Storms near Tonga
The record holds 86 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of Tonga between 1946 and 2021. The busiest month is February, with 23 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 5 strength. 21 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 86storms within 50 km
- 6major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 15at category 1 strength or more
A storm counts once, however many times it came close. The category is the storm's strongest point within 50 km, which can be weaker than its peak elsewhere.
How strong were the storms near Tonga?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 5 | 6% |
| Tropical storm | 45 | 52% |
| Category 1 | 5 | 6% |
| Category 2 | 4 | 5% |
| Category 3 | 3 | 3% |
| Category 4 | 2 | 2% |
| Category 5 | 1 | 1% |
| Unknown intensity | 21 | 24% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (southern hemisphere).
Tonga storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2021, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1946, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 3 |
| 1950s | 4 |
| 1960s | 8 |
| 1970s | 17 |
| 1980s | 14 |
| 1990s | 9 |
| 2000s | 15 |
| 2010s | 13 |
| 2020s | 3 |
Earlier decades hold fewer storms partly because they were harder to see. Before weather satellites (about the 1960s) many storms that stayed at sea went unrecorded, so compare decades with care.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 22 |
| Feb | 23 |
| Mar | 12 |
| Apr | 13 |
| May | 0 |
| Jun | 0 |
| Jul | 0 |
| Aug | 0 |
| Sep | 0 |
| Oct | 0 |
| Nov | 2 |
| Dec | 14 |
Strongest storms near Tonga
- Ron (1998)1 January 1998 to 9 January 1998, peak Category 5 (145 kt), 900 hPa
- Ian (2014)4 January 2014 to 15 January 2014, peak Category 4 (130 kt), 935 hPa
- Gita (2018)7 February 2018 to 22 February 2018, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 927 hPa
- Isaac (1982)27 February 1982 to 5 March 1982, peak Category 3 (108 kt), 930 hPa
- Waka (2002)28 December 2001 to 6 January 2002, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 930 hPa
- Eseta (2003)8 March 2003 to 15 March 2003, peak Category 3 (110 kt), 925 hPa
Most recent storms near Tonga
- Zazu (2021)12 December 2020 to 16 December 2020, peak Tropical storm (55 kt), 980 hPa
- Tino (2020)15 January 2020 to 20 January 2020, peak Category 2 (85 kt), 970 hPa
- Sarai (2020)24 December 2019 to 2 January 2020, Tropical storm (50 kt) near here, peak Category 1 (75 kt), 971 hPa
- Pola (2019)25 February 2019 to 3 March 2019, Tropical storm (45 kt) near here, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 950 hPa
- Neil (2019)9 February 2019 to 10 February 2019, peak Tropical storm (40 kt), 994 hPa
Many of these storms killed people and destroyed homes. The figures are the official record's, and this page says nothing about their human cost.
Notable storms near Tonga with their own pages
- Ron (1998)1 January 1998 to 9 January 1998, peak Category 5 (145 kt), 900 hPa
- Ian (2014)4 January 2014 to 15 January 2014, peak Category 4 (130 kt), 935 hPa
- Gita (2018)7 February 2018 to 22 February 2018, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 927 hPa
- Isaac (1982)27 February 1982 to 5 March 1982, peak Category 3 (108 kt), 930 hPa
- Waka (2002)28 December 2001 to 6 January 2002, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 930 hPa
- Eseta (2003)8 March 2003 to 15 March 2003, peak Category 3 (110 kt), 925 hPa
- Rene (2010)9 February 2010 to 19 February 2010, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 945 hPa
- Sina (1991)23 November 1990 to 4 December 1990, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 960 hPa
- Ula (2016)29 December 2015 to 16 January 2016, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 937 hPa
- Wilma (2011)20 January 2011 to 30 January 2011, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 939 hPa
- Nigel (1985)14 January 1985 to 28 January 1985, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 955 hPa
- Winston (2016)9 February 2016 to 28 February 2016, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 884 hPa