1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	November 10 – November 19
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min); 980 hPa (mbar)

A persistent cloud mass east of the Solomon Islands evolved into a tropical depression on November 12, according to the FMS.[8][5] Located about 245 km (150 mi) northeast of Tikopia, the system had gale-force winds developing on its southern side.[8][9] The depression moved south-eastwards at first, before it turned southwestwards through Temotu Province towards Vanuatu, which prompted the FMS to start issuing special weather bulletins for the island nation during November 13.[8][9][10] Later that day, the JTWC initiated advisories, designating it Tropical Cyclone 01P. On November 14, the FMS named the system Vania, after it had become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale.[8][9][11] Intensifying further, Vania moved through northern Vanuatu on November 15 as a category 2 tropical cyclone.[9] Later that day, the FMS predicted that Vania would become a hurricane and issued a hurricane warning; however, Vania had peaked as a category 2 tropical cyclone with peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of between 100 km/h (65 mph), while the JTWC estimated that the system had peaked with 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 110 km/h (70 mph).[9][11] [8] Over the next couple of days, the system stalled and started to move westwards, before the FMS and JTWC issued their final advisories on the cyclone during November 18, as it had weakened below tropical cyclone intensity and degenerated into a sheared depression to the north of New Caledonia.[8][9][11] The remnant low-level circulation was last noted during November 19, while they were located about 80 km (50 mi) to the west of Port Vila.[9]

Within Vanuatu, preparations had been completed for a storm-force cyclone, before the FMS issued a hurricane warning at 18:15 VUT (07:15 UTC) on November 15, which prompted a higher response from the residents of the island nation.[8] The warning proved problematic as it was issued just after it had gone dark, which caused the higher response to be done in darkness when the winds were becoming stronger which endangered residents.[8] It was later realised that the hurricane warning should not have been issued, as only storm-force winds were experienced over Vanuatu, while various weather stations reported winds below 75 km/h (45 mph).[8] Overall the system had a minimal impact on the island nation with damage reported to crops and bush houses, while heavy rain associated with the cyclone helped break a long dry spell of weather in Vanuatu.[5] Vania also brought rain to parts of Fiji which were responsible for severe flooding within Tailevu Province, which in turn caused over 100 hectares (250 acres) of crops to be damaged and the deaths of a significant amount of farm animals.[8][12][13]

Tropical depression (FMS)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	December 13 – December 17
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min); 997 hPa (mbar)

During December 13, a tropical depression developed about 1055 km (655 mi) to the northeast of Suva, Fiji.[14] The system subsequently moved south-eastwards towards Fiji and gradually developed further, before the NPMOC designated the system as Tropical Cyclone 04P and initiated advisories on the depression during December 15.[14][11] At this time, the system was located about 110 km (70 mi) to the northeast of Labasa, Fiji and was estimated to have maximum 1-minute sustained wind-speeds of 65 km/h (40 mph).[3] Over the next couple of days, the system passed through Fiji's Lau Islands and Tonga's Haʻapai Group of islands, before system was declared extratropical as it moved below 25S and into MetService's area of responsibility.[3][14] Within Fiji, there were no report of any casualties, damage or gale-force winds associated with the system, however, several pressures of between 995–1000 hectopascals (29.38–29.53 inHg) were reported.[14]

Category 2 tropical cyclone (FMS)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	December 30 – January 3
Peak intensity	110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min); 975 hPa (mbar)

On December 30, The FMS reported that a tropical depression had developed about 860 km (535 mi), to the northeast of Pago Pago in American Samoa.[15] 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.[11][6] 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.[6] 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.[6]

During January 3, the system passed near or over the French Polynesian islands of Maria and Rimatara, where sustained winds of 115 km/h (71 mph) and wind gusts of up to 154 km/h (96 mph) were recorded.[16] Later that day, both the NPMOC and the FMS estimated that the system had peaked just below hurricane-force with winds of 110 km/h (70 mph), as it left the tropics and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone.[15][6] William's extratropical remnants were tracked by MetService for another couple of days as they moved south-eastwards in the westerlies, before they were last noted near 40.0S 119.5E during January 5, as they moved out of the South Pacific basin.[15] Throughout the Southern Cook Islands caused around US$2.5 million worth of damage to crops, buildings and coconut trees and destroyed a causeway to a tourist resort on Aitutaki.[5][4] William injured two people and destroyed over 150 houses in French Polynesia, where local leaders accused Météo-France off underestimating Williams intensity.[17]

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	March 5 (Entered basin) – March 5 (Exited basin)
Peak intensity	130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min); 970 hPa (mbar)

On March 5, Severe Tropical Cyclone Violet peaked as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone, as it moved south-eastwards and moved into the South Pacific basin, inside MetService's area south of 25S, before it recurved south-westwards and moved out of the basin later on the same day.[2][18]

Tropical depression (SSHWS)
Duration	March 16 – March 17
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (1-min); 1000 hPa (mbar)

The system that would become Tropical Cyclone 18P was first noted during March 15, while it was located about 250 km (155 mi) to the northeast of Nadi, Fiji.[19] Over the next couple of days, the system moved south-eastwards away from Fiji and was classified as Tropical Cyclone 18P by the NPMOC during March 16, while it was located about 365 km (225 mi) to the south-east of Nuku'alofa in Tonga.[11][20] At this time, the system was estimated by the NPMOC, to have maximum 1-minute sustained wind-speeds of 55 km/h (35 mph).[19] The system subsequently dissipated during the following day, while it was located within MetService's area of responsibility well to the northeast of Wellington, New Zealand.[20] While 18P existed over the South Pacific, a trough of low pressure impacted Fiji, which caused moderate to heavy rain and flooding to be reported in Labasa and Nadi, while over 250 tonnes of canne were destroyed.[13]