Severe Tropical Cyclone Tino was a tropical cyclone which itself and an associated convergence zone caused significant damage across ten island nations in the South Pacific Ocean during January 2020. First noted as a tropical disturbance during January 11, to the southwest of Honiara in the Solomon Islands, the system gradually developed over the next few days as it moved eastwards in between the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu prior to being named Tino as it approached Fiji during January 16. Continuing to track south-eastward, Tino continued strengthening as it passed near Fiji, bringing copious amounts of rainfall to the area. Whilst losing latitude, the system continued to strengthen and peaked as a category 3 tropical cyclone on January 17, with signs of an eye forming. Shortly after peak intensity, Tino was impacted by high wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures, triggering a weakening trend. Tino moved out of the tropics shortly thereafter and became an extratropical cyclone during January 19.
Tino near peak intensity over Tonga on January 18
Tropical cyclones in 2020
2020 was regarded as the most active tropical cyclone year on record, documenting 104 named tropical systems. During the year, 141 tropical cyclones formed in bodies of water known as tropical cyclone basins. Of these, a record-high of 104, including three subtropical cyclones in the South Atlantic Ocean and three tropical-like cyclones in the Mediterranean, were named by various weather agencies when they attained maximum sustained winds of 35 knots. The strongest storm of the year was Typhoon Goni, peaking with a pressure of 905 hPa (26.72 inHg). The deadliest storm of the year was Hurricane Eta which caused 175 fatalities and another 100+ to be missing in Central America and the US, while the costliest storm of the year was Hurricane Laura, with a damage cost around $19.1 billion in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Gulf Coast of the United States.
Six tropical cyclones swirl over two oceans on September 16. From left to right: Tropical Storm Karina, Hurricane Sally, Hurricane Paulette, Tropical Depression Rene, Tropical Storm Teddy, Tropical Storm Vicky
Taken by various of satellites throughout 2020, these are the 24 tropical cyclones that reached at least Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale during that year, from Ferdinand in February to Yasa in December.
Cyclone Claudia
Cyclone Gabekile