Severe Tropical Cyclone Meena was the first of four tropical cyclones to impact the

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , langu ...

during February 2005. The system was first identified within a trough of low pressure, about to the northwest of

Pago Pago Pago Pago ( ; Samoan: )Harris, Ann G. and Esther Tuttle (2004). ''Geology of National Parks''. Kendall Hunt. Page 604. . is the territorial capital of American Samoa. It is in Maoputasi County on Tutuila, which is American Samoa's main island ...

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the Internation ...

Meteorological history

During February 1, an area of low pressure was identified within a trough of low pressure, about to the northwest of Pago Pago in American Samoa. During that day, the system moved south-westwards and started to consolidate, before the

Fiji Meteorological Service The Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) is a Department of the government of Fiji responsible for providing weather forecasts and is based on the grounds of Nadi Airport in Nadi. The current director of Fiji Meteorological Service is Misaeli Funa ...

(FMS) classified the system as Tropical Depression 07F. At this stage, the depression was poorly organised with

atmospheric convection Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air masses lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the ...

displaced to the north of the systems low level circulation center, while it was located to the south of a

ridge of high pressure An anticyclone is a weather phenomenon defined as a large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from a ...

in an area of moderate vertical wind shear. Over the next day, the system's organisation significantly improved with the development of a small

central dense overcast The central dense overcast, or CDO, of a tropical cyclone or strong subtropical cyclone is the large central area of thunderstorms surrounding its circulation center, caused by the formation of its eyewall. It can be round, angular, oval, or i ...

, while its outflow was enhanced by a cross-equatorial wind flow. During February 3, the systems low level circulation center gradually slipped underneath the central dense overcast, before the FMS reported that the system had become a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale and named it Meena. At this stage, the system was located about to the east of Pago Pago, American Samoa.

Effects

Meena was the first of four severe tropical cyclones to impact the Cook Islands during the 2004–05 season.

Samoan Islands

Meena passed within of American Samoa's Manu'a group of islands, where wind gusts of up to were experienced. Authorities in the territory closed public schools and advised residents to prepare for heavy showers and possible flooding due to the cyclone. Flights to Manu'a islands were cancelled while delays occurred on flights between Samoa and American Samoa. Meena subsequently generated swells of between which produced surf heights of along Tutuila and Manu'a.

Cook Islands

During February 2, the FMS issued strong wind warnings and a tropical cyclone alert for both the Northern and the

Southern Cook Islands The Cook Islands can be divided into two groups: the Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands. The country is located in Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ...

, as it was thought that the system could produce gale-force winds over the islands within 24 - 48 hours. As a result of the alert being issued, the emergency operations centre was opened, while people were urged to move off the beach to higher ground. During the following day, gale warnings were issued for Suwarrow in the Northern Cooks and for Palmerston in the Southern Cooks.

References

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