Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary #243 (March 24 ch 24 - 31, 1996)

[Jack Beven]

This report is compiled from warnings issued by:
National Hurricane Center Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Naval Pacific Meteor./Ocean. Center Fiji Meteorological Service
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Japanese Meteorological Agency Bureau of Meteorology, Australia
Philippine Meteorological Service Royal Observatory of Hong Kong
Indian Meteorological Department Reunion Meteorological Service
Mauritius Meteorological Service
(others may be added as they become available)

Note: The summary archive site at Florida State will be discontinued
within a week or two. I'm currently making arrangements for a new summary
archive site courtesy of the International Weather Watcher. I'll pass along
more details once the arrangements are final.


WEEKLY TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY #243 MARCH 24 - 31, 1996

North Atlantic Basin: No tropical cyclones.

Eastern North Pacific Basin (E of 140 Deg. W): No tropical cyclones.

Central North Pacific Basin (180 Deg. W to 140 Deg. W): No tropical cyclones.

Western North Pacific Basin (W of 180 Deg.): No tropical cyclones.

North Indian Ocean Basin: No tropical cyclones.

South Indian Ocean Basin (W of 135 Deg. E): No tropical cyclones.

South Pacific Ocean Basin (E of 135 Deg. E):

Tropical Cyclone Beti (TC-23P): At the start of the summary period, Beti
was moving west-southwest with 60 kt winds. Beti continued west-southwest
on 25 March as it reached hurricane strength. The cyclone recurved south-
southeast on 26 March as it reached a peak intensity of 95 kt. Beti moved
southeastward across New Caledonia on 27 March, and this track continued the
next day as it weakened to a tropical storm. Beti became extratropical near
30S 174E on 29 March.

No observations are available from New Caledonia. Surprise Island reported
40 kt sustained winds and a 986 mb pressure on 26 March (exact time unknown).
There are no reports of damage or casualties at this time. However, a
cyclone of Beti's strength should have caused damages to structures and
crops as it moved across New Caledonia.


Disclaimer: While an effort has been made to insure that this information is
as accurate as possible, this is a preliminary and unofficial report drawn
from operational warnings. Thus, it may not always agree with the best track
information published after the storm is over. Please address any questions
or comments on the information this week to Jack Beven at Internet addresses:

jbe...@delphi.com or be...@nhc.noaa.gov

Past text copies of the Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary can be obtained for
now (please see the note above) via anonymous ftp from squall.met.fsu.edu in
directory pub/jack. They are also available by e-mail. Please send an e-mail
message to Jack Beven if you are interested.