User:IrishSurfer21/Oma
| Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Aus scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
 Cyclone Oma at peak intensity shortly before re-entering the Australian basin on 19 February | |
| Formed | 11 February 2019 |
| Dissipated | 28 February 2019 |
| (Extratropical after 23 February) | |
| Highest winds | 10-minute sustained: 130 km/h (80 mph) 1-minute sustained: 140 km/h (85 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 974 hPa (mbar); 28.76 inHg |
| Fatalities | 1 total |
| Damage | $51.48 million (2019 USD) |
| Areas affected | Queensland, New South Wales, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu |
| Part of the 2018–19 Australian region and South Pacific cyclone seasons | |
Meteorological history[edit]
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionAt 02:00 UTC on 8 February, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) first noted a system over the Coral Sea for possible tropical cyclogenesis. Initially only given a low probability to do so, the JTWC slowly raised it to a medium chance by 06:00 UTC on 11 February.[1] At roughly the same time, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) declared the disturbance a tropical low as it was located over the northern Coral Sea west of Vanuatu.[2] About 15 hours later, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on the system as it had a high probability of formation within the following 24 hours. Citing warm sea surface temperatures of around 30°C (86°F), the disturbance grew convective banding and a rather broad, but organized, low-level circulation, despite strong easterly vertical wind shear of 25–35 knots (28–40 mph); the system was gradually tracking eastward along the southern periphery of an equatorial ridge.[3][2] At 00:00 UTC on 12 February, the JTWC issued their first warning on the newly-formed tropical cyclone at 00:00 UTC on 12 February, assigning it the identifier 15P to be used until the system was to be named by the BOM or Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS).[1][3] According to the BOM, the system developed into a tropical cyclone late that day,[2] and was assigned the name Oma by the FMS, whom responsibility to issue advisories was handled to as the cyclone entered the South Pacific basin for the first time.[4]
Effects[edit]
Vanuatu and Solomon Islands[edit]
New Caledonia[edit]
Australia[edit]
As a precaution for Oma, a cyclone watch was issued for portions of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, which was cancelled on 21 February. The state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk advised the public to avoid surf stirred up by Oma, warning of hazardous beach conditions to the media. The Queensland Bureau of Meteorology also warned of beach erosion and abnormally high tides. Several beaches in Queensland were closed and sailors were urged not to take boats out to sea during the cyclone.[5] A hazardous surf warning was issued for Fraser Island and Central Queensland on 21 February.[6]
Aftermath[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Annual Tropical Cyclone Report 2019 (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 27 June 2022.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c Severe Tropical Cyclone Oma (Report). Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b "Tropical Cyclone Oma", Australia Severe Weather, retrieved 27 June 2022
- ^ "Cyclone Oma forms, could become bigger storm and linger over 10 days north of NZ (+4 Maps)", WeatherWatch.co.nz, 12 February 2019, retrieved 27 June 2022
- ^ "Cyclone Oma eases but Queensland and NSW weather warnings remain", The Guardian, AAP, 21 February 2019, retrieved 27 June 2022
- ^ Stein, Lucia (20 February 2019), "Tropical Cyclone Oma could still directly impact us, here's what you need to know", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 27 June 2022