1980–81 South Pacific cyclone season

Seasonal summary

This season marked the first time the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued warnings and performed best track analysis on significant tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere. It also marked the first time the naming list in the South Pacific basin have the name from South Pacific languages scattering with the Western name.

Systems

Tropical Cyclone Diola

|10-min winds=35 |1-min winds=40 Diola existed from November 27 to November 30.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Arthur

|10-min winds=70 |1-min winds=75 Arthur existed from January 11 to January 17.

Tropical Cyclone Betsy

|10-min winds=35 |1-min winds=40 Betsy existed from January 30 to February 4.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Cliff

|10-min winds=65 |1-min winds=75 Cliff developed on February 9, near Vanua Lava, Vanuatu. The cyclone reached peak intensity on February 12, with an estimated central pressure of 975 hPa. It passed over New Caledonia at near peak intensity, with sustained winds 92 km/h. After crossing into the Australian region, Cliff struck Queensland on February 14, making landfall near Bundaberg. The cyclone caused some crop and structural damages in South East Queensland, and beach erosion occurred on the Gold and Sunshine coasts. One man was drowned off the Gold Coast.

Tropical Cyclone SP198006

|10-min winds=50 This cyclone existed from February 16 to February 21.

Tropical Cyclone Daman

|10-min winds=55 |1-min winds=40 Daman existed from February 20 to February 24.

Tropical Cyclone SP198008

|10-min winds=40 |1-min winds=46 This cyclone existed from February 22 to March 7.

Tropical Cyclone Esau

|10-min winds=55 |1-min winds=60 Esau existed from March 1 to March 5.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Freda

|10-min winds=80 |1-min winds=90 Freda existed from February 24 to March 9.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Tahmar

|10-min winds=65 |1-min winds=75 Tahmar existed from March 8 to March 13.

Tropical Cyclone Fran

|10-min winds=50 |1-min winds=60 Fran existed from March 17 to March 24.

Other systems

The JTWC initiated warnings on Tropical Cyclone 12P during January 26, which had moved into the basin from the Australian region during the previous day. The system subsequently passed in between Vanuatu and New Caledonia before it was last noted during January 27.

Season effects

|- | Diola || || bgcolor=#|Category 1 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|40 kn|| bgcolor=#|990 hPa|| || || || |- | Arthur || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|70 kn || bgcolor=#|965 hPa || || || || |- | Betsy || || bgcolor=#|Category 1 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|40 kn || bgcolor=#|990 hPa || || || || |- | Cliff || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|65 kn || bgcolor=#|970 hPa || || || || |- | Unnamed || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|50 kn || bgcolor=#|985 hPa || || || || |- | Daman || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|55 kn || bgcolor=#|980 hPa || || || || |- | Unnamed || || bgcolor=#|Category 1 tropical cyclone|| bgcolor=#|40 kn || bgcolor=#|990 hPa || || || || |- | Esau || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|55 kn || bgcolor=#|980 hPa || || || || |- | Freda || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|80 kn || bgcolor=#|955 hPa || || || || |- | Tahmar || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|65 kn || bgcolor=#|970 hPa || French Polynesia || || || |- | Fran || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|55 kn || bgcolor=#|980 hPa || || || || |-

References

References

1. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052100/http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA130187 Article title]
2. "Tropical Cyclone Cliff". [[Bureau of Meteorology]].
3. ["1980 Tropical Cyclone Arthur (1981011S12185)"]({{IBTRACS url). International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship.
4. ["1980 Tropical Cyclone Cliff (1981039S09178)"]({{IBTRACS url). International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship.
5. ["1981 Tropical Cyclone Freda (1981056S14141)"]({{IBTRACS url). International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship.
6. ["1981 Tropical Cyclone Tahmar (1981068S19199)"]({{IBTRACS url). International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship.