1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 3 – January 9 (Exited basin)
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min) 965 hPa (mbar)

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	December 27 – December 31
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min) 980 hPa (mbar)

1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season
1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season
	Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	December 27, 1978
Last system dissipated	April 17, 1979
Strongest storm
Name	Meli
• Maximum winds	155 km/h (100 mph); (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	945 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions	9
Tropical cyclones	6 official, 2 unofficial
Severe tropical cyclones	2
Total fatalities	Unknown
Total damage	Unknown
Related articles
	1978–79 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season; 1978–79 Australian region cyclone season;
	South Pacific tropical cyclone seasons; 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83

The 1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season ran year-round from July 1 to June 30. Tropical cyclone activity in the Southern Hemisphere reaches its peak from mid-February to early March.

Systems

Tropical Cyclone Fay

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gordon

Gordon developed on January 3 and left the basin on January 9.

Tropical Cyclone Henry

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	January 29 – February 5
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min) 980 hPa (mbar)

Henry existed from January 29 to February 5.

Tropical Storm 11P

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
File:Cyclone 11P on February 4th.png
Duration	February 3 (Entered basin) – February 6 (Exited basin)
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (1-min) 991 hPa (mbar)

This storm moved in the circular path, entering the basin on February 3 and returning to the Australian region on February 6.

Tropical Cyclone Kerry

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
File:Cyclone Kerry nearing the Solomon Islands on February 14th.png
Duration	February 13 – February 15 (Exited basin)
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min) 980 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Kerry has the distinction of being the longest lived cyclone in the Australian region. It formed on February 13, 1979, and caused severe damage in the Solomon Islands. It then tracked across the Coral Sea making landfall near Mackay, Queensland on March 1 and dissipated on March 6. Its lowest pressure was 955hPa.^[1]

Tropical Cyclone Leslie

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
File:Cyclone Leslie on February 22nd.png
Duration	February 21 – February 23
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min) 980 hPa (mbar)

Leslie existed from February 21 to February 23.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Meli

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)

Duration	March 24 – March 31
Peak intensity	155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min) 945 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Meli struck eastern Fiji on March 25. The island of Nayau suffered a direct hit and passed close to the islands of Lakeba and Cicia. Fiji suffered tremendous crop losses as a result of the storm.^[2]^[3]

On March 27, 1979, Cyclone Meli brushed Fiji at peak intensity, causing substantial damage to the island. At least 50 people were killed by the storm.^[4] Cyclone Meli had previously passed through Tuvalu damaging Funafuti atoll.

Tropical Storm 23P

Tropical storm (SSHWS)

Duration	March 30 – April 3
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min) 995 hPa (mbar)

This storm existed from March 30 to April 3.

Seasonal effects

Name	Dates	Peak intensity			Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Name	Dates	Category	Wind speed	Pressure	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Fay	December 27 – 31	Category 2 tropical cyclone	100 km/h (65 mph)	980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
Gordon	January 3 – 9	Category 3 severe tropical cyclone	130 km/h (80 mph)	965 hPa (28.50 inHg)
Henry	January 29 – February 5	Category 2 tropical cyclone	100 km/h (65 mph)	980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
Kerry	February 13 – 15	Category 2 tropical cyclone	100 km/h (65 mph)	980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
Leslie	February 21 – 23	Category 2 tropical cyclone	100 km/h (65 mph)	980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
Meli	March 24 – 30	Category 3 severe tropical cyclone	155 km/h (100 mph)	945 hPa (27.91 inHg)
Season aggregates
			155 km/h (100 mph)	945 hPa (27.91 inHg)

References

^ Bureau of Meteorology (1992). Climate of Queensland, Commonwealth of Australia ISBN 978-0-644-24331-5
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). gns.cri.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ www.basedn.freeserve.co.uk https://web.archive.org/web/20080828040812/http://www.basedn.freeserve.co.uk/cyclone.htm. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ Staff Writer (May 26, 2000). "The British Association for Immediate Care: Cyclone". The British Association for Immediate Care. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2009.

External links

[BOM1992-1] Bureau of Meteorology (1992). Climate of Queensland, Commonwealth of Australia ISBN 978-0-644-24331-5

[2] "Archived copy" (PDF). gns.cri.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[3] www.basedn.freeserve.co.uk https://web.archive.org/web/20080828040812/http://www.basedn.freeserve.co.uk/cyclone.htm. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[4] Staff Writer (May 26, 2000). "The British Association for Immediate Care: Cyclone". The British Association for Immediate Care. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2009.

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