Cyclone Niran

Severe Tropical Cyclone Niran was a very powerful tropical cyclone that brought severe impacts to extreme Northeastern Australia and nearly made landfall in New Caledonia in February and March 2021. The sixth tropical cyclone and the second severe tropical cyclone of the 2020–21 Australian region cyclone season, while being the third severe tropical cyclone of the annual South Pacific cyclone season, Niran was the second Category 5 severe tropical cyclone in the South Pacific cyclone season, following Cyclone Yasa. The cyclone formed from a tropical low in the Coral Sea on 27 February. The tropical low gradually intensified while stalling offshore of Queensland for several days, although disorganized at the time. Early on 3 March, Niran pulled away from the coast of Australia, while it started undergoing rapid intensification. Eventually, Niran reached its peak intensity as a Category 5 tropical cyclone on both the Australian Tropical Cyclone Scale and the Saffir–Simpson scale, on 5 March, well offshore of Australia. Soon afterward, Niran initiated an eyewall replacement cycle and encountered some wind shear, causing the storm to weaken on 6 March, as it passed just to the south of Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia. Afterwards, Niran continued rapidly weakening as wind shear increased further, before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone late on 6 March. Niran was absorbed into another extratropical storm two days later.

Before its strengthening phase, Niran significantly affected the banana crop in far-north Queensland. Several farms abroad were damaged, and some farmers lost 100% of their banana crop. Prices for the fruit were expected to rise. Estimates placed damage to the crop at a minimum of AU$180 million (US$140 million). Other infrastructure damage was minor. In New Caledonia, many houses had their roofs and infrastructure damaged, and nearly 70,000 people lost power in total. Multiple roads became impassable. Two people in New Caledonia were injured, though no one was killed. Total economic losses reached $200 million (2021 USD).