Cyclone Heta
| Category 5 severe tropical cyclone (Aus scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
Cyclone Heta at peak intensity
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| Formed | December 25, 2003 |
| Dissipated | January 8, 2004 |
| Highest winds |
10-minute sustained: 215 km/h (130 mph) 1-minute sustained: 260 km/h (160 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 915 hPa (mbar); 27.02 inHg |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Damage | $113 million (2004 USD) |
| Areas affected | Samoan Islands, Tonga, Niue |
| Part of the 2003–04 South Pacific cyclone season | |
Severe Tropical Cyclone Heta was a powerful Category 5 tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic damage to the islands of Tonga, Niue, and American Samoa during late December 2003 and early January 2004. Heta formed on December 25, 2003; it reached a maximum intensity of 160 mph (260 km/h) and an estimated pressure of 915 millibars before dissipating on January 11, 2004. It was the first tropical cyclone to form in the area of responsibility of the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) at Nadi, Fiji, during the 2003–04 South Pacific cyclone season.
The damage Heta caused on Tonga, Niue, and American Samoa was estimated at $150 million (2004 USD), with most of the damage occurring in American Samoa; the cyclone was also responsible for one death. Heta precipitated a massive relief and clean-up operation that lasted throughout 2004.
Heta formed from a tropical wave between Rotuma and Fiji on December 25, 2003. It moved eastward to a position north of Fiji, where it was designated Tropical Depression 3-F on December 28. The depression migrated first northward and then eastward until January 2, 2004, when it reached tropical storm strength and was named Heta. At this point, low wind shear and high sea surface temperatures caused Heta to intensify rapidly. On January 3, Heta, aided by a weak steering current, slowly began to move to the southeast as it became a Category 1 hurricane.
The center of Heta passed 70 miles (110 km) west of Samoa as the storm reached Category 2 status. Heta reached a peak intensity of 160 mph (235 km/h) and maintained it for 24 hours as it continued its south-southeastward track. By that time, Heta was centered 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Tonga, close to the island of Niue. By January 7, Cyclone Heta had exited the Nadi RMSC's area of responsibility and entered that of the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center at Wellington, New Zealand. The storm slowly weakened as it encountered the cooler waters of the far South Pacific. Heta became extratropical 525 miles (845 km) south of the island of Rarotonga later on the 7th. These remnants of Heta slowed even further and moved westward, where they finally dissipated on January 11 east of Norfolk Island.
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