Cyclone Zoe - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

On December 23, 2002, the Fiji Meteorological Service's Regional Specialized Meteorological Center in Nadi, Fiji started to monitor a weak tropical depression, that had developed within the South Pacific Convergence Zone about 670 km (420 mi) to the east of Funafuti on the island nation of Tuvalu. Over the next couple of days the depression slowly developed further and came under the influence of a ridge of high pressure which steered the system towards the west-southwest. During December 25, convection erupted over the depressions low level circulation centre as the system started to rapidly intensify in favourable conditions including decreasing vertical windshear. Later that day both the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and RSMC Nadi reported that the depression had developed into a tropical cyclone with the latter naming it as Zoe at 2100 UTC, while the system was located about 220 km (140 mi) to the northwest of the Fijian dependency of Rotuma. During the next day Zoe continued its rapid intensification and its westwards movement, with RSMC Nadi reporting at 1800 UTC that the system had become a category 3 severe tropical cyclone as it developed an eye.

During December 27, Zoe continued to intensify before the JTWC reported at 1200 UTC, that the system had peaked with 1-minute windspeeds of 285 km/h (180 mph) and become equivalent to a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. Later that day, the mid to high level ridge of high pressure that had been steering Zoe westwards started to break down in response to an upper level trough of low pressure developing over the Tasman sea. As a result the cyclone started to move towards the southwest and passed between the Solomon Islands of Anuta and Fataka at around 1800 UTC. RSMC Nadi then reported at 0600 UTC on December 28, that Zoe had peaked as a Category 5 Severe Tropical Cyclone with estimated 10-minute maximum sustained windspeeds of 240 km/h (150 mph) and an estimated peak pressure of 890 hPa (26.28 inHg) which made it the most intense tropical cyclone on record within the Southern Hemisphere.

Between December 28 and December 29, Zoe moved very little, executing a small clockwise loop whilst maintaining its general intensity. During that time it passed over several small islands in the Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands. December 29 saw Zoe moving again, this time to the southeast. At this time, it encountered an unfavourable environment of increasing wind shear and colder waters, and began to weaken. During January 1, 2003 RSMC Nadi and the JTWC both reported that the system had degenerated into an extratropical cyclone and issued their final warnings. The remnants were then last noted by RSMC Nadi on January 4, while they were located about 415 km (260 mi) to the southeast of Noumea, New Caledonia.