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List of the most intense tropical cyclones

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List of the most intense tropical cyclones

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This is a list of the most intense tropical cyclones as measured by minimum atmospheric pressure at sea level. Although maximum sustained winds are often used to measure intensity as they commonly cause notable impacts over large areas, and most popular tropical cyclone scales are organized around sustained wind speeds, variations in the averaging period of winds in different basins make inter-comparison difficult. In addition, other impacts like rainfall, storm surge, area of wind damage, and tornadoes can vary significantly in storms with similar wind speeds. The minimum central pressure at sea level is often used to compare tropical cyclones because the measurements are easier and use consistent methodology worldwide, in contrast to difficult-to-estimate maximum sustained winds whose measurement methods vary widely. Tropical cyclones can attain some of the lowest pressures over large areas on Earth. However, although there is a strong connection between lowered pressures and higher wind speeds, storms with the lowest pressures may not have the highest wind speeds, as each storm's relationship between wind and pressure is slightly different.

In the most recent and reliable records, most tropical cyclones which attained a pressure of 900 hPa (mbar) (26.56 inHg) or less have occurred in the Western North Pacific Ocean. The strongest tropical cyclone recorded worldwide, as measured by minimum central pressure, was Typhoon Tip, which reached a pressure of 870 hPa on October 12, 1979. Furthermore, on October 23, 2015, Hurricane Patricia attained the strongest 1-minute sustained winds on record at 185 kn.

Data for the most intense tropical cyclones globally are provided below, then subdivided by basin. Data listed are provided by the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre, unless otherwise noted.

North Atlantic Ocean

Main article: Atlantic hurricane season}}{{for-multi, additional information on strong storms in the Atlantic basin, List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes{{!}}List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes, intense extratropical low pressure values over the North Atlantic, List of atmospheric pressure records in Europe#Notable non-tropical pressures over the North Atlantic

The most intense storm in the North Atlantic by lowest pressure was Hurricane Wilma. The strongest storm by 1-minute sustained winds was Hurricane Allen.

Storms which reached a minimum central pressure of 920 mbar or less are listed. Storm information has been compiled back to 1851, though measurements were rarer until aircraft reconnaissance started in the 1940s, and inexact estimates were still predominant until dropsondes were implemented in the 1970s.

CycloneSeasonPeak classificationPeak 1-min
sustained windsPressureSource: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851– (NHC)
"Cuba"19245}}145 kn910 hPa
"Cuba"19325}}150 kn915 hPa
"Labor Day"19355}}160 kn892 hPa
"Great Atlantic"19445}}140 kn918 hPa
Janet19555}}150 kn914 hPa
Esther19615}}140 kn919 hPa
Hattie19615}}145 kn914 hPa
Camille19695}}150 kn900 hPa
Allen19805}}165 kn899 hPa
Gloria19854}}{{convert125knkm/h919 hPa
Gilbert19885}}160 kn888 hPa
Hugo19895}}140 kn918 hPa
Opal19954}}130 kn916 hPa
Mitch19985}}155 kn905 hPa
Isabel20035}}145 kn915 hPa
Ivan20045}}145 kn910 hPa
Katrina20055}}150 kn902 hPa
Rita20055}}155 kn895 hPa
Wilma20055}}160 kn882 hPa
Dean20075}}150 kn905 hPa
Irma20175}}155 kn914 hPa
Maria20175}}150 kn908 hPa
Michael20185}}140 kn919 hPa
Dorian20195}}160 kn910 hPa
Iota20204}}135 kn917 hPa
Milton20245}}155 kn895 hPa
Erin20255}}140 kn913 hPa
Humberto20255}}"140 kn918 hPa
Melissa20255}}160 kn892 hPa

Eastern Pacific Ocean

Main article: Pacific hurricane#List of seasons

The most intense storm in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by both sustained winds and central pressure was Hurricane Patricia. Its sustained winds of 345 km/h are also the highest on record globally.

Storms with a minimum central pressure of 925 hPa or less are listed. Storm information was less reliably documented and recorded before 1949, and most storms since are only estimated because landfalls (and related reconnaissance) are less common in this basin.

CycloneSeasonPeak classificationPeak 1-min
sustained windsPressureSource: East Pacific Hurricane Best Track File 1949– (NHC)
Ava19735}}140 kn915 hPa
Annette19764}}120 kn925 hPa
Trudy19904}}135 kn924 hPa
Gilma19945}}140 kn920 hPa
Olivia19944}}130 kn923 hPa
Guillermo19975}}140 kn919 hPa
Linda19975}}160 kn902 hPa
Juliette20014}}125 kn923 hPa
Elida20025}}140 kn921 hPa
Hernan20025}}140 kn921 hPa
Kenna20025}}145 kn913 hPa
Ioke20065}}140 kn915 hPa
Rick20095}}155 kn906 hPa
Celia20105}}140 kn921 hPa
Marie20145}}140 kn918 hPa
Odile20144}}120 kn918 hPa
Patricia20155}}185 kn872 hPa
Walaka20185}}140 kn921 hPa
Willa20185}}140 kn925 hPa
Otis20235}}145 kn922 hPa

Western Pacific Ocean

Main article: Pacific typhoon climatology

The most intense storm by lowest pressure and peak 10-minute sustained winds was Typhoon Tip, which was also the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in terms of minimum central pressure.

Storms with a minimum pressure of 899 hPa or less are listed. Storm information was less reliably documented and recorded before 1950.

CycloneYearPeak classificationPeak 10-min
sustained windsPressureSource: Western North Pacific Typhoon Best Track File 1951– (JMA)
Unnamed1927Extrp}}887 hPa
Allyn1949VITY}}884 hPa
Clara1950VITY}}899 hPa
Marge1951VITY}}886 hPa
Wilma1952VITY}}893 hPa
Nina1953VITY}}885 hPa
Ida1954VITY}}890 hPa
Ida1958VITY}}877 hPa
Vera1959VITY}}895 hPa
Joan1959VITY}}885 hPa
Nancy1961VITY}}882 hPa
Violet1961VITY}}895 hPa
Emma1962VITY}}890 hPa
Karen1962VITY}}894 hPa
Sally1964VITY}}120 kn895 hPa
Wilda1964VITY}}895 hPa
Opal1964VITY}}895 hPa
Kit1966VITY}}880 hPa
Elsie1969VITY}}895 hPa
Viola1969VITY}}896 hPa
Hope1970VITY}}895 hPa
Amy1971VITY}}890 hPa
Irma1971VITY}}885 hPa
Patsy1973VITY}}895 hPa
Nora1973VITY}}875 hPa
June1975VITY}}875 hPa
Louise1976VITY}}110 kn895 hPa
Rita1978VITY}}120 kn880 hPa
Tip1979VITY}}140 kn870 hPa
Wynne1980VITY}}120 kn890 hPa
Elsie1981VITY}}120 kn895 hPa
Mac1982VITY}}120 kn895 hPa
Abby1983VITY}}125 kn895 hPa
Forrest1983VITY}}110 kn885 hPa
Marge1983VITY}}110 kn895 hPa
Vanessa1984VITY}}120 kn880 hPa
Dot1985VITY}}120 kn895 hPa
Betty1987VITY}}110 kn890 hPa
Flo1990VITY}}120 kn890 hPa
Ruth1991VITY}}115 kn895 hPa
Yuri1991VITY}}120 kn895 hPa
Megi2010VITY}}125 kn885 hPa
Haiyan2013VITY}}125 kn895 hPa
Meranti2016VITY}}120 kn890 hPa
Surigae2021VITY}}120 kn895 hPa

North Indian Ocean

Main article: North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone

The most intense tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean by both sustained winds and central pressure was the 1999 Odisha cyclone, with 3-minute sustained winds of 140 kn and a minimum pressure of 912 hPa.

Storms with an intensity of 950 hPa or less are listed.

CycloneSeasonPeak classificationPeak 3-min
sustained windsPressureRefs
Two19634}}105 kn947 hPa
Three19635}}130 kn920 hPa
1977 Andhra Pradesh19775}}125 kn943 hPaauthor1=Pant, P Sauthor2=Ramakrishnan, A Rauthor3=Jamdunathan, Rtitle=Cyclones and Depressions over the Indian Seas in 1977journal=Mausamyear=1980volume=31issue=3pages=337–356doi=10.54302/mausam.v31i3.3533s2cid=246784388url=https://metnet.imd.gov.in/mausamdocs/43131.pdf}}
Unnamed19784}}110 kn940 hPaauthor1=Srinivasan, Vauthor2=Ramakrishnan, A Rauthor3=Jamdunathan, Rtitle=Cyclones and Depressions over the Indian Seas in 1978journal=Mausamvolume=31issue=4pages=495–506doi=10.54302/mausam.v31i4.3444s2cid=246781079url=https://metnet.imd.gov.in/mausamdocs/43141.pdf}}
1978 Sri Lanka19785}}120 kn938 hPa
Unnamed19794}}100 kn936 hPaauthor1=Mukherjee, A Kauthor2=Ramakrishnan, A Rauthor3=Jamdunathan, Rtitle=Cyclones and Depressions over the Indian Seas in 1979journal=Mausamyear=1981volume=32issue=2pages=115–126doi=10.54302/mausam.v32i2.3398s2cid=246848511url=https://metnet.imd.gov.in/mausamdocs/43221.pdf}}
BOB 0119824}}115 kn940 hPa
Gay19895}}125 kn930 hPa
1990 Andhra Pradesh19905}}127 kn920 hPa
1991 Bangladesh19915}}127 kn918 hPa
1994 BOB 0219944}}115 kn940 hPa
1999 Pakistan19994}}105 kn946 hPa
1999 Odisha19995}}140 kn912 hPa
2001 Gujarat20014}}115 kn932 hPa
Gonu20075}}130 kn920 hPa
Sidr20074}}115 kn944 hPa
Giri20104}}105 kn950 hPa
Phailin20134}}115 kn940 hPa
Hudhud20144}}100 kn950 hPa
Nilofar20144}}110 kn950 hPa
Chapala20154}}115 kn940 hPa
Fani20194}}115 kn932 hPa
Kyarr20195}}130 kn922 hPa
Amphan20205}}130 kn920 hPa
Tauktae20214}}100 kn950 hPa
Mocha20234}}115 kn938 hPa

South-West Indian Ocean

Main article: South-West Indian Ocean tropical cyclone#Seasons

The most intense tropical cyclone in the South-West Indian Ocean was Cyclone Gafilo. By 10-minute sustained wind speed, the strongest tropical cyclone in the South-West Indian Ocean was Cyclone Fantala.

Storms with an intensity of 920 hPa or less are listed. Storm information was less reliably documented and recorded before 1985.

CycloneSeasonPeak classificationPeak 10-min
sustained windsPressure
Chris–Damia1981–824}}115 kn898 hPa
Geralda1993–944}}110 kn905 hPa
Litanne1993–944}}105 kn910 hPa
Marlene1994–954}}100 kn920 hPa
Bonita1995–964}}100 kn920 hPa
Daniella1996–974}}105 kn915 hPa
Hudah1999–20005}}120 kn905 hPa
Dina2001–024}}115 kn910 hPa
Guillaume2001–024}}110 kn920 hPa
Hary2001–025}}120 kn905 hPa
Kalunde2002–034}}115 kn905 hPa
Gafilo2003–045}}125 kn895 hPa
Adeline–Juliet2004–055}}120 kn905 hPa
Bento2004–054}}115 kn915 hPa
Carina2005–064}}110 kn915 hPa
Hondo2007–084}}115 kn915 hPa
Edzani2009–105}}120 kn910 hPa
Bruce2013–145}}120 kn920 hPa
Colin2013–144}}110 kn915 hPa
Hellen2013–145}}125 kn915 hPa
Bansi2014–155}}120 kn910 hPa
Eunice2014–155}}125 kn915 hPa
Fantala2015–165}}250 km/h910 hPa
Darian2022–235}}120 kn920 hPa

Australian region

Main article: Australian region tropical cyclone#Seasons

The most intense tropical cyclone(s) in the Australian Region were cyclones Gwenda and Inigo. By 10-minute sustained wind speed, the strongest were Cyclone Orson, Cyclone Monica and Cyclone Marcus.

Storms with an intensity of 920 hPa or less are listed. Storm information was less reliably documented and recorded before 1985.

CycloneSeasonPeak classificationPeak 10-min
sustained windsPressureSource: Database of past tropical cyclone tracks (BOM)
Mahina1898–99Extrp}}914 hPa
Joan1975–765}}115 kn915 hPa
Amy1979–805}}115 kn915 hPa
Kathy1983–845}}110 kn916 hPa
Orson1988–895}}135 kn904 hPa
Graham1991–925}}110 kn915 hPa
Rewa1993–945}}110 kn920 hPa
Theodore1993–945}}110 kn910 hPa
Chloe1994–955}}120 kn920 hPa
Pancho-Helinda1996–975}}115 kn915 hPa
Thelma1998–995}}120 kn920 hPa
Vance1998–995}}115 kn910 hPa
Frederic-Evrina1998–995}}110 kn920 hPa
Gwenda1998–995}}120 kn900 hPa
John1999–20005}}110 kn915 hPa
Paul1999–20005}}120 kn915 hPa
Chris2001–025}}110 kn915 hPa
Inigo2002–035}}125 kn900 hPa
Fay2003–045}}115 kn910 hPa
Floyd2005–064}}105 kn916 hPa
Glenda2005–065}}110 kn910 hPa
Monica2005–065}}135 kn916 hPa
George2006–075}}110 kn902 hPa
Marcus2017–185}}135 kn905 hPa
Darian2022–235}}125 kn915 hPa
Ilsa2022–235}}125 kn915 hPa

South Pacific Ocean

Main article: South Pacific tropical cyclone season

A total of 16 cyclones are listed down below reaching/surpassing an intensity of 920 hPa (27.17 inHg), with most of them occurring during El Niño seasons. Tropical cyclones that have been recorded since the start of the 1969–70 Tropical Cyclone year and have reached their peak intensity to the west of 160E are included in the list. The most intense tropical cyclone in the south Pacific, Cyclone Winston of 2016, is also the most intense storm in the Southern Hemisphere.

Storms with an intensity of 920 hPa or less are listed.

CycloneSeasonPeak classificationPeak 10-min
sustained windsPressure
Oscar1982–834}}100 kn920 hPa
Hina1984–855}}120 kn910 hPa
Fran1991–925}}110 kn920 hPa
Ron1997–985}}125 kn900 hPa
Susan1997–985}}125 kn900 hPa
Beni2002–035}}110 kn920 hPa
Dovi2002–035}}110 kn920 hPa
Erica2002–035}}115 kn915 hPa
Zoe2002–035}}130 kn890 hPa
Heta2003–045}}115 kn915 hPa
Meena2004–055}}115 kn915 hPa
Olaf2004–055}}115 kn915 hPa
Percy2004–055}}125 kn900 hPa
Ului2009–105}}115 kn915 hPa
Pam2014–155}}135 kn896 hPa
Winston2015–165}}150 kn884 hPa
Harold2019–205}}125 kn920 hPa
Yasa2020–215}}125 kn917 hPa
Kevin2022–235}}125 kn913 hPa

South Atlantic Ocean

Main article: South Atlantic tropical cyclone

Until recently, it was not known that tropical cyclones could exist in the southern Atlantic. However, Hurricane Catarina in 2004, to date the only hurricane in the south Atlantic, brought additional review. A subsequent study found that there was an average of 1–2 subtropical or tropical cyclones per year in the Southern Atlantic in recent decades. No official database of South Atlantic cyclones exists, but a partial list of notable tropical and subtropical systems is listed.

CycloneSeasonPeak classificationPeak 1-min
sustained windsPressure
Unnamed1991storm}}35 kn
Catarina2004cat2}}85 kn
Anita2010storm}}45 kn
Arani2011storm}}45 kn
Bapo2015storm}}35 kn
Cari2015storm}}35 kn
Deni2016storm}}40 kn
Eçaí2016storm}}55 kn
Guará2017storm}}40 kn
Iba2019storm}}45 kn
Jaguar2019storm}}35 kn
Kurumí2020storm}}35 kn
Mani2020storm}}35 kn
Oquira2020storm}}35 kn
01Q2021storm}}35 kn
Potira2021storm}}40 kn
Raoni2021storm}}50 kn
Ubá2021storm}}35 kn
Yakecan2022storm}}50 kn
Akará2024storm}}45 kn
Biguá2024storm}}50 kn

Notes

References

References

  1. (February 2015). "Hurricane Wind–Pressure Relationship and Eyewall Replacement Cycles". Weather and Forecasting.
  2. Dunnavan, George M. (November 1, 1980). "An Analysis of Super Typhoon Tip (October 1979)". Monthly Weather Review.
  3. (October 23, 2015). "Hurricane Patricia weakens, but still 'extremely dangerous'".
  4. Mirnane, Richard. (2004). "Hurricanes and Typhoons: Past, Present, and Future". Columbia University Press.
  5. "ATCR report plan".
  6. C. L. Jordan. (September 1959). "A Reported Sea Level Pressure of 877 MB.". Monthly Weather Review.
  7. (2010-01-13). "Western North Pacific Typhoon best track file 1951–{{#time:Y". [[Japan Meteorological Agency]].
  8. (1980). "Cyclones and Depressions over the Indian Seas in 1977". Mausam.
  9. "Cyclones and Depressions over the Indian Seas in 1978". Mausam.
  10. (1981). "Cyclones and Depressions over the Indian Seas in 1979". Mausam.
  11. (2001-05-16). "Cyclone Damia Best track". Météo-France.
  12. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. "Cyclone Season 1993–1994 in the South-West Indian Ocean". Météo France.
  13. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. "Cyclone Season 1994–1995 in the South-West Indian Ocean". Météo France.
  14. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. "Cyclone Season 1995–1996 in the South-West Indian Ocean". Météo France.
  15. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. "Cyclone Season 1996–1997 in the South-West Indian Ocean". Météo France.
  16. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (2001). "Cyclone Season 1999–2000 in the South-West Indian Ocean". Météo France.
  17. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (2004). "Cyclone Season 2001–2002 in the South-West Indian Ocean". Météo France.
  18. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (2006). "Cyclone Season 2003–2004 in the South-West Indian Ocean". Météo France.
  19. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (November 27, 2009). "Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Adeline-Juliet". Météo France.
  20. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (November 27, 2009). "Intense Tropical Cyclone Bento". Météo France.
  21. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (2006). "South-West Indian Ocean Cyclone Season 2005–2006". Météo France.
  22. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (November 27, 2009). "Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Hondo". Météo France.
  23. La Réunion Tropical Cyclone Centre. (August 31, 2010). "Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Edzani". Météo France.
  24. Kerr, Jack. (26 December 2014). "Tropical Cyclone Mahina: Bid to have deadly March 1899 weather event upgraded in record books". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
  25. "World Storm Surge Records".
  26. (2012). "A Climatology of Subtropical Cyclones in the South Atlantic". American Meteorological Society.
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