Cyclone Rae (2025)

{{short description|Category 2 South Pacific tropical cyclone in 2025}}

{{Infobox weather event

| name = Tropical Cyclone Rae

| image = Rae 2025-02-24 1400Z.jpg

| caption = Cyclone Rae at peak intensity southeast of Fiji on 24 February

| formed = 22 February 2025

| dissipated = 26 February 2025

}}{{Infobox weather event/FMS

| winds = 60

| pressure = 975

}}{{Infobox weather event/JTWC

| winds = 90

| pressure = 961

}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects

| year = 2025

| fatalities = None

| damage = Unknown

| areas = Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Tonga

| ibtracs = 2025054S13182

| refs =

}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer

| season = 2024–25 South Pacific cyclone season

}}

Tropical Cyclone Rae was a moderately strong tropical cyclone that impacted Fiji in February 2025. The second named storm of the 2024–25 South Pacific cyclone season, Rae originated from a low-pressure area that developed north of Fiji on 20 February. The disturbance moved slowly east-southeast over the next several days, organizing under favourable environmental conditions. It was designated as a tropical depression on 22 February as it turned southward. The system attained Category 1 strength on the next day and was assigned the name Rae. It then passed over the Lau Islands on 24 February, after which it attained a peak intensity as a high-end Category 2 cyclone. Shortly thereafter, unfavorable conditions caused Rae to steadily weaken, and the cyclone dissipated on 26 February.

Meteorological history

{{Update section |reason=Missing information about dissipation|date=April 2025}}

On 20 February, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) noted a low-pressure area formed north of Fiji.{{cite web|url=https://www.met.gov.fj/index.php?page=5dayoutlook|title=Tropical Cyclone 5-Day Outlook February 19, 2025 04z|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=19 February 2025|access-date=19 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219185007/https://www.met.gov.fj/index.php?page=5dayoutlook|archive-date=19 February 2025|url-status=dead}} The system moved slowly to east-southeast and gradually organized. On 22 February, the FMS classified it as a tropical depression and designated as 09F about {{convert|350|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of Cikobia-i-Ra.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Warnings_and_weather_summary/20250222/150000/A_WWFJ40NFFN221500_C_RJTD_20250222173332_164.txt|title=Special Weather Bulletin Number 01 For Fiji On Tropical Depression 09F|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=22 February 2025|access-date=23 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226150232/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Warnings_and_weather_summary/20250222/150000/A_WWFJ40NFFN221500_C_RJTD_20250222173332_164.txt|archive-date=26 February 2025|url-status=dead}} The system gradually strengthened as benefited from sea surface temperature of {{convert|29|C|F|abbr=on}}, low wind shear and good upper divergence. It turned southward as steered by a near-equatorial ridge.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250222/180000/A_WTPS11NFFN221800_C_RJTD_20250222200028_123.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A2 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=February 22, 2025|access-date=February 23, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226164431/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250222/180000/A_WTPS11NFFN221800_C_RJTD_20250222200028_123.txt|archive-date=February 26, 2025|url-status=dead}}

Deep convection began to wrap inside the center, and the FMS upgraded the disturbance to a Category 1 tropical cyclone at 06:00 UTC on 23 February, and assigned the name Rae to the system.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250223/060000/A_WTPS11NFFN230600_C_RJTD_20250223080118_175.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A4 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=23 February 2025|access-date=23 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227091631/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250223/060000/A_WTPS11NFFN230600_C_RJTD_20250223080118_175.txt|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=dead}} Environmental conditions favoured additional strengthening, and Rae attained Category 2 status just six hours later.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250223/120000/A_WTPS11NFFN231200_C_RJTD_20250223142707_1.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A5 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=23 February 2025|access-date=23 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227092417/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250223/120000/A_WTPS11NFFN231200_C_RJTD_20250223142707_1.txt|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=dead}} Rae continued to move southward and passed just east of Vanua Levu later that day.{{cite news|url=https://english.news.cn/asiapacific/20250223/0bd84025e817478d9ae1824a76e1140b/c.html|title=Tropical Cyclone Rae to enter Fiji waters|work=Xinhua News|date=23 February 2025|access-date=23 February 2025}} Rae passed over the Lau Islands early on 24 February. Despite deep convection developed and wrapping into the center, the center became elongated.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250224/060000/A_WTPS11NFFN240600_C_RJTD_20250224074524_15.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A8 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=24 February 2025|access-date=24 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227094347/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250224/060000/A_WTPS11NFFN240600_C_RJTD_20250224074524_15.txt|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=dead}} Nonetheless, Rae still attained peak intensity with sustained winds of 110 km/h (70 mph) and a minumum pressure of {{convert|975|hPa|inHg|abbr=on}}, just shy of severe tropical cyclone status.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250224/120000/A_WTPS11NFFN241200_C_RJTD_20250224140313_180.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A9 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=24 February 2025|access-date=February 24, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227134048/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250224/120000/A_WTPS11NFFN241200_C_RJTD_20250224140313_180.txt|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=dead}} At that time, an eye-like feature displayed on satellite imagery.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250224/180000/A_WTPS11NFFN241800CCA_C_RJTD_20250224204143_22.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A10 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=24 February 2025|access-date=24 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227134941/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250224/180000/A_WTPS11NFFN241800CCA_C_RJTD_20250224204143_22.txt|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=dead}} Shortly afterwards, wind shear increased and the center became partly exposed. Sea surface temperature also dropped to {{convert|26|–|27|C|F|abbr=on}}, resulted in steadily weakening.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250225/060000/A_WTPS11NFFN250600_C_RJTD_20250225082706_1.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A12 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=25 February 2025|access-date=25 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227135912/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250225/060000/A_WTPS11NFFN250600_C_RJTD_20250225082706_1.txt|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=dead}} Rae dropped to Category 1 strength at 12:00 UTC on 26 February, and the cyclone began to curve south-southeast as situated at the western edge of a subtropical ridge. On 26 February, Rae transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone after passing Lau Islands near Fiji.{{cite web|url=https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250225/120000/A_WTPS11NFFN251200_C_RJTD_20250225144838_244.txt|title=Tropical Disturbance Advisory Number A13 Issued From RSMC Nadi|work=Fiji Meteorological Service|date=February 25, 2025|access-date=25 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227140239/https://www.wis-jma.go.jp/d/o/NFFN/Alphanumeric/Warning/Tropical_cyclone/20250225/120000/A_WTPS11NFFN251200_C_RJTD_20250225144838_244.txt|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=dead}}

Preparations and impact

As Rae was forecasted to become a severe tropical cyclone, Moala Islands was placed under a hurricane warning, while the eastern part of Vanua Levu was placed under a gale warning. A heavy rain warning was issued for the entire Fiji. Schools in the Lau Islands, Lomaiviti Islands, and Vanua Levu were closed on February 24. Domestic flights of Fiji Link were cancelled.{{cite news|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/542772/warnings-for-fiji-as-category-2-tropical-cyclone-rae-set-to-intensify|title=Warnings for Fiji as category 2 tropical cyclone Rae set to intensify|work=Radio New Zealand|date=24 February 2025|access-date=24 February 2025}} The warnings were lifted as Rae moved away from the country.{{cite news|last=Kumar|first=Kreetika|url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/gale-warnings-to-be-lifted-as-tc-rae-moves-further-away/|title=Gale warnings to be lifted as TC Rae moves further away|work=FBC News|date=25 February 2025|access-date=25 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227142337/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/gale-warnings-to-be-lifted-as-tc-rae-moves-further-away/|archive-date=27 February 2025|url-status=live}} In Tonga, a tropical cyclone warning was placed under Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu, while a tropical cyclone watch was placed under Vavaʻu and Haʻapai. A heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory was issued for the entire Tonga.

Passing just east of Vanua Levu, Rae brought heavy rains to the island and triggered flooding. Crops and farm were damaged by strong winds and floodwaters. The authority was still investigating the damage on the island.{{cite news|url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/minimal-impact-from-tc-rae-says-rainima/|title=Minimal impact from TC Rae says Rainima|work=FBC News|date=26 February 2025|access-date=27 February 2025}} In Sawana, a lot of trees were uprooted by strong winds and blocked roads on Vanua Balavu. Farms were destroyed and the village was suffered from food and water shortage. Five families were sheltered in a school. The damage in the village was the most serious since Winston in 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/542824/cyclone-rae-sawana-village-leader-describes-widespread-damages|title=Cyclone Rae: Sawana village leader describes widespread damages|work=Radio New Zealand|date=24 February 2025|access-date=25 February 2025}}