2020–21 South Pacific cyclone season
The 2020–21 South Pacific cyclone season was an average season where most tropical cyclones formed within the South Pacific Ocean to the east of 160°E. The season officially started on November 1, 2020, and officially ended on April 30, 2021, however a tropical cyclone could form at any time between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, and would count towards the season total. During the season, tropical cyclones will be officially monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS), Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), New Zealand's MetService. The United States Armed Forces through the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) will also monitor the basin and issue unofficial warnings for American interests. RSMC Nadi attaches a number and an F suffix to tropical disturbances that form in or move into the basin while the JTWC designates significant tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix. RSMC Nadi, TCWC Wellington and TCWC Brisbane all use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale and estimate windspeeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC estimated sustained winds over a 1-minute period, which are subsequently compared to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS).
| 2020–21 South Pacific cyclone season | |
|---|---|
Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | December 8, 2020 |
| Last system dissipated | April 11, 2021 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Yasa |
| • Maximum winds | 230 km/h (145 mph) (10-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 917 hPa (mbar) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total disturbances | 13 |
| Total depressions | 11 |
| Tropical cyclones | 8 |
| Severe tropical cyclones | 3 |
| Total fatalities | 7 total |
| Total damage | $447.7 million (2020 USD) |
| Related articles | |
The season began with the formation of Tropical Depression 01F, over a month after the official start. Despite the slightly late start, activity picked up, with two more systems forming after. In mid-December, Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa became the earliest category 5 severe tropical cyclone on record in the South Pacific basin. Yasa struck Fiji, resulting in heavy damage. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ana and Tropical Cyclone Bina also affected Fiji within days of each other, resulting in heavy rains and strong winds. Tropical Cyclone Lucas crossed into the basin from the Australian region and affected the Loyalty Islands. In early March, Cyclone Niran moved into basin from the Australian region as a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone. The storm passed close to New Caledonia, bringing heavy impact, before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone north of New Zealand.