Cyclone Keli

Severe Tropical Cyclone Keli

Category 3 cyclone (Australian scale) Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Cyclone Keli at peak intensity.
Formed	June 7, 1997
Dissipated	June 17, 1997
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 150 km/h (90 mph) 1-minute sustained: 215 km/h (130 mph)
Lowest pressure	955 mbar (hPa); 28.2 inHg
Fatalities	None reported
Damage	$10,000 (1997 USD)
Areas affected	Tokelau, Tuvalu, Fiji
Part of the 1996–97 South Pacific cyclone season,

Severe Tropical Cyclone Keli (NPMOC/JTWC Designation: 38P) was the first recorded post-season tropical cyclone to form in June within the South Pacific Ocean.^[1][2] The system formed on June 7, 1997, about 460 kilometers (285 mi) to the north of Tokelau. The depression gradually developed over the next few days while moving southwestward. It was designated as Tropical Cyclone Keli early the next day. Cyclone Keli intensified, slowly reaching its 10-minute peak wind speeds of 150 km/h, (90 mph), which made it a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale. As it came under the influence of strong mid latitude westerlies and moved into an area of strong vertical wind shear, the cyclone started to weaken and was declared as extratropical on June 15.

Cyclone Keli struck the islands of Tuvalu on June 12 and 13, with extensive damage reported throughout the Islands with trees uprooted by wind and waves. On Nivalakita all buildings except for the church were flattened; an estimated cost to rebuild all of the houses as they were before the cyclone hit was estimated at A$12 thousand (US$10 thousand), while it was estimated that the cost of rebuilding the houses with an improved, cyclone-resistant design would be about A$84 thousand (US$63 thousand). The whole of Tepuka Savilivili was left uninhabitable, as coconut trees and other vegetation were swept away with no more than an area of jagged coral left behind. In Fiji, strong winds and rough seas were reported from the cyclone as it was moving to the north of Fiji, and while the cyclone was weakening it dropped 3.76 inches (95.5mm) of rain on American Samoa.

Meteorological history

On June 5, the United States Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center started to monitor a weak tropical depression, that had developed about 550 km (340 mi) to the northeast of Apia, Western Samoa.^[3] Over the next couple of days the depression moved towards the south-southwest and gradually developed further, before early on June 10 the NPMOC initated warnings on the system, and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 38P after it had become equivalent to a tropical storm.^[4] Later that day the Fiji Meteorological Service's Nadi Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC Nadi) reported that the depression had become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale and named it Keli.^[5][6] During that day Keli continued to intensify and became a category 2 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale as it started to affect Tuvalu.^[5][7] Early on June 11 as the system continued to intensify and moved across the 180th meridian, which prompted the NPMOC to pass the responsibility for warning the United States Government to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).^[8][9]

As the JTWC started to issue warnings they reported that the cyclone had intensified into a category one tropical cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale (SSHS) while RSMC Nadi reported that it had become a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone as the cyclone started to move around Tuvalu.^[5][10] As it moved around Tuvalu a mid level trough was forecast to approach the system from the west and push Keli to the south.^[10] RSMC Nadi then reported early the next day that Keli had recrossed the dateline and had reached its 10-minute peak wind speeds of 150 km/h, (90 mph).^[5] However the JTWC did not report until later that day that Keli has reached its 1-minute peak wind speeds of 215 km/h (130 mph), which made it a Category 4 tropical cyclone on the SSHS after rapidly intensifying in an area of low vertical windshear.^[10] The JTWC then passed the warning responsibility for Keli back to the NPMOC as it came under the influence of strong mid latitude westerlies which were expected to weaken the system.^[10]

During June 13 both RSMC Nadi and the NPMOC reported that Keli had weakened as it began to experience vertical windshear from the north-west as it started the transition into an extra-tropical cyclone.^[5][10] At this time RSMC Nadi reported that the system had become a Category 2 cyclone while the JTWC downgraded Keli to a tropical storm as it was located about 400 km (250 mi) to the south-east of the Samoan Islands.^[5][10] Early on June 15, the NPMOC issued its final advisory on the system after it had degenerated into an extratropical depression, while it was located about 370 km (230 mi) to the west of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.^[11][12] The system was tracked for another couple of days before it was last noted on June 17 about 2,140 km (1,330 mi) to the southeast of Adamstown in the Pitcairn Islands.^[5]

Differences among warning centers

The Regional Specialized Meteorological Center in Nadi, Fiji uses the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale which is based on 10-minute sustained winds and three second gusts for its tropical cyclone tracking information, while both the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center use 1-minute sustained winds.^[13] The conversion factor between the two is 1.14.^[14] RSMC Nadi's peak intensity for Keli was 150 km/h, (90 mph) 10-minute sustained, or 170 km/h (105 mph) 1-minute sustained.^[5][14] The JTWC's peak intensity for Keli was 215 km/h (130 mph) 1-minute sustained, or 190 km/h (120 mph) 10-minute sustained.^[14][3]

Impact and aftermath

Image of Keli at peak intensity on June 12, 1997

Tuvalu

As Cyclone Keli struck the islands of Tuvalu on June 12 and 13, peak wind gusts of 165 km/h, (105 mph) were reported, with extensive damage also reported throughout the Islands with trees uprooted by wind and waves.^[15] On Nivalakita all buildings except for the church were flattened with an estimated cost to rebuild the houses exactly as they were was estimated at A$12,000 (US$10,000 1997), while it was estimated that the cost of rebuilding the houses with an improved, cyclone-resistant design would be about A$84,000 (63,000 USD 1997).^[16] Also on Nivalakita communications were cut with the telephone operator having to resort to sending a Morse code message, however as the storm re-curved and re-hit Tuvalu on June 14, it silenced the weak radio telegraph system.^[15] In Tepuka Savilivili the whole island was left uninhabitable as coconut trees and other vegetation were swept away with no more than an area of jagged coral left behind.^[17][18]

A New Zealand air force plane was sent to pick up and deliver aid sent by Fiji, France, New Zealand and Australia after reports that the inhabitants of Niualakita atoll were desperately short of water, food and shelter.^[19][20][21] The plane flew over one of the atolls affected and reported seeing widespread damage, with loads of trees and flattened buildings. Locals waved from the beach as the plane flew overhead as they had been cut off from the outside world for five days.^[22][23][24]

Wallis and Futuna

Cyclone Keli was the third out of four tropical cyclones to damage Wallis and Futuna during a ten month period, after Cyclones Gavin and Hina had affected the island during March 1997.^{[25][26][27][28]} Rainfall totals of 171.6 mm (6.76 in) and 160 mm (6.3 in) were recorded at Hihifo and Aka'aka on Wallis during June 11, while wind gusts of up to 70 km/h (45 mph) were recorded at Maopoopo on Futuna island during July 13.^[27]

Heavy rain was reported in American Samoa with a rainfall total, of 160 mm (6.3 in) reported at Afono in American Samoa.^[29]

The name Keli was retired after this usage of the name and was replaced with the name Kofi.^[30][31]

See also

• 1996–97 South Pacific cyclone season

References

External links

• World Meteorological Organization
• Fiji Meteorological Service
• Meteorological Service of New Zealand
• Joint Typhoon Warning Center

v t e Retired South Pacific tropical cyclone names 1970s Rosie Wendy Vivienne Agatha Bebe Carlotta Lottie Alison Elsa Marion Bob Charles Diana Fay Gordon Meli Robert Tina Wally 1980s Eddie Tahmar Gyan Issac Joti Lisa Mark Oscar Veena Nigel Eric Harry Ima Namu Raja Sally Tusi Uma Anne Bola Lili 1990s Ofa Peni Sina Tia Val Wasa Betsy Esau Fran Joni Kina Prema Rewa Theodore William Beti Drena Gavin Hina Keli Martin Osea Ron Susan Tui Ursula Veli Cora Dani Frank 2000s Kim Paula Sose Trina Waka Zoe Ami Beni Cilla Heta Ivy Meena Nancy Olaf Percy Cliff Daman Funa Gene Mick 2010s Oli Pat Tomas Ului Vania Wilma Yasi Atu Book · Category · Portal · WikiProject · Commons

v t e Tropical cyclones of the 1996–97 South Pacific cyclone season 1 Cyril 3 Fergus 4 Drena 3 Evan 2 Freda 2 Harold 2 29P 4 Gavin 3 Hina 1 Ian 2 June 1 38P 3 Keli Book · Category · Portal · WikiProject · Commons