User:Jason Rees/Pam

Cyclone Pam threatened the southern Cook Islands in December 1997. A tropical depression developed December 6. The system developed slowly while it drifted to the south-southeast. Forming south of Typhoon Paka, Pam steadily intesifed and moved close to Suwarrow and later passed east of Palmerston Island and peaked in intensity on December 8, though the storm's minimum pressure was not recorded until much later. The cyclone passed by Rarotonga early on December 9. Pam slowly weakened and was no longer a tropical cyclone by December 10. Damage on the island was relatively minor though heavy rains and gale-force winds were recorded. Subsequently, 400 people were evacuated.

Meteorological history
Towards the end of November 1997, a westerly wind burst, occurred near the equator, about 2000 km to the southwest of Hawaii. This wind burst led to the development of two twin tropical disturbances, to the east of the International Dateline on either side of the equator. During December 2, the system in the Northern Hemisphere was designated as a tropical depression and eventually developed into Typhoon Paka. During December 5, the Fiji Meteorological Service started to monitor the Southern Hemisphere disturbance as a tropical depression, while it was located about 785 km to the northeast of American Samoa and about 2100 km to the southeast of Paka. Later that day, the Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center (NPMOC) intiated advisories on the system and classified it as Tropical Cyclone 07P, after the system had become better organized. The FMS subsequently reported early the next day that the depression had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale and named it Pam.

After it was named the system continued to slowly drift towards the south-southeast, before it started to move quicker later that day as it passed near the Cook Islands of Suwarrow. As the system passed near Suwarrow, the NPMOC reported that Pam had reached its peak intensity with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 120 km/h (75 mph), which made it equivalent to a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Over the next couple of days the system moved southwards before the FMS reported during December 8, that Pam had peaked as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone with 10-minute sustained wind-speeds of 120 km/h. However, during the systems post analysis, RSMC Nadi reduced these winds slightly to 110 km/h which made Pam a category 2 tropical cyclone, rather than a category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale. During December 8, the system passed about 140 km to the east of Palmerston Island, before it passed about 75 km to the southwest of Rarotonga early the next day. During December 9, Pam started to rapidly weaken as it transitioned into an extra-tropical cyclone, while RSMC Nadi reported during the next day that the system had degenerated into depression. Over the next few days the system continued to move southeastwards, before it was last noted during December 14, while located to the west of Chile.

Preparations and impact
Cyclone Pam was the third tropical cyclone to affect the Cook Islands during the 1997-98 season, after Severe Tropical Cyclones Martin and Osea affected the island nation during November 1997. Ahead of the system gale warnings were issued, for various islands in both the Northern and Southern Cook Islands. On the island of Aitutaki machinery and equipment was cleared from the seafront, while tourists were evacuated to Rarotonga.

Rarotonga recorded winds of 44 mi/h and gusts of 74 mi/h. A total of 149 mm of rain fell on the island during a six-hour period. Damage on the island was minimal, limited from downed power lines or fallen trees. A few houses lost their roofs and low-lying roads sustained flooding due to both heavy rains and rough seas. Although 400 people had to be evacuated due to coastal flooding, damage was reduced because of careful precaution prior to the storm's arrival. While southeast of Mangaia, winds of 30 mi/h were measured, along with a pressure of 996 mbar.

Prior to the arrival of Pam on Aitutaki Island, residents were confident that the storm would pass without serious problems. Rarotonga recorded winds of 44 mi/h and gusts of 74 mi/h. A total of 149 mm of rain fell on the island during a six-hour period. Damage on the island was minimal, limited from downed power lines or fallen trees. A few houses lost their roofs and low-lying roads sustained flooding due to both heavy rains and rough seas. Although 400 people had to be evacuated due to coastal flooding, damage was reduced because of careful precaution prior to the storm's arrival. While southeast of Mangaia, winds of 30 mi/h were measured, along with a pressure of 996 mbar.

As it weakened Pam threatened French Polynesia's Austral Islands but caused no damage.