2005 South Pacific cyclone season
Cyclone Olaf 2005
Cyclone Olaf passed close to American Samoa at Category 5 strength in February 2005. It was one of several powerful cyclones affecting the South Pacific that month, with Nancy nearby and further storms following.
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167 mph
Feb 16, 2005 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Developing alongside Nancy
Olaf developed within a monsoon trough that also produced Cyclone Nancy to its east. The precursor disturbance formed near the Date Line, north of Fiji, before organizing over warm water with little wind shear. Olaf intensified as it began moving toward the Samoan Islands.
A close passage near Taʻu
The archive records maximum one-minute winds of 145 kt on February 16, equivalent to Category 5. Near its peak, Olaf developed a clear eye and passed close to American Samoa. Its center moved about 15 miles east of Taʻu while retaining Category 5 strength.
Olaf caused heavy damage in American Samoa, but the saved account reports no confirmed deaths or injuries. The cyclone briefly interacted with Nancy before continuing southeast. It also affected the Cook Islands, where Meena and Nancy had already passed and Percy would follow less than two weeks later.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Olaf in brief
What was Cyclone Olaf's highest wind speed?
167 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Feb 16, 2005, 06:00 AM UTC.
What category was Cyclone Olaf?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Feb 15, 2005, 09:00 PM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Cyclone Olaf's lowest pressure?
892 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Feb 16, 2005, 06:00 AM UTC.
When did Cyclone Olaf occur?
The archived track runs from Feb 10, 2005, 12:00 AM UTC to Feb 23, 2005, 12:00 AM UTC, with the tropical stage from Feb 13, 2005, 12:00 AM UTC to Feb 20, 2005, 06:00 AM UTC.
Where did Cyclone Olaf form?
In the South Pacific basin, in the 2005 season. Its first archived position is 13°S, 179°W on Feb 10, 2005, 12:00 AM UTC.
Did Cyclone Olaf make landfall?
No archived position places Cyclone Olaf's center over land, but positions are six-hourly and a brief landfall can fall between them.
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 and Field documentation
Sources & methodology