Tropical Storm Clotilda

Tropical Cyclone Clotilda

Severe tropical storm (SWIO scale)
Tropical storm (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Tropical Cyclone Clotilda on February 13
Formed	February 9, 1987
Dissipated	February 22, 1987
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 110 km/h (70 mph) 1-minute sustained: 85 km/h (50 mph)
Lowest pressure	970 hPa (mbar); 28.64 inHg
Fatalities	10 confirmed
Damage	$2 million (1987 USD)
Areas affected	Réunion, Mauritius
Part of the 1986–87 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

Cyclone Clotilda was a destructive tropical cyclone that inundated Réunion in February 1987. A tropical disturbance first formed between Madagascar and Réunion on February 9 and slowly intensified thereafter. While meandering, the storm fluctuated in intensity before it reached its peak intensity on February 13, with winds of 110 km/h (70 mph). After passing near Réunion, it began to weaken. On February 16, however, Clotilda began to regain strength, and reached its secondary peak on February 17. Two days later, Clotilda became an extratropical cyclone. By February 22, Clotilda was no long being tracked by meteorologists. While active, it brought torrential rains to the island of Réunion during a span of 72 hours. A total of 1,855 mm (73.0 in) of rain was recorded in La Plaine-des-Palmistes; rainfall totals occasionally exceeded the totals measured during Cyclone Hyacinthe, the last major storm to affect Réunion. However, the peak total measured in Hyacinthe was lower than the total measured during Clotilda. Furthermore, about 250 homes were damaged and roughly 120 homes were destroyed. Eighty-nine trees were also brought down during the storm. Throughout the island, damage totaled $2 million (1987 USD) and 10 people were killed. In addition to the destruction on Réunion, 5% of crops on Mauritius were impacted by the storm. During the aftermath of the cyclone, 1,000 people on Réunion were evacuated to shelters.

The tropical disturbance that would later become Clotilda was first warned on by Météo-France's (MFR) meteorological office at Réunion at 0600 UTC on February 9. At this time, it was located about 500 km (310 mi) from Réunion. Initially moving south, the storm maintained its intensity for 24 hours before it was upgraded into a moderate tropical storm, with winds of 65 km/h (40 mph). However, the strengthening trend was short lived, and several hours later, MFR downgraded Clotilda into a tropical depression as it began to meander. At 0600 UTC on February 11, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued its first warning on the system. That day, Clotilda began to re-intensify and MFR upgraded Clotilda into a moderate tropical storm for the second time. At 1200 UTC that day, the JTWC reported that Clotilda developed gale-force winds. Data from both agencies suggest that the storm held on to its intensity for about a day before gradually intensifying while turning east, passing within 80 km (50 mi) Réunion. At 1800 UTC on February 12, the JTWC reported that Clotilda had reached its peak intensity of 85 km/h (55 mph) while MFR upgraded Clotilda into a severe tropical storm. The following day, MFR noted that Severe Tropical Storm Clotilda had reached its peak 10-minute sustained wind speed of 110 km/h (70 mph) while undergoing a small clockwise loop, passing about 155 km (95 mi) east of Mauritius.