2-5 inches) to areas of Maui and the Island of Hawaii.