Cyclone Tino

Category 3 South Pacific cyclone of 2020
Severe Tropical Cyclone Tino
True-colour satellite image of Tino
Tino near peak intensity over Tonga on January 18
Meteorological history
FormedJanuary 11, 2020 (January 11, 2020)
ExtratropicalJanuary 19, 2020
DissipatedJanuary 20, 2020 (January 20, 2020)
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (FMS)
Highest winds120 km/h (75 mph)
Lowest pressure970 hPa (mbar); 28.64 inHg
Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds155 km/h (100 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities2 missing
Damage$5.83 million (2019 USD)
Areas affectedSolomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Samoan Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga

Part of the 2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season

Severe Tropical Cyclone Tino was a tropical cyclone which itself and an associated convergence zone caused significant damage across ten island nations in the South Pacific Ocean during January 2020. First noted as a tropical disturbance during January 11, to the southwest of Honiara in the Solomon Islands, the system gradually developed over the next few days as it moved eastwards in between the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu prior to being named Tino as it approached Fiji during January 16. Continuing to track south-eastward, Tino continued strengthening as it passed near Fiji, bringing copious amounts of rainfall to the area. Whilst losing latitude, the system continued to strengthen and peaked as a category 3 tropical cyclone on January 17, with signs of an eye forming. Shortly after peak intensity, Tino was impacted by high wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures, triggering a weakening trend. Tino moved out of the tropics shortly thereafter and became an extratropical cyclone during January 19.

In its formative stages, Tino produced heavy rainfall over the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Wallis and Futuna sustained similar effects, particularly in Wallis where damaged homes and downed trees were reported. Fiji and the Fijian dependency of Rotuma were extensively impacted by the cyclone. Rotuma's wharf in Oinafa was severely damaged, curtailing marine travel. More than 3,000 people sought shelter in Fiji ahead of the storm. The Northern Division was most greatly affected, incurring a US$2.81 million damage toll. Flooding rainfall caused creeks to overflow and thousands were left without power. Two people were missing after being swept by a swollen creek in Serua Province. Roads and crops were damaged in Tonga following Tino's passage on January 18 near peak strength, with the worst effects afflicting the island groups of Vavaʻu and Ha'apai. A convergence zone connected to Tino brought stormy conditions well-spatially and temporally beyond the cyclone's circulation. Waves as high as 8 m (26 ft) struck Tuvalu's low-lying atolls and surrounding waters, causing catastrophic flooding and uprooting numerous crops. The convergence zone also produced damaging swells in Niue and gusty winds in Samoa.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  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
Storm type
circle Tropical cyclone
square Subtropical cyclone
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression