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SOUTH PACIFIC · 2020 SEASON

Cyclone Harold (2020)

Recorded track and intensity · 1 Apr 2020–8 Apr 2020

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
HAROLD: complete recorded track, 1 Apr 2020–8 Apr 2020Recorded track from 1 Apr 2020 to 8 Apr 2020. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.NEW CALEDONIA1 Apr, 00:00 UTC2 Apr, 00:00 UTC3 Apr, 00:00 UTC4 Apr, 00:00 UTC5 Apr, 00:00 UTC6 Apr, 00:00 UTC7 Apr, 00:00 UTC8 Apr, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 51 APR8 APR

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DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5Post-tropical
All times UTC

Wind speed & pressure

6 Apr, 06:00 UTC
Wind speed 145 ktPressure 909 hPa
0900809601601020kthPa1 Apr3 Apr5 Apr8 Apr

Forward speed & ACE

6 Apr, 06:00 UTC
Forward speed 10 ktCumulative ACE 14.27 10⁴ kt²
0015153030kt10⁴ kt²1 Apr3 Apr5 Apr8 Apr

Hover or tap either graph to follow the track. The slider controls both graphs. Each line uses its matching colored axis.

Forward speed measures the center’s motion. ACE accumulates squared one-minute winds at 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC during tropical or subtropical stages at 34 kt or above. Missing measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind145 kt

167 mph / 269 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure909 hPa

6 Apr 2020 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration7.25 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance3,130 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Harold is listed in the South Pacific basin for the 2020 season. Its archived track begins on 1 Apr 2020, 00:00 UTC at 9.2°S, 154.9°E. The first observation lists sustained winds of 20 knots. These dates describe the available observations, which may include stages before and after the tropical cyclone phase.

The first Category 5 observation appears on 6 Apr 2020, 06:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 145 knots (167 mph / 269 km/h), first recorded on 6 Apr 2020, 06:00 UTC at 15.8°S, 167.8°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 909 hPa on 6 Apr 2020, 06:00 UTC.

The full record spans 174 hours and approximately 3,130 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 19.7°S, 179.9°E on 8 Apr 2020, 06:00 UTC.

This summary is calculated from the NOAA IBTrACS archive. Category 5 describes the storm’s peak recorded wind intensity, not its intensity at landfall or the severity of impacts at any location. Landfall times, damage and casualties have not been independently reviewed for this page.

METHODOLOGY

Data sources and limitations

The map and summary are generated from NOAA’s IBTrACS v04r01 archive. Wind and category use US-agency records; minimum pressure is calculated during the tropical stage, with the archive’s pressure source retained. Category 5 refers to the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale; local agencies may use different classifications. Coastlines use Natural Earth’s 1:10m land data.

Track distance adds great-circle distances between consecutive observations, excluding gaps over 12 hours. This track has no gaps over 12 hours. The line shows the storm’s center, not its size, rainfall or flood extent. Converted wind speeds are rounded to the nearest whole unit.

Archive retrieved

NOAA IBTrACS archive · Field documentation

Sources & methodology

Browse all Category 5 storm pages