Cyclone Prema

Severe Tropical Cyclone Prema was among the worst tropical cyclones to hit Vanuatu since 1987's Cyclone Uma.^[1] The twenty-third storm of the season, Prema formed early on 26 March 1993 as a weak tropical depression.^[2]

Severe Tropical Cyclone Prema

Satellite image of Cyclone Prema
Meteorological history
Formed	26 March 1993 (1993-03-26)
Dissipated	6 April 1993 (1993-04-06)
Category 4 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (FMS)
Highest winds	185 km/h (115 mph)
Lowest pressure	940 hPa (mbar); 27.76 inHg
Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds	230 km/h (145 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities	3
Damage	$5 million (1993 USD)
Areas affected	Vanuatu, New Caledonia
IBTrACS
Part of the 1992–93 South Pacific cyclone season

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

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

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

During 25 March, the Fiji Meteorological Service reported that a tropical depression, had developed within an otherwise inactive monsoon trough, about 200 km (125 mi) to the west of the Fijian dependency of Rotuma.^[3][4] During the next day the system initially moved north-westwards, before it turned and moved south-westwards as it organised and developed further.^[3]

^[5] During that day the depression moved towards the northwest, before it turned and started to move towards the southwest during 26 March as it gradually developed further. During 27 March, both TCWC Nadi and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported that the depression had developed into a tropical cyclone with Nadi naming it as Prema.^[6]

Preparations and impact

Severe Tropical Cyclone Prema was the first named tropical cyclone to affect Vanuatu after six systems had affected the archipelago during the previous season. Prema affected the island nation between 29 –30 March, where it caused extensive damage parts of Shefa Province, including on Epi, Efate and the Shepherd Islands.

Due to the impact of this system, the name Prema was subsequently retired, by the World Meteorological Organization's RA V Tropical Cyclone Committee.^[7]

See also

• Cyclone Bola
• Cyclone Ivy