Current Snapshot

The Pacific Disaster Center’s (PDC Global) Sunday, December 29, 2024, Tropical Cyclone Activity Report…for the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and adjacent Seas

Current Tropical Cyclones:

Tropical Cyclone 06P is located approximately 143 NM east-northeast of Suva, Fiji – Final Warning

Northeast Pacific Ocean: There are no Tropical Cyclones

The last regularly scheduled Tropical Cyclone Activity Report of the 2024 eastern North Pacific Hurricane Season has been issued. Routine issuance of this section of the PDC product will resume on May 15, 2025. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued as conditions warrant by the NHC.

2024 Hurricane Season Summary for the Northeast Pacific Basin

The 2024 Pacific hurricane season was a below-average Pacific hurricane season. There were 15 tropical cyclones overall, of which all but 2 became named storms. Of the 13 named storms, 5 developed into hurricanes, of which 3 intensified into major hurricanes. The season officially began on May 15 in the eastern Pacific basin (east of 140°W) and ended on November 30. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most subtropical or tropical cyclogenesis occurs in this region of the Pacific Ocean. For the third consecutive year, there were no pre-season tropical cyclones and the season got off to the slowest start of any Pacific hurricane season on record in the satellite era, with the first eastern Pacific tropical storm, Aletta, not forming until July 4. The final system of the season, Tropical Depression Fourteen‑E, dissipated on November 7.

Several storms impacted land this year. Hurricane Hone dropped very heavy rainfall over the Big Island of Hawaii after passing just offshore at Category 1 strength. The remnants of Hurricane Gilma impacted the islands several days later, though neither cyclone caused significant damage. Tropical Storm Ileana grazed the coast of northwestern Mexico, resulting in flooding and one fatality. Hurricane John made landfall on southern Mexico twice after rapidly intensifying to a Category 3 hurricane, causing 29 deaths and an estimated $1 billion in damage. The strongest storm of the season was Hurricane Kristy, which became the first Category 5 Pacific hurricane in a non-El Niño year since Celia in 2010.

Central Pacific Ocean: There are no Tropical Cyclones

The 2024 central North Pacific hurricane season has ended. As such, the final routine Tropical Cyclone Activity Report for the 2024 season has been issued. Routine issuance of this section of the PDC product will resume on June 1, 2025. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued as conditions warrant by the CPHC.

2024 Hurricane Season Summary for the Central Pacific Basin

The 2024 hurricane season featured two tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) area of responsibility. Four to five tropical cyclones occur during an average year. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The central Pacific basin extends from 140°W to the International Date Line.

Hurricane Hone was the first tropical cyclone of the season in the central Pacific, developing about 1,000 miles east-southeast of the Big Island on August 22. This was the first tropical cyclone to form in the central Pacific since Tropical Storm Ema in October 2019. Hone continued to strengthen as it approached the state, eventually becoming a hurricane late on August 24 just over 50 miles south-southeast of Ka Lae, the southern tip of the Big Island. Hone weakened to a Tropical Depression on August 29, then strengthened to a Tropical Storm again from August 30-September 1. During this time a Tropical Storm Watch was issued for Kure and Midway Atolls and portions of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument from Lisianski Island to Pearl and Hermes Atoll. Hone became extratropical just after crossing the International Date Line on September 1.

Hurricane Gilma moved into the basin from the east on August 27 and rapidly weakened before dissipating east of Hawaii.

Impacts to the State of Hawaii: Heavy rain from Hurricane Hone caused flash flooding that damaged homes and closed several roads across Hawaii County on August 25, leading to several million dollars in damage. Tropical storm force winds brought down trees and utility poles on the Big Island, with reports of damage on Maui and Oahu as well.

Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and adjacent Seas:

Southwest Pacific Ocean

Tropical Cyclone 06P – Final Warning

According to the JTWC Warning number 4, sustained winds were 35 knots, with gusts to near 45 knots

Tropical cyclone 06S is like the supernova which flashes brilliantly in an instant, only to just as quickly fade away. Having developed a microwave and radar eye within the span of a few hours, the system has now rapidly sheared apart as it moves along the northern shore of Vitu Levu. Animated shortwave infrared (swir) and proxy visible (proxyvis) satellite imagery depicts a fully exposed low level circulation center (llcc) situated right on the northern coast of Vitu Levu, near Tavua Bay.

The system has evidently succumbed to the effect of the albeit relatively light deep-layer shear, due to the shallowness of the vortex and the presence of some moderate southwesterly shear as indicated in both the Nadi sounding and model-derived soundings. The Nadi sounding also shows the vortex is capped at 700mb by a wedge of dry air above that level. The vortex is just coming out of the terrain masking area and the Nausori radar is starting to pick up on a possible rotation moving over the northeastern portion of Vitu Levu.

The environment has deteriorated and is now marginal at best, with warm sea surface temperatures and good divergent outflow offset by increasing dry air encroachment and moderate mid-level shear.

TC 06S is forecast to continue tracking towards the east over the next 12 to 24 hours, generally riding along the southwestern side of the deep ner and within the trough of low pressure associated with the SPCZ. The system will clip the northern and northeastern coastline of Vitu Levu over the next few hours, with the coastal region likely experiencing the strongest winds within the core of the system. The vortex will move back over water within the next few hours, then move across the northern portion of the Lomaiviti group of islands within the next 12 hours. By 24 hours, the system will continue tracking eastward, crossing through the northern Lau group of islands before turning more southeastward by 36 hours.

In terms of intensity, the system has clearly weakened rapidly over the last six hours as it has become increasingly engulfed by dry mid-level air and is impacted by moderate mid-level shear. In the next 12 hours, the system is expected to maintain intensity as it moves back over water and moves away from the disruptive effects of rugged island terrain.

Model cross-sections depict well the anticipated shallowing of the vortex as dry air moves in from the west to completely engulf the system after 12 hours. By 24 hours, the vortex is expected to extend vertically to just 850mb, and devoid of any and all convective activity. Thus, the forecast calls for fairly rapid weakening after 12 hours, with the system expected to dissipate as a tropical cyclone no later than 36 hours.