New Record Set for Strongest May Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone

Tropical Cyclone Donna became the strongest May Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone on record May 7 when it rapidly intensified and reached the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, according to Colorado State University meteorologist and tropical scientist Dr. Phil Klotzbach.

Satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Donna on May 7.

Donna impacted areas of Vanuatu and New Caledonia in the South Pacific with gusty winds and locally heavy rain. Fortunately, the core of the strongest winds and heaviest rain stayed far enough away from land that the worst conditions remained over the ocean.

Tropical season runs from November to April in the Southern Hemisphere, technically making Donna an out-of-season system. However, tropical cyclones can form in any month of the year.

https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/tropical-cyclone-donna-vanuatu-may-2017