Cyclone Prema
 Cyclone Prema west of Vanuatu at peak intensity on 29 March | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 26 March 1993 |
| Dissipated | 6 April 1993 |
| Category 4 severe tropical cyclone | |
| 10-minute sustained (FMS) | |
| Highest winds | 165 km/h (105 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 940 hPa (mbar); 27.76 inHg |
| Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 230 km/h (145 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 916 hPa (mbar); 27.05 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 3 |
| Damage | $5 million (1993 USD) |
| Areas affected | Vanuatu, New Caledonia |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1992–93 South Pacific cyclone season | |
Severe Tropical Cyclone Prema was the twenty-third storm of the season, Prema formed early on 26 March 1993 as a weak tropical depression.
Meteorological history
[edit]
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionOn 25 March, a tropical depression had developed within an otherwise inactive monsoon trough, about 200 km (125 mi) to the west of the Fijian dependency of Rotuma. A passing high-pressure area assisted the tropical depression's genesis under an upper-level ridge near Vanuatu.[1] On 26 March, the system initially moved north-westwards, before it turned and moved south-westwards as it organised and developed further.[2] The depression moved towards the northwest before it turned and started to move southwest as it gradually developed further. On 27 March, both the Nadi TCWC and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported that the depression had developed into a tropical cyclone and the Nadi TCWC named it Prema.[3]
Effects
[edit]In Vanuatu, Cyclone Prema affected 20,000 people and casued an estimated US$60 million in damages.[4] A gauge in Port Vila was damaged and inoperable for over 18 months.[5]
Due to the impact of this system, the name Prema was subsequently retired, by the World Meteorological Organization's RA V Tropical Cyclone Committee.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Darwin Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (1993). "March 1993" (PDF). Darwin Tropical Diagnostic Statement. 12 (3). Australian Bureau of Meteorology: 2. ISSN 1321-4233. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ Tropical Cyclone Prema, March 24 – April 1, 1993 (Report). Fiji Meteorological Service. 20 May 1996. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ "1993 Tropical Cyclone Prema (1993083S12181)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "Vanuatu — UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FRAMEWORK (2003–2007)". Vanuatu United Nations Development Assistance Framework 2003-2007(UNDAF) | Planipolis. UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning. March 2002. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ^ National Tidal Facility Australia (2002). "Pacific Country Report Sea Level & Climate: Their Present State Vanuatu" (PDF). Flinders University. p. 15. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
- ^ RA V Tropical Cyclone Committee (2025). Tropical Cyclone Operational Plan for the South-East Indian Ocean and the Southern Pacific Ocean 2025 (PDF) (Report). World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 11 September 2025.