What the record says
Val was a cyclone in the South Pacific and Australian region basin that lasted about 13 days, from 4 December 1991 to 17 December 1991. Its peak was Category 4 (125 kt) on 8 December 1991, with a 1-minute sustained wind of 125 kt (144 mph, 232 km/h). Its lowest recorded pressure was 940 hPa.
- Category 4peak intensity
- 125 ktpeak wind (144 mph)
- 940 hPalowest pressure
- 13 dayslifetime
Source of the peak wind: US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (southern hemisphere). The regional forecast centre (RSMC Wellington (MetService New Zealand)) gave a peak of 90 kt on its own averaging convention (10-minute winds), so the two figures differ.
It has its own page because it reached category 4 or stronger.
This page gives the official record's figures. It does not describe the human cost of the storm, which is far larger than any wind speed or pressure here.
Where it came ashore
- 8 December 1991: Samoa (125 kt)
A landfall here is the first tropical position over land after time at sea, so it is within about six hours of the real event. The record shows up to 8.
Countries it came within 50 km of
Strongest effect first.
US counties it came within 50 km of
How to read this track
The line joins the storm's six-hourly positions with straight lines, coloured by its intensity at each point, so it shows how the storm strengthened and weakened. The real path curved between the positions. A dashed grey stretch means the storm had become post-tropical. Records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are estimates.
Source: NOAA NCEI IBTrACS, public domain. See data sources and caveats.
Other notable storms of the 1992 South Pacific and Australian region season
- Fran (1992)Category 5
- Esau (1992)Category 4
- Wasa (1992)Category 3
The 1992 South Pacific and Australian region season · All notable storms