Six Tropical Cyclones Concurrently Active in the Southern Hemisphere
On Tuesday, six tropical cyclones were simultaneously active in the southern hemisphere, notably Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which reached category-4 intensity. Two additional storms, Rae and Seru, briefly existed in the south-west Pacific. Severe Tropical Cyclone Bianca was active in the Indian Ocean, while two more cyclones affected Madagascar, highlighting the concurrent storm activity across regions.
On Tuesday, an extraordinary meteorological phenomenon was observed as six named tropical cyclones occurred simultaneously in the southern hemisphere, with several of these storms positioned near each other. Three of these cyclones originated in the south-west Pacific, including Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which commenced on 20 February in the Coral Sea, north-east of Australia. By Thursday, Alfred achieved category-4 hurricane strength, boasting sustained winds of 105 mph and gusts reaching approximately 140 mph.
Cyclone Alfred is advancing southward parallel to the Queensland coast, prompting warnings for strong winds and turbulent seas. Although landfall is not anticipated, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is vigilantly monitoring the cyclone due to uncertainty regarding its proximity to the coast. In the broader south-west Pacific region, two shorter-lived storms, Rae and Seru, each attained a maximum intensity akin to a category-2 hurricane.
The simultaneous occurrence of six cyclones in the southern hemisphere is a rare but not unprecedented event in meteorology. Cyclone Alfred demonstrated significant intensity and coastal implications, while Cyclones Rae and Seru illustrated the varied impacts of tropical storms. With the remaining cyclones in the vicinity of Madagascar, it underscores the dynamic nature of tropical meteorology and the importance of monitoring such phenomena.
Original Source: www.theguardian.com
