Southern Hemisphere cyclone history
Every Southern Hemisphere storm since 1980, from JTWC best tracks in NOAA's IBTrACS archive: season totals, the strongest storms and the most recent ones. Storms in progress are not shown here. For landfalls in Australia, Madagascar and the South Pacific, see the cyclone tracker.
Storms in progress
HurriTracker's current-storm data comes from NHC and CPHC, which cover the Atlantic and the eastern and central Pacific. For a Southern Hemisphere cyclone in progress, follow the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Météo-France La Réunion, the Fiji Meteorological Service and your national weather service.
Strongest Southern Hemisphere cyclones since 1980
Of 1,289 named Southern Hemisphere storms since 1980, 39 reached Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale in 1-minute winds. The ten highest peak winds:
| # | Storm | Peak wind | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C5Zoe (2002) | 180 mph / 285 km/h | 879 mb |
| 2 | C5Monica (2006) | 180 mph / 285 km/h | 879 mb |
| 3 | C5Winston (2016) | 180 mph / 285 km/h | 907 mb |
| 4 | C5Fantala (2016) | 180 mph / 285 km/h | 907 mb |
| 5 | C5Marcus (2018) | 175 mph / 280 km/h | 906 mb |
| 6 | C5Pam (2015) | 175 mph / 280 km/h | 911 mb |
| 7 | C5Agnielle (1995) | 175 mph / 280 km/h | 925 mb |
| 8 | C5Olaf (2005) | 165 mph / 270 km/h | 892 mb |
| 9 | C5Ron (1998) | 165 mph / 270 km/h | 900 mb |
| 10 | C5Geralda (1994) | 165 mph / 270 km/h | 905 mb |
Southern Hemisphere seasons since 1980
All basins| Season | Named storms | Cyclones | Cat 3+ | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | 31 | 15 | 9 | 222.3 |
| 2024–25 | 33 | 16 | 11 | 264.2 |
| 2023–24 | 25 | 13 | 6 | 164.8 |
| 2022–23 | 21 | 11 | 7 | 238.3 |
| 2021–22 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 154 |
| 2020–21 | 32 | 12 | 5 | 204.5 |
| 2019–20 | 28 | 15 | 6 | 157.5 |
| 2018–19 | 29 | 17 | 13 | 285.5 |
| 2017–18 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 201.6 |
| 2016–17 | 24 | 10 | 4 | 127.3 |
| 2015–16 | 21 | 10 | 5 | 211.4 |
| 2014–15 | 25 | 13 | 9 | 217.1 |
| 2013–14 | 26 | 13 | 9 | 212.2 |
| 2012–13 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 192 |
| 2011–12 | 23 | 10 | 3 | 159.1 |
Show all 47 seasons
- 2010–11 · 25 named
- 2009–10 · 27 named
- 2008–09 · 28 named
- 2007–08 · 28 named
- 2006–07 · 24 named
- 2005–06 · 24 named
- 2004–05 · 31 named
- 2003–04 · 22 named
- 2002–03 · 31 named
- 2001–02 · 25 named
- 2000–01 · 24 named
- 1999–00 · 29 named
- 1998–99 · 33 named
- 1997–98 · 35 named
- 1996–97 · 37 named
- 1995–96 · 28 named
- 1994–95 · 22 named
- 1993–94 · 29 named
- 1992–93 · 30 named
- 1991–92 · 30 named
- 1990–91 · 18 named
- 1989–90 · 25 named
- 1988–89 · 33 named
- 1987–88 · 20 named
- 1986–87 · 27 named
- 1985–86 · 32 named
- 1984–85 · 37 named
- 1983–84 · 34 named
- 1982–83 · 25 named
- 1981–82 · 27 named
- 1980–81 · 30 named
- 1979–80 · 25 named
Counts use 1-minute sustained winds from IBTrACS (NHC/CPHC/JTWC best tracks). ACE = accumulated cyclone energy, 10⁴ kt².
Southern Hemisphere cyclone FAQ
When is the Southern Hemisphere cyclone season?
Roughly November to April, spanning two calendar years, so HurriTracker files the 2025–26 season under 2026. In our archive, 64% of named storms formed from January to March, and February was the busiest month. A few storms form outside those months.
Who issues official forecasts in the Southern Hemisphere?
Several regional centers share the job: Météo-France at La Réunion for the South-West Indian Ocean, including Madagascar and Mozambique; the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for the Australian region; and the Fiji Meteorological Service for the South Pacific islands. HurriTracker is not an official source; follow them and your local authorities.
What is the strongest Southern Hemisphere cyclone since 1980?
Cyclone Zoe (2002), Cyclone Monica (2006), Cyclone Winston (2016) and Cyclone Fantala (2016) share the highest peak 1-minute wind of any Southern Hemisphere storm since 1980, 180 mph (285 km/h), Category 5. The lowest central pressure belongs to Cyclone Zoe (2002), 879 mb. Records come from the IBTrACS best-track archive and can differ slightly from other agencies' figures.