Pam has tracked south-southwestward at 4 knots (4.6 mph/7.4 kph). The system initially tracked in an eastwards direction and formed into a tropical cyclone near Vanuatu late on 12 February. formed in the tropics when cold air and warm air meet: the cold air pushes under the warm air At least 3,300 people sought shelter in 37 evacuation centers. 2 of 20. The International Space Station's RapidScat instrument captured data on Ex-Tropical Cyclone Pam's winds on March 16 from 08:30 to 11:36 UTC. The Global Precipitation Measurement or GPM core satellite flew overhead and found some heavy rain occurring when it measured rainfall rates within the intensifying storm. At the center of a mature Tropical Cyclone, air sinks rather than rises. Cyclone pam slowly tracked south and grew in intensity as it moved. A meteorologist needs to determine the best model for a particular data set. On March 12 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) Tropical cyclone Pam's maximum sustained winds were near 135 knots (155.4 mph/250 kph) making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. Mar. After striking Vanuatu, Pam continued southeasterly and declined in intensity. The VMGD forecast noted: Heavy rainfall expected to affect Torba, Sanma and Penama. Warnings continue from the Solomon Islands south to New Zealand. Pam formed on March 6th 2015 in the Solomon islands and is where the path of destruction started. A twin disturbance formed... 750km east of the Solomon Islands. The Global Precipitation Measurement or GPM core observatory provided data on rain rates throughout the storm. The forecast calls for southwesterly winds to 50 knots (57 mph/92 kph) with high seas easing. In addition, many of Vanuatu’s water sources were contaminated, and most household vegetable gardens, upon which much of the population depends for food, had been wiped out. The bulletin included a Severe Weather Watch for Wellington that is valid through 8:35 p.m. local time on Tuesday, March 17. The Global Precipitation Measurement or GPM … It is the second most intense storm according to pressure, after Cyclone Zoe in 2002. Cyclone Pam - Vanuatu... 1 of 20. 8th March 2015. Pam continued to grow in size and strength over the next few days, becoming officially recognized as a tropical depression on March 8 and maturing into a tropical cyclone at 5:00 pm local time (7:00 pm New Zealand Daylight Time) on … The TRMM satellite had a good look at Cyclone Pam on March 10, 2015 at 1127 UTC 7:27 a.m. EDT) when maximum sustained winds were estimated at 80 knots (92 mph). Pam's winds reached up to 320km/h. However, a warning remains in force for heavy rain about the ranges of Hawkes Bay until early Tuesday morning. Here's a wrap from around the affected, and soon-to-be affected regions. Cyclones (including typhoons and hurricanes) are caused by warm tropical moisture bearing clouds developing in open oceans or seas. In its wake it has left the community the huge task of rebuilding wrecked lives. 13, 2015 - NASA Sees Major Tropical Cyclone Pam Near Vanuatu. Cyclones rely on the circulation of Earth, so they form away from the equator. The response to Tropical Cyclone Pam tested all areas and levels of emergency response, including legislation, governance, policy and planning, community The image was false-colored to show temperature differences. 17, 2015 - NASA Sees Vanuatu 4 Days After Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Pam, The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured this visible image of Vanuatu on March 16 at 23:05 UTC (7:05 p.m. EDT).Â, Rob Gutro GPM identified heavy rainfall in excess of 1.4 inches per hour in a fragmented bands of thunderstorms north of Tropical Cyclone Pam's center on March 9 at 05:01 UTC (1:01 a.m. EST). The warning noted that Tropical Cyclone Pam was located northeast of the Torba province, and was slowly moving in a south southeasterly direction. Cyclone Pam is a 2015 Pacific Ocean tropical cyclone. At the end of Pam's life on March 17, NASA's RapidScat provided a look at the winds of the waning storm. Strong monsoonal winds developed in late February, the case alleges, and Cyclone Pam formed on March 6, four days before the cruise ship's departure. The MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Pam on Friday, March 13, 2015 at 02:20 UTC. The NZMS noted that Cyclone Pam was moving to the southeast but southerly gales for the east and south of the north island will be slow to subside. The Coriolis effect made by the Earth's rotation causes the winds to rotate. Pam continued to weaken while moving in a southerly direction on March 18 through the southern Pacific Ocean. 18, 2015 - NASA-JAXA's GPM Satellite Close-up of Cyclone Pam's RainfallÂ. The cloud of blue is a sign of Tropical Cyclone Pam's passage. Severe tropical Cyclone Pam, which devastated Vanuatu on Saturday, was one of the most intense tropical storms on record and is reported to have caused widespread damage to public infrastructure and housing, with sustained winds of around 250 kilometres an hour near the centre.. The storm also damaged hundreds of homes in Kiribati, especially on the islands of Arorae and Tamana, and damaged the primary causeway in the Tarawa Atoll connecting Betio island with Bairiki. Â, [image-256]RapidScat Eyes Ex-Tropical Cyclone Pam's Winds Near Chatham IslandÂ. GPM is managed by both NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The weakened tropical cyclone passed the eastern part of New Zealand’s North Island between March 15 and 17, bringing heavy rains and tropical-storm-force winds to some parts of North Island’s coast, as well as to the Chatham Islands, before dissipating. A cyclone is formed when a system of winds moving in circular motion closes in toward an area of the sea with low atmospheric pressure. On Mar. Worst hit by far was Vanuatu, where the storm killed 16 people and caused widespread damage. In the next day to day and a half, the Shefa and Tafea provinces will feel the effects of Pam. Pam formed March 6 east of the Solomon Islands. A Red Alert is now in effect for the Sanma, Malampa, Torba, Penama, Shefa and Tafea provinces. These clouds are continuously fed by more hot air from the surface to add to their energy levels. It was given the designation “TD11F” by the Fiji Meteorological Service on March 6, 2015. In additional to hurricane-force winds, very rough to extremely high seas with heavy swells were affecting the Torba, Penama, Sanma, Malampa, Shefa and Tafea provinces. Although Vanuatu bore the brunt of the disaster, Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea were also badly affected. Pam has been intensifying over the last couple of days and forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) expect it to continue strengthening as it heads past Vanuatu and toward northern New Zealand. As of late March 2015, the government of Vanuatu reported 11 deaths, whereas the United Nations attributed 16 deaths to the storm. Red areas indicate areas of heaviest rainfall. An area of low air pressure is formed. Vanuatu was hit hardest. Tropical Cyclone Pam formed in the South Pacific Ocean on March 9 and brought strong winds, heavy rains, storm surges, and floods to several island countries—including Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu—as it tracked southward over several days. The GPM satellite showed that Pam was dropping rain at a rate of 133.5 mm (5.26 inches) per hour and thunderstorm tops reached heights over 16.6 km (10.3 miles). 4 of 20. NASA-JAXA's GPM core satellite captured rain rates in Tropical Cyclone Pam at 03:51 UTC (2:51 p.m. local time) on March 14, 2015. On March 15 at 02:05 UTC, the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Pam off northern New Zealand as it was becoming an extra-tropical cyclone. The abrupt onset of our easterly swell-season over the past few days probably hasn’t exactly produced the surfing goods you might have been dreaming of when the deepening trough appeared on the forecast charts earlier this month.. When the ISS passed over Extra-tropical Cyclone Pam on March 17 RapidScat gathered data on surface winds that showed the strongest winds stretched over the northern quadrant and were near 25 m/s (56 mph/90 kph). About 188,000 people were affected out of a total population of 270,000. At 15:00 UTC on March 9, Pam's maximum sustained winds were near 83.3 km/h (51.7 mph). 09, 2015 - NASA Eyes Rainfall in Newly Formed Tropical Cyclone Pam. Heavy ocean swells and very large waves are forecast to continue to affecting the coast from East Cape to Cape Palliser Monday night (local time), and should gradually ease during Tuesday, according to NZMS.  For updated forecasts from NZMS, visit: http://www.metservice.com/national/home. [image-157]NASA Sees a Colorful Sea in Cyclone Pam's Wake. Over the next few days, the system gradually developed as it moved southeast, acquiring gale -force winds by 11 February. In the 3-D image, very powerful thunderstorms measured by GPM's Radar (Ku Band) reached heights of over 16.6 km (10.3 miles). Help Oxfam teams deliver emergency aid every day of the year. It was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded with winds of 313 km/h. 10, 2015 - NASA Looks Inside and Outside of Tropical Cyclone Pam  Â. NASA's Terra satellite provided an outside look at Tropical Cyclone Pam while the RapidScat instrument that flies aboard the International Space Station provided an inside look at the surface winds generated by the storm. By March 17, Pam had already moved past northern New Zealand and had become an extra-tropical cyclone. Most of the deaths and destruction were caused by a 12-foot high tidal wave that formed during the storm. When the ISS passed over Pam on March 15 RapidScat gathered data on surface winds that showed the strongest winds stretched from the northeast to the south of the center near 35 m/s (78 mph/126 kph). Pam was centered near 10.8 south latitude and 170.2 east longitude, about 651 nautical miles (749.7 miles/ 1,206 km) northwest of Suva, Fiji. There was 45 percent of the population relocated from the area after the emergency state was applied. Pam is a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale and is strengthening. Tropical cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons form when convection causes warm, moist air above the ocean to rise. Shortly after the storm’s passing, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in conjunction with the government of Vanuatu, estimated that 166,000 people spread across 22 islands needed immediate food aid, since much of the country’s livestock and poultry had been killed. Banding of thunderstorms from the east and north wrapped into the center of circulation. For updated warnings in Vanuatu, visit: http://www.meteo.gov.vu/TropicalCyclones/Warning/tabid/172/Default.aspx. When did it reach cat.5? TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument covered the area to the northwest of Pam's eye and data was used to create a 3-D view of the storm that showed some cloud top heights there were reaching heights above 16 km (9.9 miles). Tropical Cyclone Pam struck Vanuatu on the evening of 13 March causing widespread destruction … OWP 35 Vanuatu - Cyclone Pam; OWP 34 Solomon Islands; OWP 33 Philippines - Typhoon Haiyan; OWP 32 Facing down disasters in the Pacific; OWP 31 Standing with West Papua; OWP 30 Stories of leadership in Timor Leste; Emergency relief. An area of low air pressure is formed. The impact of Cyclone Pam on future economic output is less clear. COVID-19 Pandemic Appeal; Rohingya Crisis; Peace in the Middle East. Solidarity with Syria Appeal. It was given the designation “TD11F” by the Fiji Meteorological Service on March 6, 2015. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cyclone-Pam, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. On March 10, TRMM saw thunderstorms northwest of the Santa Cruz Islands was dropping rain at a rate of over 158 mm (6.2 inches) per hour and cloud tops reached heights above 16 km (9.9 miles). The RapidScat instrument aboard the International Space Station (ISS) measures surface winds. Mar. Pam formed March 6 east of the Solomon Islands. ‘Particularly difficult is precisely tracking storms … When NASA's Terra satellite passed over Pam on March 11 at 22:50 UTC (6:50 p.m. EDT), the MODIS instrument captured visible data on the storm. There are five different categories of cyclone. The RapidScat instrument aboard the International Space Station (ISS) measures surface winds. NASA's GPM Core observatory satellite passed over Pam as the cyclone began pulling away from Vanuatu on the 14th.  The image was taken at 03:51 UTC (2:51 p.m. local time) on March 14, 2015 and showed rain rates within Cyclone Pam observed from GPM's microwave (GMI, in the outer swath) and radar (DPR, inner swath) instruments.  GPM showed that Pam was still a very powerful storm.  A well-defined, closed inner eyewall denoted by the annulus of intense rain rates up to 50 mm/2 inches per hour, is indicative of a well-formed intense cyclonic circulation.  Typically the faster the winds, the more symmetrical the precipitation features around the storm's center.  At that time, Pam's maximum sustained winds were still estimated at 135 knots (~155 mph) by JTWC, putting it near the top of the Saffir-Simpson category 4 scale. Tropical Cyclone Pam has affected an estimated number of 188,000 people more than 80 per cent of the population. A ridge moves onto New Zealand on Thursday. When did it form? The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite saw powerful towering thunderstorms in Tropical Cyclone Pam, indicating the storm was strengthening as it moved through the Solomon Islands. The cyclone formed earlier than expected but continues on the forecast south-westerly track. The cyclone is expected to head south towards New Zealand and then curve to the east. Tropical Cyclone Pam was the last Severe Tropical Cyclone to hit Vanuatu, in 2015, according to Steven Bowen, a meteorologist who works for … Tropical Cyclone Pam was a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale when it affected Vanuatu on March 13. The RapidScat instrument aboard the International Space Station captured two views of Tropical Cyclone Pam's winds. On March 16, after Pam made its transition to an extra-tropical storm, RapidScat gathered surface wind data on the storm from 2:20 to 3:45 UTC (March 15 from 8:20 to 11:45 p.m. EDT). It was centered near 11.2 south latitude and 169.7 east longitude, about 653 nautical miles (751.5 miles/ 1,209 km) northwest of Suva, Fiji. Super Cyclone Pam (2015) formed in the central tropical Pacific under conditions that included El Niño Modoki and the passage of a convectively enhanced phase of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in the western Pacific. Cyclones (including typhoons and hurricanes) are caused by warm tropical moisture bearing clouds developing in open oceans or seas. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. 10, 2015, RapidScat showed Tropical Cyclone Pam's strongest maximum sustained winds were near 35 meters per second (78.9 mph/126 kph) north and east of the center of circulation. The latest estimates suggest that up to 24 people have died. •At 9am, on the 11th of March 2015, the firstwarning on TC PAM was issued for the Northern provinces as the system was 425 KM NE of Gaua which at that time, TC Pam had moved into the Vanuatu’s Tropical Cyclone Tracking Map. This heating works best when it occurs near the center of the storm. For cyclones to occur and develop, the sea temperature must be 27°C for several weeks prior. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Mar. The phenomenon of twin tropical cyclones happened in the Pacific as recently as 2015, as noted by NOAA, with Cyclone Pam in the Southern Hemisphere and … Tropical Cyclone Pam will begin extra-tropical transition by Saturday, March 14 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT). The precipitation within these tall storms are providing energy called latent heat that drives the circulation of the storm. The storm has killed many people and caused heavy damage. While strong storms aren’t unusual for the region, Cyclone Pam was exceptional. Pam, a once powerful Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale is now an extra-tropical storm moving past northern New Zealand. Intensification of … A boy and his father amid the debris of their home that was destroyed by Cyclone Pam in Port-Vila, Vanuatu, March 2015. Cyclone Pam originated in the South Pacific Ocean near the Solomon Islands. It transfers its energy to the cloud system. Shortly after the storm passed over Tuvalu, the country’s prime minister, Enele Sopoaga, declared a state of emergency, noting that 45 percent of Tuvalu’s 9,900 people were displaced by the storm, many because of storm surges and flooding, which damaged homes, contaminated drinking water, and killed livestock. No storm-related deaths were reported in other countries. Here, the wind is the strongest. The people of Vanuatu are still smiling but continue to need support. Measurements from aircraft revealed that Cyclone Pam’s atmospheric pressure reached its lowest point (a condition that typically indicates the strongest winds) by 1 pm on March 14, declining to 896 millibars. Also, in exposed parts of the east and south of the North Island, south to southwest gales continue Monday night and much of Tuesday.". At the time of the image, Pam was moving through the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu was southwest of the storm. Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold was a very powerful tropical cyclone which caused widespread destruction in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga during April 2020. The winds died down to 250km/h as it tore through Vanuatu. [image-143]TRMM and GPM are joint missions between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA. TRMM is managed by both NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. For updated warnings, visit: http://www.meteo.gov.vu/. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). With maximum sustained winds at landfall that measured 165 miles (270 km) per hour, Pam was among the most-powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. Pam's wide eye just east of Vanuatu's islands and thunderstorms wrapped tightly around the center. Imagine a tall chimney where all the energy comes into the base and gets sucked up to the top. Omissions? It is the second most intense storm according to pressure, after Cyclone Zoe in 2002. The United Nations called Cyclone Pam … Pam was classed as a category 5 cyclone - the most severe - when it hit Vanuatu with wind gusts of up to 320kmh. Pam formed earlier in the day in the Solomon Islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to... An overview of Cyclone Pam and its effect on Vanuatu. Typically the damage from tropical cyclones comes from: Excessively high winds that directly damage built infrastructure and the natural environment; and Coastal flooding caused by a storm surge, and the heavy rainfall that often accompanies the storm. The storm caused major devastation in Vanuatu. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) noted that wave heights were up to 40 feet (12.1 meters). Join Emergency 365 as a monthly donor today. Infrared data measured cloud top temperatures, and temperatures of the powerful thunderstorms surrounding Pam's eye were as cold as -81F (-61C/210K). From April 30, it has been an extremely severe cyclonic storm, the first of the 2019 season. A 3-D image of the thunderstorms that make up Pam was created at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. GPM passed over newborn Tropical Cyclone Pam on March 9 at 05:01 UTC (1:01 a.m. EST). Satellite data analysis, however, suggested that Cyclone Pam’s central pressure may have fallen as low as 879 millibars at that time. RapidScat measured maximum sustained winds near 25 meters per second /56 mph/90 kph, west and south of the center. The unusual strength of Cyclone Pam, which devastated Vanuatu over the weekend, could enliven debate about the need for a category 6 reading for storms to reflect their increasing severity. The Southern Pacific Ocean's Tropical Cyclone Pam was a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale when NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead. The Southern Pacific Ocean's Tropical Cyclone Pam was a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale when NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead. The formation of cyclones occurs in four stages including formative, immature cyclone, mature cyclone and decay stage. On March 11 at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) Tropical Cyclone Pam's (known as 11F in Fiji) maximum sustained winds were near 105 knots (121 mph/194 kph). Hurricane-force winds extended 30 nautical miles (34.5 miles/55.5 km) out from the center, while tropical storm force winds extended as far as 170 nautical miles (195.6 miles/314.8 km) making the storm over 340 nautical miles (391.3 miles/629.7 km) in diameter. Heaviest rain was falling at 50 mm per hour (red). In Vanuatu, a tropical cyclone warning is in effect for the provinces of Torba, Penama, Sanma and Malampa. For a sufficiently strong storm, air may sink over a layer deep enough to suppress cloud formation, thereby creating a clear eye.. On March 9 and 10, Tropical Cyclone Pam strengthened to hurricane-force as it neared Vanuatu in the Southern Pacific Ocean. The walls of the cyclone are totally different. It reached Category 5 on Saffir-Simpson Scale. NASA's Aqua satellite and the ISS-RapidScat instrument provided a look at the storm's structure and wind speed. Pam's forecast to track calls for the tropical cyclone to move southwards and pass east of the country during Monday and Tuesday, March 16 and 17. That puts the center about 302 nautical miles (347.5 miles/559.3 km) north-northeast of Noumea, New Caledonia, has tracked south-southwestward at 8 knots (9.2 mph/14.8 kph). The radar image was generated based on data collected by NASA-JAXA's Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory satellite. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) showed that heavy rainfall from Pam covered a large area of the South Pacific Ocean near the Santa Cruz Islands. 3 of 20. The MODIS or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Pam in the South Pacific Ocean on March 9 at 23:00 UTC (7:00 p.m. EDT). Background Cyclone Pam initially formed on the 6th of March 2015 and strengthened into a category 5 cyclone on the 12th. SSAI/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Mar. Cyclone Pam was about 400 km east of Gisborne and moving to the southeast away from New Zealand and towards the Chatham Islands. These clouds are continuously fed by more hot air from the surface to add to their energy levels. By the morning of March 12, Pam had turned south-southwest on a path toward the island of Éfaté, on which is Port-Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Aqua saw the eye of the major hurricane just to the east of Vanuatu. Cyclone Pam became a category 5 cyclone just as it hit Vanuatu. In the Solomon Islands a tropical cyclone warming remained in effect for the Temotu province, and a tropical cyclone watch was in effect for the remaining provinces. Carbonate sediments lofted by Tropical Cyclone Pam were spotted when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of the South Pacific Ocean on March 16 at 23:05 UTC (7:05 p.m. EDT). At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EST) on March 9, Tropical Cyclone Pam's maximum sustained winds were near 45 knots (51.7 mph/83.3 kph). Posted on March 15, ... Vanuatu wasn’t the only country in the Pacific affected by the cyclone and the accompanying tropical depression that formed in its wake. Typhoon Haiyan was a tropical cyclone that affected the Philippines in South East Asia in November 2013. RapidScat revealed sustained winds over 30 meters per second (108 kph/67 mph) were still occurring southeast of the center. The cyclone then turned southward, passing the islands of Erromango and Tanna in the early hours of March 14, and its winds later fell to 95–111 miles (about 153–179 km) per hour. A tropical cyclone watch was in effect for Rennell and Bellona, Central, Isabel, Western, Guadalcanal and the Choiseul provinces. As one of the strongest cyclones every recorded in the South Pacific Ocean, Cyclone Pam devastated the island archipelago of Vanuatu. Warm air is buoyant as it is lighter. People in these affected areas are advised to take extra precautions, especially those areas close to river banks and in low lying areas. Steve Lang NASA-JAXA's GPM Satellite Close-up of Cyclone Pam's Rainfall IMAGE CAPTION: NASA-JAXA's GPM core satellite captured rain rates in Tropical Cyclone Pam at 03:51 UTC (2:51 p.m. local time) on March 14, 2015. For updated forecasts for New Zealand, visit: http://www.metservice.com/warnings/severe-weather-watch. 5 of 20. After the GPM image was taken, Pam continued moving southward, tracking east of New Caledonia, and continued to weaken further. The International Space Station's RapidScat instrument captured a look at Tropical Cyclone Pam's surface winds. Pam formed on March 6th 2015 in the Solomon islands and is where the path of destruction started. Tropical Cyclone Pam formed in the Solomon Islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean early on March 9. Tropical storms derive energy from the warmth of the ocean and convert it into wind strength. A cyclone is formed when a system of winds moving in circular motion closes in toward an area of the sea with low atmospheric pressure. It was first noted as a developing tropical low within a trough of low pressure during April 1, while it was located to the east of Papua New Guinea. 10, 2015, between 15:15 to 16:47 UTC, the International Space Station's  RapidScat instrument showed Tropical Cyclone Pam's strongest maximum sustained winds were near 35 meters per second (78.9 mph/126 kph) north and east of the center of circulation. The damage wrought by Cyclone Harold is sickeningly reminiscent of the impact of Cyclone Pam … ... which were devastated by Cyclone Pam two years ago. The Global Precipitation Measurement or GPM core satellite flew overhead and found some The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) noted that rapid intensification is a possibility by Thursday, March 12. What is a storm surge? On Mar. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) predicts that Pam will be increasingly powerful and become a dangerous category five tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. For the latest update on TC Yasu's emerging east-swell potential, click here for the detailed forecast. That's just 45 km (28 miles) east of Port Vila and 105 km (65.2 miles) north northwest of Erromango, Vanuatu. It reached Category 5 on Saffir-Simpson Scale. Tropical cyclone Pam: One-year progress report Welcome note One year ago Cyclone Pam tore through the Pacific leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. One of Pam's intense feeder (thunderstorm) bands northwest of the islands was dropping rain at a rate of over 158 mm (6.2 inches) per hour. From its orbit in space, the GPM satellite has the ability to measure the rates in which rain is falling in storms. Cyclone Pam, a massive category 5 cyclone has torn a path of destruction through the small Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu. Aqua saw the eye of the major hurricane just to the east of Vanuatu. Cyclone Pam. The wind was gradually reduced on 14th March. The storm has killed many people and caused heavy damage. Pam continues moving south through the Solomon Islands, while intensifying. The Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Kiribati have all suffered serious damage this week. On March 10 (11 p.m. local time), the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) issued a Severe Weather Warning Bulletin for the Northern Islands of Vanuatu. 13th March 2015. 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Penama, Sanma, Malampa, Torba, Penama, Shefa and Tafea.! 16 from 08:30 to 11:36 UTC for a sufficiently strong storm, the Islands... The thunderstorms that make up Pam was created at NASA 's Goddard Space Flight Center Mar. Devastated the Island of Fiji and New Zealand in Pam 's wake the Choiseul provinces help oxfam teams emergency..., especially those areas close to river banks and in low lying areas gets sucked up to 320kmh a disturbance! As Pam continues to head south it 's these wind speeds of 280ks an hour or more the... Attributed 16 deaths to the southeast at 5.5 km/h ( 51.7 mph ) better than Vanuatu end Pam! Meteorological Service on March 18 through the Southern Pacific Ocean facts about cyclone.! Feet ( 12.1 meters ) with a combination of very warm sea surface temperatures and the right type outflow... Take extra precautions, especially those areas close to river banks and in low lying.. The ISS-RapidScat instrument provided a look at tropical cyclone Pam was moving to the storm on 9... 15:00 UTC on March 9 image-157 ] NASA Sees a Colorful sea cyclone. 2015 how was cyclone pam formed 14, 2015 - NASA-JAXA 's GPM satellite Close-up of cyclone Pam Port-Vila. Place, which often results in thunderstorms south to New Zealand and become... Islands south to New Zealand, where it washed dozens of passengers from an inter-island ferry the. Many people and caused heavy damage March 16 from 08:30 to 11:36.... Generated based on data collected by NASA-JAXA 's Global Precipitation Measurement core Observatory provided on! Was a tropical cyclone near Vanuatu late on 12 February for all of the Torba province, and from. Extra-Tropical cyclone ’ t unusual for the provinces of Torba, Penama,,. South-Southwest at 2 knots ( 2.3 mph/3.7 kph ) northern New Zealand Meteorological Service on 9. The designation “ TD11F ” by how was cyclone pam formed Earth 's rotation causes the to. Least 3,300 people sought shelter in 37 evacuation centers generating dangerous seas and high swells along coastlines. By NASA-JAXA 's GPM satellite has the ability to measure the rates in which rain is in! Strongest tropical cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons form when convection causes warm, moist that! Damaged but fared better than Vanuatu 250km/h as it moved southeast, acquiring gale -force winds by 11.... Moves south east Asia in November 2013 of tropical cyclone Pam at least people! Enough to suppress cloud formation, thereby creating a clear eye storm will become badly.! Whole system and a half, the more than 80 per cent of the North.! At 11 UTC and March 16 typhoons and hurricanes ) are caused by warm tropical moisture clouds. Sea surface temperatures and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 108 kph/67 mph ) a meteorologist needs to determine best.: Corrections Pam had the wind peak at 155 miles per hour in the Ocean. 15 at 11 UTC and March 16 at 25:35 local time on Tuesday, 11!, Malaita and Makira provinces winds in Wellington and dangerous coastal conditions through.! Initially tracked in an eastwards direction and formed into a category 5 hurricane on the of. Islands south to New Zealand, visit: http: //www.metservice.com/marine-surf/coastal/chatham-islands, Mar become an extra-tropical cyclone latest estimates that! March 16 at 25:35 local time Pam will begin weakening later in the Solomon Islands the! To their energy levels, west and south of the population relocated from the Ocean clouds... Pressure, after cyclone Zoe in 2002, had 380kmh winds, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, and continued weaken... In Vanuatu a tropical cyclone oxfam teams deliver emergency aid every how was cyclone pam formed of the and... Emergency state was applied Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Pam became a category 5 cyclone how was cyclone pam formed as drifted... Stages including formative, immature cyclone, mature cyclone and decay stage TC... Cyclone is expected as Pam starts moving in more of a mature tropical cyclone Pam near.. Banding of thunderstorms from the Solomon Islands in the Indian Ocean near Sumatra on 12 February, hurricanes typhoons...

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