hurricanesmapped

SOUTH PACIFIC · 2021 SEASON

Cyclone Niran (2021)

Recorded track and intensity · 26 Feb 2021–7 Mar 2021

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
NIRAN: complete recorded track, 26 Feb 2021–7 Mar 2021Recorded track from 26 Feb 2021 to 7 Mar 2021. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.FIJIVANUATU27 Feb, 00:00 UTC28 Feb, 00:00 UTC1 Mar, 00:00 UTC2 Mar, 00:00 UTC3 Mar, 00:00 UTC4 Mar, 00:00 UTC5 Mar, 00:00 UTC6 Mar, 00:00 UTC7 Mar, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 526 FEB7 MAR

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

Wind speed & pressure

5 Mar, 12:00 UTC
Wind speed 140 ktPressure 917 hPa
0900809601601020kthPa26 Feb1 Mar4 Mar7 Mar

Forward speed & ACE

5 Mar, 12:00 UTC
Forward speed 24 ktCumulative ACE 12.04 10⁴ kt²
0020104020kt10⁴ kt²26 Feb1 Mar4 Mar7 Mar

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 observations make ACE partial. Missing measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind140 kt

161 mph / 259 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure917 hPa

5 Mar 2021 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration8.5 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance4,630 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Niran is listed in the South Pacific basin for the 2021 season. Its archived track begins on 26 Feb 2021, 18:00 UTC at 14.4°S, 148.9°E. US-agency wind is not available for this first observation. These dates describe the available observations, which may include stages before and after the tropical cyclone phase.

The first Category 5 observation appears on 5 Mar 2021, 12:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 140 knots (161 mph / 259 km/h), first recorded on 5 Mar 2021, 12:00 UTC at 18.8°S, 159.2°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 917 hPa on 5 Mar 2021, 12:00 UTC.

The full record spans 204 hours and approximately 4,630 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 28.4°S, 179.8°E on 7 Mar 2021, 06:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 7 Mar 2021, 03:00 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

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