1973–74 South Pacific cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formedNovember 7, 1973
Last system dissipatedApril 28, 1974
Strongest storm
NamePam
 • Maximum winds195 km/h (120 mph)
(10-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure925 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total disturbances10
Tropical cyclones10
Severe tropical cyclones2
Total fatalitiesUnknown
Total damageUnknown
Related articles

The 1973–74 South Pacific cyclone season was an inactive season. In tropical cyclones, it was an average season, but in strength, it was very inactive, with only two severe tropical cyclones.

Systems

Tropical Cyclone SP7301

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationNovember 7 – November 11
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Natalie–Lottie

Category 3 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationDecember 1 – December 11
Peak intensity120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min);
965 hPa (mbar)

This storm initially formed as Natalie, then moved into the Australian region on the same day. Later, it moved back into the South Pacific and was renamed Lottie.[1] High seas caused the ship Uluilakeba to capsize killing more than 85 people.[2][3] This makes Lottie one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in region in recent decades.[4]

Tropical Cyclone Monica

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 15 – January 20
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Nessie

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 17 – January 22
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);
990 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Vera

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 21 – January 22
Peak intensity95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min);
985 hPa (mbar)

Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam

Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
 
DurationJanuary 30 – February 8
Peak intensity195 km/h (120 mph) (10-min);
925 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Rebecca

Category 1 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
 
DurationFebruary 19 – February 28
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);
988 hPa (mbar)

Rebecca was thought to have had a complex evolution with two low-level circulation centres.[5] It had peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 75 km/h (45 mph) and a minimum pressure of 988 hPa (29.18 inHg), before it dissipated during February 28.[5]

Tropical Cyclone Zoe

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 14 – March 20
Peak intensity100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min);
980 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Alice

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 23 – March 30
Peak intensity100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min);
980 hPa (mbar)

Tropical Cyclone Tina

Category 2 tropical cyclone (Australian scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationApril 23 – April 28
Peak intensity100 km/h (65 mph) (10-min);
980 hPa (mbar)

Seasonal effects

Name Dates Peak intensity Areas affected Damage
(USD)		 Deaths Refs
Category Wind speed Pressure
SP7301November 7 – 11Category 1 tropical cyclone65 km/h (40 mph)990 hPa (29.23 inHg)
Natalie-LottieDecember 1 – 11Category 3 severe tropical cyclone120 km/h (75 mph)965 hPa (28.50 inHg)
MonicaJanuary 15 – 20Category 1 tropical cyclone65 km/h (40 mph)990 hPa (29.23 inHg)
NessieJanuary 17 – 22Category 1 tropical cyclone65 km/h (40 mph)990 hPa (29.23 inHg)
VeraJanuary 21 – 22Category 2 tropical cyclone100 km/h (65 mph)980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
PamJanuary 30 – February 8Category 4 severe tropical cyclone195 km/h (120 mph)925 hPa (27.32 inHg)
RebeccaFebruary 19 – 28Category 1 tropical cyclone75 km/h (45 mph)988 hPa (29.18 inHg)[5]
ZoeMarch 14 – 20Category 2 tropical cyclone100 km/h (65 mph)980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
AliceMarch 23 – 30Category 2 tropical cyclone100 km/h (65 mph)980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
TinaApril 23 – 28Category 2 tropical cyclone100 km/h (65 mph)980 hPa (28.94 inHg)
Season aggregates
8 systemsOctober 19 – April 6155 km/h (100 mph)945 hPa (27.91 inHg)

See also

  • Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1973, 1974
  • Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1973, 1974
  • Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1973, 1974
  • North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1973, 1974

References

  1. ↑ "Tropical Cyclone Natalie-Lottie track map". Australia Severe Weather.com. Retrieved 2009-07-05.
  2. ↑ Raicola, Verenaisi (27 March 2007). "Beware the force of nature". The Fiji Times Online. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2023. Perhaps the most tragic of all was the Uluilakeba, which capsized in southern Lau during Cyclone Lottie on December 10, 1973. More than 50 people died in that sea disaster.
  3. ↑ Kalougata, Joeli (October 2004). "The Only Survivor". LDS.org. Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2023. Of the approximately 120 passengers who had boarded the doomed ship, 35 were found alive in the water. We were taken to Suva and admitted to the hospital. There, I learned the details of what had happened. Less than four hours after leaving the dock, we had been struck by Cyclone Lottie, a short-lived Pacific storm.
  4. ↑ "Cyclone (Daman) spared populated parts of Fiji". Associated Press. December 10, 2007. Archived from the original on December 7, 2007. Retrieved 2009-07-05.
  5. 1 2 3 "Saison des perturbations tropicales: 1973-1974 dans le pacifique sud-oues". Météorologie Maritime (in French). No. 137. 1976. pp. 49–51. ISSN 2107-0830.
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