2007–08 South Pacific cyclone season

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Duration	November 20 – November 22
Peak intensity	Winds not specified; 1001 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Disturbance 02F developed within the South Pacific convergence zone on November 20, about 900 km (560 mi) to the northeast of Suva, Fiji.[10][11] During that day the disturbance moved towards the south and slightly developed further before it was designated as Tropical Depression 02F.[12] However convection surrounding the system was poorly organized and remained so over the next couple of days, as it moved southwards into an area of high vertical windshear and cooler sea surface temperatures.[12][13][14] The depression was subsequently last noted on November 22, as it dragged a convergence zone over Fiji which led to an episode of significant widespread rain and brought fresh to strong winds to Fiji.[11][14]

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Duration	November 22 – December 2
Peak intensity	Winds not specified; 999 hPa (mbar)

On November 22, RSMC Nadi reported that a weak tropical disturbance had developed on the edge of the basin, about 285 km (175 mi) to the south of Honiara on the Solomon Island of Guadalcanal. Over the next couple of days the depression moved towards the east and gradually developed further before RSMC Nadi designated it as Tropical Disturbance 03F on November 24, while it was located about 400 km (250 mi) to the northeast of Port Vila on the Vanuatuan island of Efate. During that day the disturbance continued to move eastwards before later that day, RSMC Nadi reported that 03F had developed into a tropical depression.

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	December 3 – December 10
Peak intensity	185 km/h (115 mph) (10-min); 925 hPa (mbar)

Cyclone Daman was the strongest cyclone of the season. On December 3, the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) in Nadi, Fiji, upgraded a tropical disturbance, located to the west of the Solomon Islands, to Tropical Depression 04F. On December 5, as the depression moved towards the west into the Fijian archipelago, both the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and RSMC Nadi upgraded it to Cyclone Daman. On December 7 the cyclone reached its peak intensity with winds of 185 km/h, (115 mph 10-minute sustained) which made Daman a Category 4 cyclone on the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale. Later that day Daman also reached its peak intensity by 1-minute means with winds of 205 km/h (125 mph) which made it a Category 3 tropical cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale.[1][15][16] Early on December 8, Cyclone Daman brushed by the Fijian island of Cikobia, causing damage to housing, crops and vegetation.[17] Daman then weakened the next day into a tropical depression and dissipated on December 10.[16]

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Duration	December 11 – December 14
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1000 hPa (mbar)

Early on December 11, RSMC Nadi reported that Tropical Depression 05F had developed within a surface trough, about 670 km (415 mi) to the northeast of Apia on the Samoan Island of Upolu.[18][19] The depression was embedded within a convergence zone and had 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 55 km/h (35 mph) to 65 km/h (40 mph).[18] Convection surrounding the depression was not organized and was only active within the northern and eastern quadrants.[19] Over the next few days RSMC Nadi issued special weather bulletins for the Southern Cook Islands as 05F and an intense high-pressure system were forecast to produce gale-force winds over several of the Cook Islands. The depression was then last noted by RSMC Nadi on December 14, as it and the high-pressure system started to weaken after causing gale-force winds, flooding and significant swells.

Tropical disturbance (Australian scale)
Duration	December 26 – December 28
Peak intensity	35 km/h (25 mph) (10-min); 1006 hPa (mbar)

On December 26, RSMC Nadi reported that Tropical Disturbance 06F had developed about 680 km (420 mi) to the northeast of Avarau on the Southern Cook Island of Rarotonga in an area of high vertical windshear.[20] Over the next couple of days, the system moved towards the south and convection surrounding the system remained unorganized, while the low level circulation centre was detached from the convection and became exposed.[21] The disturbance was last noted by RSMC Nadi on December 28, as it approached TCWC Wellington's area of responsibility.[22]

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	January 7 – January 11
Peak intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar)

At 1800 UTC on January 7, RSMC Nadi reported that a poorly organized Tropical Depression 07F, had developed within a slow moving trough of low pressure about 600 km (370 mi), to the east of Suva, Fiji.[1] The JTWC then started to monitor 07F during January 8 and reported that convection was displaced to the south of the systems well defined low level circulation center, however an upper-level low was preventing convection directly forming over the center.[23][24] Over the next couple of days, the depression slowly developed further as it moved towards the south in an area of hostile vertical windshear.[1][23] RSMC Nadi and the JTWC then reported at 0000 UTC on January 10, that 07F had developed into a tropical cyclone with RSMC Nadi naming it Elisa while located about 55 km (35 mi) to the southwest of Nukuʻalofa, Tonga.[1][23] During that day as windshear relaxed, Elisa intensified further, before RSMC Nadi and the JTWC reported at 1800 UTC that the cyclone had reached its peak sustained windspeeds of 95 km/h (60 mph), equivalent to a tropical storm and a category 2 tropical cyclone.[16][23] During January 11, Elisa recurved towards the southeast into a region of cooler waters and stronger windshear, as a result the cyclone weakened into a depression, with RSMC Nadi and the JTWC issuing their final advisories later that day.[16][23]

Elisa brought heavy rain to Tonga and Niue, and damaged several fruit-bearing trees in Tongatapu and Eua.[1] High seas and a high surf moved several small vessels and fishing boats ashore in Nukuʻalofa.[25]

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Duration	January 9 – January 14
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 998 hPa (mbar)

On January 9, RSMC Nadi designated a low-pressure area northeast of Vanuatu as Tropical Depression 08F.[26] The depression moved eastwards over the next few days but did not intensify any further.[27] RSMC Nadi then downgraded the depression to a tropical disturbance early on January 14 and then released their final tropical disturbance summary.[28][29]

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 15 – January 21
Peak intensity	175 km/h (110 mph) (10-min); 930 hPa (mbar)

On February 15, RSMC Nadi and the JTWC reported that a tropical depression had developed within a monsoon trough, about 700 km (435 mi) to the northeast of Port Vila on the Vanuatuan island of Efate.[1][16][30] During that day the depression moved eastwards and gradually developed further, before as vertical windshear slackened a little, the JTWC and RSMC Nadi reported that the depression had developed into a tropical cyclone with the later naming it as Funa at 0600 UTC on February 16.[1][31]

[32] It then started to move eastwards and passed very near the next day to the northern tip of Aurora Island, Vanuatu with wind speeds of 55 knots (102 km/h) which made Funa a category two cyclone on the Australian scale.[27]

After leaving Vanuatu, Funa intensified slowly becoming a Category 3 severe Tropical cyclone on January 18 and then early the next day it reached its peak wind speeds of 95 knots (176 km/h) which is the same as a category 4 cyclone according to the Southern Pacific Cyclone Scale.[33][34] The JTWC measured Funa's peak winds at 105 knots (194 km/h).[35] The storm then moved into TCWC Wellington area of responsibility it started to weaken and then became extra tropical the next day with the JTWC issuing their final advisory on January 20, with TCWC Wellington downgrading it to a low later that day.[27][36]

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Duration	January 19 – January 24
Peak intensity	75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min); 999 hPa (mbar)

RSMC Nadi identified a Tropical Disturbance in the southern Central Pacific Ocean located to the east of Pago Pago on January 19 and started to issue summaries on it.[37] The next day it intensified into a tropical depression and was designated the number 11F by RSMC Nadi.[38] However the tropical depression did not strengthen any further as it moved southwards towards the edge of RSMC Nadi's area of responsibility with TCWC Wellington.[27] Late on January 23 RSMC Nadi issued its last warnings on 11F as the depression had moved into TCWC Wellingtons area of responsibility.[39] However the next day the system became extratropical as it was about southwest of Tonga'tapu.[27]

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 26 – February 6
Peak intensity	155 km/h (100 mph) (10-min); 945 hPa (mbar)

On January 26, RSMC Nadi and the JTWC started to monitor a weak tropical disturbance that had developed within a monsoon trough about 290 km (180 mi) to the northeast of Rotuma.[1][30][40] The disturbance initially moved towards the southeast before it recurved and started to move towards the southwest and Fiji during the next day, while gradually developing further in an area of low vertical windshear.[1][41] At 1800 UTC on January 27, the JTWC reported that the disturbance had developed into Tropical Cyclone 15P, while it moved towards the southwest and hugged Vanua Levu's southeastern coast, under the influence of a ridge of high pressure that was located to the southeast of the system.[1][42] 15P's development was hindered while it was located over land, however it did not weaken significantly because it was located in an area of favourable upper-level conditions.[1][42] As the centre of 15P emerged into and passed over the Bligh Waters, convection erupted around the system and for humanitarian reasons, RSMC Nadi named the system, Gene at 0000 UTC on January 28, before 6 hours later reporting that Gene had become a Category 1 tropical cyclone.[1][16]

During that day the newly named cyclone, moved towards the west-southwest across the Bligh Water, before it made landfall near Lautoka, Viti Levu, as a Category 1 tropical cyclone.[27] After it emerged back into the Pacific Ocean Gene intensified slowly. becoming a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on January 30.[27][43] Gene then reached its peak winds of 150 km/h (95 mph) the next day.[27] On February 1, Gene began to weaken becoming a Category 2 cyclone with wind speeds of 100 km/h (60 mph). It kept this intensity until it had crossed 25°S and had moved into TCWC Wellington's Area of responsibility, when Gene intensified back into a severe tropical cyclone.[27] Gene then slowly weakened with JTWC reporting that Gene had become an extra tropical cyclone on February 6. TCWC Wellington then released their final advisory on February 9.[27]

Cyclone Gene caused widespread damage to several of Fiji's main islands, including Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Yasawa, Mamanuca, and other outlying island groups, and killed 8 people. The cyclone also caused severe damage to Vanautu's Futuna island after its outer bands lashed the island with gale-force windspeeds and heavy rain for 12 hours.

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	March 19 – March 23
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 998 hPa (mbar)

On March 19, an area of disturbed weather west of Vanuatu, was designated as Tropical Disturbance 14F by RSMC Nadi.[44] Later that day 14F had intensified enough to be upgraded to a tropical depression by RSMC Nadi.[45] The next day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the depression.[46] Later that day the JTWC initiated advisories on the depression designating it as Tropical Cyclone 24P.[47] The Tropical Depression then reached its peak wind speeds of 30 knots (56 km/h) that day.[48] On March 21, The Depression encountered an unfavourable environment of moderate to high vertical wind shear and weakened with the JTWC issuing its final advisory that day.[49][50] Early on March 22 RSMC Nadi downgraded Tropical Depression 14F to Tropical Disturbance 14F and then the next day issued their last advisory on the tropical disturbance.[51][52]

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Duration	April 4 – April 7
Peak intensity	45 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 1002 hPa (mbar)

On April 4, RSMC Nadi reported that Tropical Disturbance 15F had developed within the Australian region, about 415 km (260 mi) to the north-northeast of New Caledonia's Chesterfield Islands.[53] During that day as the system moved into the South Pacific basin, it developed into a tropical depression.[53] The system subsequently moved south-eastwards and passed between Vanuatu and New Caledonia, before it was last noted on April 7, while it was located about 750 km (465 mi) to the northeast of Norfolk Island.[53]

Tropical depression (Australian scale)
Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	April 16 – April 19
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 998 hPa (mbar)

On April 16, a tropical disturbance developed about 1365 km (835 mi) northwest of New Caledonia, consisting of an elongated circulation within a marginal upper-level environment. Despite anticipation that tropical cyclogenesis was unlikely in the short term, deep convection rapidly developed over an increasingly better defined circulation, with an anticyclone aloft aiding in intensification.[54][55][56] Late on April 17, the Fiji Meteorological Service classified the system as Tropical Depression 16F,[57] and early the next day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center classified it as Tropical Cyclone 27P. Initially, it was forecast to intensify further;[58] however, the storm quickly became disorganized as wind shear increased.[59] At 0000 UTC on April 19, the JTWC issued its final warning on the system as it began dissipating.[60] with RSMC Nadi issuing its final tropical disturbance summary on the depression later that day.[61]

The first tropical depression of the season developed on October 17, about 670 km (415 mi) to the southeast of Honiara on the Solomon Island of Guadalcanal.[8]

During January 12, the FMS reported that Tropical Depression 09F had developed over southern Tonga to the northwest of the island of Tongatapu.[62] The system was located within an area of high vertical wind shear, while atmospheric convection associated with the system was active within the eastern and southern quadrants.[62] Over the next day, the system moved south-southeastwards and its low-level cyclonic curvature became difficult to see in satellite imagery, before it was last noted later that day.[63][64]

On February 17, RSMC Nadi reported that Tropical Depression 13F had developed about 240 km (150 mi), to the southeast of Avarua on the Southern Cook Island of Rarotonga.[65][66] During the next day, the depression moved towards the south and was last noted by RSMC Nadi during the next day, as it moved into TCWC Wellington's area of responsibility.[67]