The 2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season was a slightly above-average season in which tropical cyclones formed within the South Pacific Ocean to the east of 160°E. The season officially ran from November 1, 2019, to April 30, 2020, however a tropical cyclone could form at any time between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020, and would count towards the season total. The season began on November 22 with the formation of Tropical Cyclone Rita, which would later become a severe tropical cyclone. The season has been near-average in terms of activity, with 8 tropical cyclones and 4 severe tropical cyclones forming during the season. The season featured Cyclone Harold, the first Category 5 severe tropical cyclone in the basin since Cyclone Gita, and one of the strongest since Cyclone Winston. During the season, tropical cyclones are officially monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS), Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and New Zealand's MetService. The United States Armed Forces through the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) also monitors the basin and issue unofficial warnings for American interests. The FMS attaches a number and an F suffix to tropical disturbances that form in or move into the basin while the JTWC designates significant tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix. The FMS, BoM and MetService all use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale and estimate wind speeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC estimated sustained winds over a 1-minute period, which are subsequently compared to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS).

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Seasonal forecasts Source/Record TropicalCyclone SevereTropical Cyclone Ref Record high: 1997–98: 16 1982–83: 10 Record low: 1990–91:  2 2008–09:  0 Average (1969–70 – 2018–19): 7.1  — NIWA October 9–12 4 Fiji Meteorological Service 5–8 2–4

Ahead of the season officially starting on November 1, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) and New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), both issued a tropical cyclone outlook that discussed the upcoming season. These outlooks took into account a variety of factors such as what had happened in previous seasons. The Southwest Pacific tropical cyclone outlook issued by New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in conjunction with MetService and various other Pacific meteorological services, predicted that nine to twelve tropical cyclones would occur over the South Pacific Ocean between 135°E and 120°W. The outlook also predicted that at least four of these tropical cyclones would intensify further and become either a Category three, four or five severe tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale. In addition to contributing towards the Southwest Pacific tropical cyclone outlook, the FMS predicted that between five and eight tropical cyclones would occur within the basin, while two to four of these tropical cyclones were expected to intensify further and become either a category three, four or five severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale.

Seasonal summary

The season began with the arrival of Tropical Depression 01F on November 22, near the Solomon Islands, which would later become Tropical Cyclone Rita. Rita would then peak as a Category 3 on the Australian scale. Tropical Disturbance 02F was designated sometime later, but didn't last long after that. Sarai formed on December 23, lasting into the new year before finally ceasing to exist on January 2. Not too long after that, Tino formed and affected eastern Fiji and the surrounding area before dissipating. On January 24, a depression formed and dissipated the next day without been named. In early February, another low originally in the Australian region crossed the 160th meridian east and emerged in the South Pacific. It strengthened into severe tropical cyclone Uesi and affected New Caledonia and New Zealand. In mid-February four disturbances formed, 07F, 08F, 09F and 10F. 07F & 08F dissipated before becoming tropical depressions but the other 2 strengthened into tropical cyclones Vicky and Wasi. In mid March, Gretel entered the basin. It dissipated shortly afterwards. In early April, Harold also entered the basin from the Australian region. It rapidly intensified into a Category 5 Severe tropical cyclone as it impacted Vanuatu.

Systems Tropical Cyclone Rita

Beginning November 21, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) began highlighting the likelihood of a tropical cyclone forming between Vanuatu and Fiji. Showers and thunderstorms began to aggregate in the region atop sea surface temperatures above in low-wind shear conditions. Imagery from microwave satellite data showed emergent rainbands wrapping towards an organising center of low pressure. Late on November 22, the FMS designated the system, now east of the Solomon Islands, as Tropical Disturbance 01F. The slow-moving disturbance tracked towards the south and southeast, steered by a broad area of high pressure. On November 23, 01F attained tropical depression status. Supported by the stout outflow of air at the upper-levels of the troposphere, shower activity became more concentrated around the center of circulation. The depression reached tropical cyclone intensity by 06:00 UTC on November 24 near the Santa Cruz Islands, earning the name Rita. A well-defined and formative eye soon developed beneath the central cloud cover. Continuing to intensify in favorable atmospheric conditions, Rita reached Category 2 cyclone strength by November 25, and later will peak with 70 mph per FMS. The developing eye briefly emerged on infrared and visible satellite imagery as a ragged feature at the cyclone's center, surrounded by well-defined rainbands.

Over the course of November 25, convective activity and organization slightly diminished due to an increase in wind shear, and Rita ultimately peaked as a Category 3 tropical cyclone with 10-minute maximum sustained winds of as well as 1-minute sustained winds up to the same intensity. Additionally, Rita reached a minimum barometric pressure of 977 mbar (hPa; 28.85 inHg). This made Rita one of the strongest first storms to form in the South Pacific since the formation of Mick in 2009, as many others were merely depressions or disturbances. It then began to track into an area unfavorable for intensification due to the presence of wind shear and cool dry air, resulting in a rapid decay of the storm's convection and a decrease of the storm's maximum winds. The FMS issued their last advisory on Rita on November 26 after the storm was downgraded to a remnant area of low pressure; at the time these remnants were slowly moving west-southwest towards northern Vanuatu.

In anticipation of heavy rainfall and strong winds from Rita, the National Disaster Management Office in Port Vila, Vanuatu, issued a Red Alert for Torba Province and a Yellow Alert for Penama Province and Sanma Province. Warnings for strong winds were also issued for Shefa and Tafea provinces.

Tropical Disturbance 02F

During December 19, the FMS reported that Tropical Disturbance 02F had developed about to the northeast of Tau in American Samoa's Manu‘a Group. At this time, the system was poorly organised with atmospheric convection located to the east of the storms low level circulation center. Over the next few days, the system moved south-westwards within an area that was marginally favourable for further development, with good poleward outflow and warm sea surface temperatures offset by low to moderate vertical wind shear. However, it failed to develop any further and was last noted by the FMS during December 23, after it had lost its tropical characteristics and became extratropical.

Tropical Cyclone Sarai

During December 23, the FMS reported that Tropical Disturbance 03F had developed about to the west of Tuvalu. At this time the system was poorly organised with deep atmospheric convection, displaced to the north and east of its broad and elongated low-level circulation. The disturbance was also located underneath an upper ridge of high pressure within a favourable environment for further development, with low to moderate vertical windshear and warm sea surface temperatures of . Over the next couple of days, the system moved southwards and gradually developed further with its overall organisation improving, before it was classified as a tropical depression by the FMS during December 25. After being classified as a tropical depression, the system continued to develop, with its outflow improving and deep convection wrapping on to the systems low level circulation center. During December 26, the JTWC initiated advisories on the depression and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 04P, before the FMS reported that the system had become a Category 1 tropical cyclone and named it Sarai. At this time, Sarai was being steered southwards to the west of Fiji, along the edge of a near-equatorial ridge of high pressure and the jetstream. Over the next couple of days, the system gradually intensified further and was classified as a Category 2 tropical cyclone during December 27, while it was located around to the west of Nadi, Fiji. During December 28, as Sarai passed about to the south of Fiji's Kadavu Island, the FMS estimated that the system had peaked as a Category 2 tropical cyclone with 10-minute sustained winds of .

Due to an area of high pressure to its east, Sarai took a southerly course during its early stages as a named system. The high pressure region would later shift its orientation, causing Sarai to gradually curve towards the east. On December 27, the cyclone's winds increased further past Category 2 cyclone thresholds, with one-minute sustained winds to hurricane-force. The following day, the FMS assessed a peak intensity with ten-minute sustained winds of . At the time, a large eye was evident on microwave satellite data while the storm tracked towards the southeast along the periphery of the jet stream, and remained present throughout the day. Sarai reached its lowest barometric pressure on December 29 before weakening due to increasing wind shear of , resulting in a loss of organisation. Sarai's center of circulation became displaced from the storm's convection on December 30, and the storm weakened to Category 1 strength. Its center tracked near Nukuʻalofa on December 31 while the storm's structure rapidly deteriorated, with the JTWC issuing their final advisory that day. The FMS continued monitoring the system as an ex-cyclone as the storm accelerated eastward, highlighting a low possibility for regeneration; the agency ultimately issued their final bulletin on the system on January 2.

As the cyclone passed very close to the main Fijian island of Viti Levu on December 27 and brought very heavy rainfall, the FMS warned of the probability of damaging gale-force and storm-force winds and very heavy rainfall at times, with over 2,000 people being evacuated to higher grounds in case of flooding, while commercial flights and cruises in and out of the country were delayed or cancelled as a result of these conditions. Additionally, as of December 29, 2019, 2 deaths have been confirmed related to the cyclone due to drowning in floodwaters. Damage to road infrastructure reached FJ$5 million (US$2.3 million).

Severe Tropical Cyclone Tino