TROPICAL CYCLONE REWA, 26 DECEMBER 1993-21 JANUARY 1994

     The first tropical phenomenon of the 93/94 season, 
REWA appeared in the intertropical convergence zone in the 
northeast part of Rotuma. The weak cyclonic circulation began to 
be well organized and drifted slowly westward.

     On the 28th at mid day, it was located 500 km to the 
northwest of Santa Cruz island.  The clouds organization 
improveed, but the centre of the depression remained difficult to 
locate on satellite pictures. The depression continued its slow 
westward movement along the 10th south parallel.

     On the 29th early in the morning, its intensity was 
sufficient for Nadi Centre to name it REWA. It was then located 
between the Santa Cruz islands and San Cristobal island, which
REWA crossed toward the west on the same day. Damages caused on
this group of Solomon islands was very severe.

     Making its way  west-southwest, REWA reached the tropical
storm stage on the 30th and moved towards the southeast 
end of Papua- New Guinea. Hurricane strength was reached on 
the 31st when an eye appeared on satellite pictures.

     Under the influence of upper level steering flow, REWA curved 
toward the south and steadily deepened. It crossed the 20th 
south parallel on the 3rd of January with its maximum intensity, 
around 930 hPa.  REWA was located  midway between the Queensland 
coasts and Chesterfield group.

     The unexpected turn occurred in the night of the 3rd and 4th, 
when REWA changed its route again to move east-southeastward 
then east in a straight line toward New Caledonia.

     Its intensity began to weaken. On the 5th at mid day, it was 
located approximately 200 kn to the west of New Caledonia. The 
eye disappeared, and only surface data allowed us to determine the
location of the centre. It seems that the terrain, although modest,
of New Caledonia, was responsible for this change in intensity.
Situated perpendicularly to the feeding flow of tropical air, the 
mountains affected REWA, which moves slowly, by a hot and dry 
Fhoen effect that disturbed the convection.

     REWA reacheed New Caledonia, on the 5th in the middle of 
the night, with storm force winds, in the vicinity of Saint Vincent 
bay on the west coast and came out near Thio on the east coast 
the next morning, completely disorganized.  

     During the 6th REWA tracked between Lifou and Mare 
islands. The sea surface temperature of 26C and upper level 
configuration were unfavourable and did not allow REWA to 
regenerate. Moving toward the north-east towards Vanuatu, REWA 
was apparent only by its low level circulation and nearly
disappeared on the 8th from satellite pictures.

     Only an eddy was visible, drifting northwestward, in the 
trade wind flow generated by a powerful high between New Zealand 
and Kermadec island.

     This path towards the Solomon's will last five days. The 
remains of REWA, found again, in the middle of the night of the 
13th, favourable conditions for regeneration.  This regeneration
was rapid as it evolved from a weak tropical low stage to a
tropical storm stage within 6 hours. 

     REWA then moveed southeastward and deepened.  On 15th  
hurricane stage is reached again and the maximum intensity of 
the second stage took place during the night of the 16th to the 
17th with a sea level pressure of 920 hPa. Located on the morning 
of the 17th 100 km to the northeast of Chesterfield island, on 
a path that threatened directly New Caledonia, REWA radically 
changed its trajectory, as it neared the Chesterfield island,
towards the Queensland's coast.

     At approximately 300 km off the Australian coasts on the
18th, at the latitude of Mackay, REWA made a loop to the north and 
followed the Queensland's shores. It then weakened slowly and  
became a tropical storm as it passed close to Fraser island the
night of the 20th to the 21st.

     Steadily weakening, the low disappeared early on the 22nd, 
500 km southeast of Brisbane.

     This tropical cyclone, is remarkable by its duration of 
life, practically a month. Its track made it sweep the entire 
Coral Sea.

THE CYCLONE AFTERMATH IN NEW CALEDONIA

     The heavy rainfalls recorded in the southern part of the 
Territory during January 6th caused heavy flooding of all 
streams and rivers, in particular in the Mont Dore village 
vicinity where these floods caused the death of a 22 year old 
male.

     Several roads were closed to traffic because of the same 
problem. During the course of the 6th, many landslides were 
recorded.

     In Mare island, the wharf of Tadine harbour, which was under 
construction, was partly destroyed because of the swell.