:Cyclone Alan

{{storm path|Alan 1998 track.png}}

On April 17, 1998, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) started to monitor the development of a tropical disturbance east of the Northern Cook Islands.{{cite report |title=Tropical Cyclone Season Summary 1997–98 |access-date=February 8, 2014 |archive-date=March 26, 2009 |publisher=Fiji Meteorological Service |url=http://www.pacificdisaster.net/pdnadmin/data/original/TC_Seasonal_Summary_97-98.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326164931/http://www.met.gov.fj/documents/TC_Seasonal_Summary_97-981190690538.pdf }}{{cite web|access-date=May 29, 2011 |author=Padgett, Gary |year=1998 |url=http://www.australiasevereweather.com.au/cyclones/1998/summ9804.htm |title=Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary April 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605235222/http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/1998/summ9804.htm |archive-date=June 5, 2011 |url-status=live }} Before the FMS initiated advisories on the system on April 19, the system moved erratically; it later developed into a weak depression while it located about {{convert|555|km|mi|round=5|abbr=on}} north of Manihiki Atoll in the Northern Cook Islands. Over the next couple of days, the system slowly moved northwards, gradually organizing, with gale-force winds developing in its southern quadrant on April 20.{{cite web|title=Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Tracks April 1998 |url=http://www.australiasevereweather.com.au/cyclones/1998/trak9804.htm |author=Padgett, Gary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222030819/http://www.australiasevereweather.com.au/cyclones/1998/trak9804.htm |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |access-date=February 8, 2014 |url-status=dead }} Over the next day, the system developed into a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, before the FMS named the system Alan at 1800 UTC. By this time, the cyclone, located about {{convert|300|km|mi|round=5|abbr=on}} east-southeast of Manihiki, started to move westwards.{{cite journal|publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology |volume=49 |title=The South Pacific and Southeast Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Season 1997–98 |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/docs/2000/chappel.pdf |access-date=July 23, 2013 |author1=Chappel, Lori-Carmen |pages=121–138 |author2=Bate, Peter W |journal=Australian Meteorological Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707165109/http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/docs/2000/chappel.pdf |date=June 2, 2000 |archive-date=July 7, 2013 |url-status=live }} On April 22, the FMS estimated that Alan had reached its peak intensity with 10-minute maximum sustained wind speeds of {{convert|40|kn|km/h mph|round=5|abbr=on}}, just as the system started to pose several forecasting challenges due to difficulties in establishing its location and intensity.{{cite web|url={{IBTRACS url|id=1998108S10203}}|publisher=International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship|title=1998 Tropical Cyclone Alan (1998108S10203)|access-date=October 9, 2019}} Later that day the Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center (NPMOC) started to issue warnings on Alan and accidentally assigned it the designation 32P as opposed to 36P, estimating peak 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 85 km/h (50 mph).{{cite web |url-status=live |publisher=United States Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center |title=Tropical Cyclone 32P (Alan) Warning 1 April 22, 1998 21z |archive-date=December 25, 2017 |access-date=February 8, 2014 |url=https://science.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042218.wrn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225203047/https://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf_web/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042218.wrn }}

On April 23, the system appeared to become sheared, with the low-level circulation center displaced about {{convert|20|km|mi|round=5|abbr=on}} from the nearest atmospheric convection.{{cite web |url-status=live |publisher=United States Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center |title=Tropical Cyclone 32P (Alan) Warning 3 April 23, 1998 21z |archive-date=December 25, 2017 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |url=https://science.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042318.wrn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225202956/https://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf_web/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042318.wrn }} As a result, the FMS reported Alan's weakening into a depression, while the NPMOC subsequently issued their final advisory on the system. Over the next day, as a mid-level trough of low pressure shearing Alan moved faster than expected, the depression became better organized and developed favorable upper-level outflow.{{cite web |url-status=live |publisher=United States Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center |title=Tropical Cyclone 32P (Alan) Warning 4 April 24, 1998 12z |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |url=https://science.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042418.wrn |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140209170224/http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf_web/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042418.wrn }} As a result, the NPMOC initiated advisories on the system again on April 24, and later that day, the FMS reported that Alan re-intensified into a Category 1 tropical cyclone. While located about {{convert|555|km|mi|round=5|abbr=on}} west-northwest of the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, the system moved south-southeastward under the influence of an upper-level anticyclone located to its east. Early on April 25, Alan passed near to or over the French Polynesian Society Islands of Maupiti, Bora-Bora, and Ra'iātea. As the system moved near Bora Bora, a maximum wind gust of {{convert|147|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} and a pressure observation of {{convert|1002|hPa|inHg|abbr=on|comma=off}} were recorded, indicating the minimal strength of Alan; however, the wind gust was stronger than that expected of similarly intense tropical cyclones. It was later speculated that squalls within Alan's convective feeder band may have been responsible for the stronger wind gusts. On April 25, strong wind shear pulled the system apart, with visible imagery revealing a fully exposed low-level circulation. As a result, the FMS reported that the system weakened into a depression at 1800 UTC that day, while located about {{convert|185|km|mi|round=5|abbr=on}} west-northwest of Tahiti. The NPMOC subsequently reissued their final advisory early the next day as the system drifted south-southeastward while located west of Tahiti.{{cite web |url-status=live |publisher=United States Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center |title=Tropical Cyclone 32P (Alan) Warning 7 April 26, 1998 03z |date=April 26, 1998 |archive-date=December 25, 2017 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |url=https://science.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042600.wrn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225203049/https://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/atcf_web/docs/warnings/1998/sh321998.98042600.wrn }}

Cyclone Alan produced high winds and torrential rain over French Polynesia between April 24 and 25, causing several landslides on the Society Islands,{{cite news|title=At least eight killed by French Polynesia cyclone |url=http://pidp.org/archive/1998/april/04-28-01.htm |publisher=Pacific Islands Development Program/Center for Pacific Islands Studies |access-date=February 9, 2014 |date=April 27, 1998 |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |newspaper=Pacific Islands Report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221190820/http://pidp.org/archive/1998/april/04-28-01.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite news|title=Un cyclone en Polynésie française provoque la mort de huit personnes|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1998/04/28/un-cyclone-en-polynesie-francaise-provoque-la-mort-de-huit-personnes_3648073_1819218.html|newspaper=Le Monde|access-date=March 29, 2015|date=April 28, 1998|author=De Changy, Florence|language=French}} resulting in the collapse of two bridges and obstruction of roads by fallen trees. Damage associated with the system was mainly confined to the Leeward Islands of Bora Bora, Tahaa, Ra'iātea and Huahine, which had all been damaged by Cyclone Osea earlier in the season. Overall, ten people died as a result of the system, while thirty others were injured, with the majority of the casualties occurring due to landslides.{{cite news|url=http://pidp.org/archive/1998/may/05-01-03.htm |date=May 1, 1998 |newspaper=Pacific Islands Report |publisher=Pacific Islands Development Program/Center for Pacific Islands Studies |access-date=February 9, 2014 |title=French Polynesia cyclone deaths rise to 10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221184715/http://pidp.org/archive/1998/may/05-01-03.htm |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |url-status=dead }} On Bora Bora, wind gusts of up to {{convert|147|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} were reported, while on Tahaa, wind gusts of up to {{convert|95|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} were reported. On the islands of Ra'iātea, Tahaa and Huahine, several churches, schools and clinics were damaged, while water and electricity supplies were cut off.{{cite web|access-date=May 29, 2011 |url=http://www.australiasevereweather.com.au/cyclones/1998/summ9805.htm |title=Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary May 1998 |year=1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222031646/http://www.australiasevereweather.com.au/cyclones/1998/summ9805.htm |author=Padgett, Gary |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |url-status=live }} On the islands, around 750 houses were destroyed, with 430 and 150 wrecked on Huahine and Ra'iātea, respectively.

On Huahine, the extent of the damage, along with a sharp dip on the Uturoa barograph trace, suggested that a tornado may have been spawned in one of Alan's convective bands. In the system's aftermath a, 60-person relief team was deployed from Tahiti to the affected islands to assist with emergency operations. The French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin both sent messages of support to the Leeward Islands, and in French Polynesia, the system was considered to be one of the worst natural disasters in the islands' history.{{cite news|title=Cyclone meurtrier sur la Polynésie |url=http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/1998/04/27/185959-cyclone-meurtrier-sur-la-polynesie.html |access-date=February 11, 2014 |date=April 27, 1998 |agency=La Dépêche |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222031936/http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/1998/04/27/185959-cyclone-meurtrier-sur-la-polynesie.html |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |url-status=live }} A few days after Cyclone Alan impacted the islands, Cyclone Bart caused an additional ten deaths and some minor damage to the French territory.{{cite web |date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422155013/http://www.pacificdisaster.net/pdn2008/ExportPdfServlet?header=Event%20Information&sql=Select%20*%20From%20Event%20Where%20Id=174&photo= |url-status=dead |publisher=Pacific Disaster Net |url=http://www.pacificdisaster.net/pdn2008/ExportPdfServlet?header=Event%20Information&sql=Select%20*%20From%20Event%20Where%20Id=174&photo= |access-date=June 2, 2011 |archive-date=April 22, 2012 |title=Event Information: Tropical Cyclone Bart |author=May, Jutta }} During December 1998, the European Community Humanitarian Office responded to a government appeal, providing {{ntsp|105000||€}} for tents, medical aid, food and clothing.{{cite press release|url=http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-98-1110_en.htm |publisher=European Union |title=Humanitarian aid news: Asia |date=February 22, 1988 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |type=Press release: IP/98/1110 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222153553/http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-98-1110_en.htm |url-status=live }}

• Cyclone Wasa
• Cyclone Oli

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Category:1997–98 South Pacific cyclone season

Category:Tropical cyclones in French Polynesia

Category:1990s in French Polynesia

Category:1998 in Overseas France

Category:Category 1 South Pacific cyclones

Category:April 1998 in Oceania