User:Jason Rees/Beti

Severe Tropical Cyclone Beti was one of the worst tropical cyclones to affect New Caledonia on record after causing over US in damages to the French territory.

Meteorological history
During the middle of March 1996, a tropical disturbance developed within the monsoon trough of low pressure to the southeast of the Solomon Islands. Over the next few days, the system moved south-westwards and was classified as a tropical depression by the FMS during March 21, while it was located to the northwest of Vanuatu.

Over the next couple of days, 23P moved further towards the south before on March 23, the system started to move towards the southwest after a ridge of high pressure that was located to the south of the system strengthened. As the developing system was located in an area of low vertical windshear it gradually developed further, with RSMC Nadi reporting on March 23, that the depression had intensified into a category one tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, with RSMC Nadi naming it as Beti. During the next day, Beti continued to develop further before early on March 24, the system passed directly over the Pentecost and Malekula islands of Vanuatu and moved into the Coral Sea. As it moved into the Coral Sea, Beti started to intensify quickly, with RSMC Nadi reporting on March 25, that Beti had become a category 3 severe tropical cyclone, which is equivalent to a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale and a tropical cyclone on the French tropical cyclone intensity scale.

On March 25 as Beti intensified into a severe tropical cyclone, the ridge of high pressure that was located to the south of Beti, started to weaken and as a result, Beti started to move towards the southeast. Over the next couple of days Beti continued to intensify as it moved towards New Caledonia, before late on March 26, the JTWC reported that Beti had reached its peak 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 195 km/h (120 mph), which made the system equivalent to a category 3 tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. RSMC Nadi then reported early on March 27 as Beti approached New Caledonia that based on observations from the automatic weather station at Koumac, the system had reached its peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 165 km/h (105 mph). This made Beti a category-four severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale and equivalent to an intense tropical cyclone on the French Scale. Shortly after RSMC Nadi reported that Beti had peaked, the system moved across the northeastern part of Grand Terre Island and quickly weakened into a category two tropical cyclone on the Australian scale. After emerging back into the Coral Sea], the weakening cyclone moved towards the southeast under the influence of an upper-level trough of low pressure, while transitioning into an extratropical cyclone. RSMC Nadi then passed the primary warning responsibility of Beti to the [[Tropical Cyclone Warning Center in Wellington, New Zealand as the system had crossed 25°S and moved into Wellington's area of responsibility. The JTWC then issued their final advisory on Beti later that day as it had become extratropical. Over the next few days, TCWC Wellington continued to monitor Beti, as it came under the influence of a large cradling high-pressure area that was located over New Zealand, before the remnants of Beti dissipated on April 2 about 1400 km (870 mi), to the southeast of Wellington.

Preparations, impact, and aftermath
Four people lost their lives in accidents that were related back to Cyclone Beti, while causing over US of damage to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Australia, and New Zealand. While it was active, Cyclone Beti impacted Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands. Overall Beti was responsible for 2 deaths and over 5.6 million (1996 USD) worth of damage to the 5 nations that were impacted by Beti.

New Caledonia
Beti affected the whole of the French territory of New Caledonia between March 27-28, 1996, and was of a "destructive nature that was rarely seen" in the territory. Ahead of the system making landfall the French High Commissioner issued various alerts for New Caledonia, including their highest warnings for most of the territory. Authorities evacuated and arranged shelter for around 1500 residents, who lived in dwellings that were thought to be threatened by Beti.

As a result, traffic was ordered off the roads, while authorities evacuated and arranged shelter for over 1500 residents, who lived living in dwellings within the Nouméa area. The system was subsequently described as the "worst tropical cyclone" to affect the territory on record.

After it had affected New Caledonia, Beti was described as the "worst tropical cyclone" on record to affect New Caledonia as it had affected the whole of New Caledonia, with some villages reporting that all of their homes had been destroyed by the cyclone. ruining the livelihoods of New Caledonia's Indigenous people, who depended on subsistence farming. Beti did not cause any deaths in the country, but did destroy some Yam and Cassava crops, damaged houses, and killed livestock.

In the immediate aftermath of Beti passing over New Caledonia, Helicopters brought relief supplies of rice, dough, and sugar. Beti caused few minor injuries, and damaged many roads, electricity, and water lines. Almost all the crops located in the path were destroyed, with precarious housing getting 50% damaged Nouméa. 24-hour rainfall was reported as 294 millimeters in Pouébo, and 296 millimeters in La Foa, and gusts reaching 198 km/h (107 kt) in Poindimié, 172 km/h (93 kt) in Touho, 158 km/h (86 kt) in Nouméa. Beti caused slight damage to the Loyalty Islands.

Far crops and market gardens in the path of the cyclone were destroyed. Winds and floods badly damage many homes including 50% of lower-standard housing on the outskirts of Nouméa. According to press reports Beti inflicted between 22 and 27 million French francs in damage to New Caledonia's electricity network. Seventy-one percent of subscribers were left without power on 28 March 1998 after the cyclone ripped down high-voltage cables and pylons.

Australia provided $25 000 for relief efforts in the wake of Cyclone Beti, which swept through New Caledonia recently causing widespread disruption to water supplies and road and telephone communications. Cyclone Beti affected the entire territory of New Caledonia, traveling from the north down along the east coast of the main island, and then crossing the main island and hugging the west coast as it moved south. Most of the capital Nouméa was without water for some time and swollen creeks and rivers cut roads to the north of the main island.

Cyclone Beti affected the whole of New Caledonia, as it traveled from the north of Grand Terre down along the east coast of the main island before crossing it and hugging the west coast as it moved southwards. Wind and heavy rain from the cyclone left 50% of houses on the outskirts of Nouméa badly damaged, while in other parts of the island, 100% of the housing was either destroyed or badly damaged with the high commissioner noting afterwards that Beti had caused the worst damage that New Caledonia had ever seen from a tropical cyclone. Nouméa was also without water for some time after.

By April 24, the New Caledonian government had reported that Beti had caused about FF 145 million, as a result, they allocated a budget of FF to compensate people affected by the storm. Australia provided AU$ for relief efforts to assist with the reconstruction of local housing and infrastructure within the northern province of New Caledonia.

Australia and New Zealand
As an extratropical cyclone, Beti generated high surf and long-period swells, that hit both eastern Australia and New Zealand. Within Australia, the high surf left many competitors in the Australian life surfing championships injured with another competitor killed after his boat was swamped by large waves. Within New Zealand, Beti's remnants caused flooding and mud-slips, which led to several roads being closed, while a helicopter and its pilot were lost at the height of the storm, while they were traveling from Napier to Gisborne.