User:ChocolateTrain/Cyclone Uesi

Severe Tropical Cyclone Uesi was a tropical cyclone of moderate intensity that caused significant impacts in New Caledonia and Lord Howe Island during February 2020.

Meteorological history
During February 5, the FMS reported that Tropical Disturbance 06F had developed, about 775 km to the northwest of Port Villa in Vanuatu. At this time the system was poorly organised with deep atmospheric convection displaced, to the northeast of the system's weak and ill-defined low level circulation center. The disturbance was also located to the north of a subtropical ridge of high pressure, within a favourable environment for further development, with a low to moderate amount of vertical wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures of 29-30 °C. A tropical cyclone formation alert was subsequently issued by the JTWC early on February 8, as convection improved near the centre of the storm; at the time, 06F was centered 653 km northwest of Port Vila, Vanuatu. Routine advisories were initiated by the FMS the same day while 06F drifted towards the south-southwest. Convection continued to evolve at the disturbance's centre into organised banding. During February 9, the JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical storm, designating it Tropical Cyclone 15P. Later that day, the FMS named the storm Uesi, and upgraded it to a category 2 tropical cyclone.

Based on significant improvements to the storm's structure, the JTWC determined Uesi was undergoing rapid intensification. Associated showers and thunderstorms continued to coalesce within favourable atmospheric and oceanic conditions. However, the presence of dry air slowed Uesi's intensification. Uesi strengthened further into a Category 3 tropical cyclone at 18:00 UTC that day but continued to be affected by the entrainment of dry air. The cyclone developed a ragged eye 19 km early on February 11. Guided southward by the nearby influence of a subtropical ridge to its east, Uesi moved southward, passing west of New Caledonia. An increase in vertical wind shear from the northwest on February 12 caused the convective structure of the cyclone to weaken, resulting in the low-level circulation centre becoming exposed from the central dense overcast. After passing near to New Caledonia on February 11, Uesi adopted a steady south-southwestwards track towards the Australian cyclone region. At 12:00 UTC on February 12, the FMS passed primary responsibility for Uesi over to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) warning centre in Brisbane, who indicated that the system had weakened to a high-end Category 2 tropical cyclone. The extratropical remnants of Uesi reentered the South Pacific basin on a southeasterly heading towards South Island on February 15.

Vanuatu and the French territory of New Caledonia were threatened by Uesi along its southward trek through the South Pacific basin. Warnings were issued by the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department for Uesi, noting the possibility of stream and coastal flooding. Météo France (MFR) issued thunderstorm and rain warnings for four municipalities in New Caledonia on February 9, and later raised warnings to an orange alert for six the following day. Ferry and bus services in several New Caledonian communes were suspended. Flights serviced by Air Calédonie were also delayed. The first accommodation centers in the French territory were opened on February 10. One person was injured while securing their roof in preparation for the storm. Uesi passed between 100 – west of Belep, New Caledonia, on February 11, bringing heavy rains and strong winds. MFR stations recorded up to 300 mm of rainfall in Poum over a 48-hour period; this was roughly equal to two months of average rainfall. Flooding from Uesi's rainfall blocked travel between Poum and Koumac, as well as other bridges throughout the territory. Several routes to Dumbéa were blocked by floodwaters. Gusts of up to 120 km/h impacted New Caledonia's central mountain range. Power outages afflicted at least 3,900 households serviced by EEC and Enercal and over 5,000 overall. At least 565 homes lost power in Hienghène and Ponérihouen. All warnings for New Caledonia were lifted by the morning of February 12. Rough surf generated by Uesi forced the closure of beaches in Gold Coast, Queensland beginning that day. The large extratropical stage of Uesi produced 6 – waves off the northwestern shores of South Island.