1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season
The 1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season was one of the least active South Pacific tropical cyclone season's on record, with only two tropical cyclones officially occurring within the South Pacific Ocean basin between 160°E and 120°W. The season ran from November 1, 1994, until April 30, 1995, with the first disturbance of the season developing on November 12 and the last disturbance dissipating on March 17. The most intense tropical cyclone during the season was Tropical Cyclone William, which affected the Cook Islands. After the season the name William was retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists.
During the season, tropical cyclones were officially monitored by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers in Nadi, Fiji, Wellington, New Zealand and Brisbane, Australia. Throughout the season the United States Navy also monitored the basin and issued unofficial warnings, through its Joint Typhoon Warning Center and Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center. Tropical cyclones that were located between the Equator and 25S were monitored by TCWC Nadi while any that were located to the south of 25S were monitored by TCWC Wellington. During the season the JTWC issued warnings on any tropical cyclone that was located between 160°E and 180° while the NPMOC issued warnings for tropical cyclones forming between 180° and the American coast. TCWC Nadi, Wellington and Brisbane all used the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, and measured windspeeds over a 10-minute period, while the JTWC and the NPMOC measured sustained windspeeds over a 1-minute period.
Seasonal summary
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The season was one of the most inactive tropical cyclone seasons on record, with only two tropical cyclones officially occurring within the South Pacific Ocean basin between 160°E and 120°W. The first tropical depression of the season developed out of an area of convection on November 12 to the northeast of Vanuatu, before it was named Vania on November 14 after it had become a category one tropical cyclone. The cyclone went on to end a long dry spell in Vanuatu, before it last noted on November 19 to the west of Port Vila, Vanuatu.The basin remained quiet until December 13, when Tropical Depression 04P developed to the east of the Solomon Islands, before going on to affect Fiji and Tonga. During the final days of 1994, Tropical Cyclone William developed to the northeast of American Samoa. Throughout its lifetime, William moved southeast and affected parts of French Polynesia and the Cook Islands before becoming extratropical on January 3. After William left the basin on January 5, the basin remained quiet until March 16, when Tropical Depression 18P developed near Fiji, before dissipating during the next day.
After the season had ended, the name William was retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists, while in June 1995, the World Meteorological Organization made TCWC Nadi a Regional Specialized Meteorological Center.
Systems
Tropical Cyclone Vania
On November 12, TCWC Nadi reported that a tropical depression had developed within a persistent area of convection, that was located about to the northeast of Port Vila, Vanuatu. Over the next couple of days the depression gradually developed further as it started to move towards the southwest, before the JTWC started to issue warnings on it during November 13 and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 01P after it had become equivalent to a tropical storm. Early on November 14, as the system passed near the Solomon Island of Tikopia, TCWC Nadi reported that the system had become a category one tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, and named it as Vania. During that day as it continued to move towards the south — southwest and intensify, it started to affect Vanautu with storm force windspeeds and heavy rain which helped break a long dry spell in Vanuatu.Early on November 15, TCWC Nadi reported that Vania had become a category two tropical cyclone with peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of between, while the JTWC reported peak 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 110 km/h which made it equivalent to a tropical storm. Later that day Vania passed near or over several of the Vanuatuan islands as it continued to move towards the south — southwest, and started to weaken as it encountered a higher amount of vertical windshear. During the following day, TCWC Nadi reported that Vania had weakened into a category one tropical cyclone as the systems low level circulation stalled, before it turned and started to move westwards while located to the north of New Caledonia. During November 17, as the system had become sheared the JTWC issued their final advisory on Vania, before the systems remnant low level circulation was last noted by TCWC Nadi and the JTWC during November 19, while it was located about to the west of Port Vila, Vanuatu. Only minor damage to crops and bush houses was reported to have occurred in the archipelago while no deaths were reported. As a result of Vania affecting parts of Vanuatu during November 15, voting in provincial elections had to be extended by 24 hours.
Tropical Depression 04P
On December 13, the US Navy started to monitor an area of disturbed weather that was located about 720 km, to the east of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. During that day, TCWC Nadi started to monitor the system as a tropical depression as the system moved southeast towards Fiji. Over the next couple of days, the depression continued to move southeast towards Fiji and gradually developed further. On December 15, the NPMOC initiated advisories on the depression and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 04P, while it was located about 110 km to the northeast of Labasa, Fiji. Later that day, the NPMOC reported that the system had become a tropical storm and reached its peak 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 65 km/h, as it affected several Fijian islands including Vanua Levu and Thikombia. During December 16, the cyclone continued to move towards the southeast and started to affect Tonga before the NPMOC issued their final warning on the system as it had weakened into a tropical depression. During the next day, the depression moved into TCWC Wellingtons area of responsibility and was subsequently declared extratropical.Tropical Cyclone William
On December 30, TCWC Nadi reported that a tropical depression had developed about 860 km, to the northeast of Pago Pago in American Samoa. Over the next couple of days the system moved towards the south-southeast and gradually developed further, before the NPMOC designated the depression as Tropical Cyclone 05P. During January 1, TCWC Nadi reported that the depression had developed into a category 1 tropical cyclone and named it William as it passed near the Cook Island of Autitaki. During the next day William subsequently slowly accelerated as it passed near too or over several other Cook Islands and intensified into a category 2 tropical cyclone. Early on January 3, TCWC Nadi reported that the system had reached its peak 10-minute wind speeds of 110 km/h as it passed near or over the French Polynesian islands of Maria and Rimatara.At around the same time the NPMOC reported that William, had reached its peak 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 120 km/h. The system subsequently degenerated into an extratropical cyclone as it left the tropics later that day. The remnants of Tropical Cyclone William were tracked by TCWC Wellington until January 5, as they moved south-eastwards and moved out of the South Pacific basin. Throughout the Southern Cook Islands caused around worth of damage to crops, buildings and coconut trees and destroyed a causeway to a tourist resort on Aitutaki. William injured two people and destroyed over 150 houses in French Polynesia, where local leaders accused Météo-France off underestimating Williams intensity.