December 2023 Monthly Tropical Cyclones Report

December 2023 Tropical Cyclones Report | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

The National Hurricane Center.

Summary

Three named storms occurred across the globe in December, which was below the 1991-2020 average of six. One of those reached tropical cyclone strength (≥74 mph), and one reached major tropical cyclone strength (≥111 mph). The global accumulated cyclone energy (ACE: an integrated metric of the strength, frequency, and duration of tropical storms) was about 45% of the 1991-2020 average for December.

The only major tropical cyclone was Severe Tropical Cyclone Jasper in the Australian region. On average, a major tropical cyclone occurs near Australia in about 4 out 10 Decembers. Jasper peaked with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph and a minimum central pressure of 937 mb. Jasper produced substantial and potentially record-breaking rainfall in Northern Queensland, Australia after making landfall as a tropical storm strength system. These rains led to significant damage across parts of Northern Queensland.

Only two other tropical cyclones formed globally during the month of December, both of which did not reach tropical cyclone strength (≥74 mph). Cyclonic Storm Michaung caused heavy rain and strong winds in southeastern India. This activity was typical for the North Indian Ocean. Tropical Storm Jelawat in the West Pacific, which peaked as a low-end TS with winds of 40 mph and is quieter than normal for that basin.

No storms were active in the North Atlantic, East Pacific, or elsewhere in the southern hemisphere. This is just the fourth time since 1981 that no storms have been active in the South Indian Ocean during July-December. However, the lack of activity is more typical for the other basins.

North Atlantic

No North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones occurred during December 2023.

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1851-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 0 | 0.3(3 in 10 Decembers) | 10th(tied with 33 other Decembers) | 3(1887) |
| HurricaneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 0 | 0.1(1 in 10 Decembers) | 4th(tied with 39 other Decembers) | 1(7 Decembers) |
| Major HurricaneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 0 | 0.0(0 in 10 Decembers) | 1st(tied with 42 other Decembers) | 0 |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 0.0 | 0.8(8 in 10 Decembers) | 10th(tied with 33 other Decembers) | 16.2(1984) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1851-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 20 | 14.4 | 4th | 30(2020) |
| HurricaneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 7 | 7.2 | 17th(tied with 7 other seasons) | 15(2005) |
| Major HurricaneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 3 | 3.2 | 14th(tied with 7 other seasons) | 7(2005, 2020) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 144.1 | 122.5 | 13th | 258.6(1933) |

East Pacific

No East Pacific Tropical Cyclones occurred during December 2023.

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1949-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 0 | 0.1(1 in 10 Decembers) | 4th(tied with 39 other Decembers) | 1(5 Decembers) |
| HurricaneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 0 | 0.0(0 in 10 Decembers) | 2nd(tied with 41 other Decembers) | 1(1957, 1983) |
| Major HurricaneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 0 | 0.0(0 in 10 Decembers) | 1st(tied with 42 other Decembers) | 0 |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 0.0 | 0.2(2 in 10 Decembers) | 4th(tied with 39 other Decembers) | 11.7(1957) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1949-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 17 | 17.0 | 23rd(tied with 4 other seasons) | 27(1992) |
| HurricaneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 10 | 8.8 | 14th(tied with 5 other seasons) | 16(1990, 1992, 2014, 2015) |
| Major HurricaneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 8 | 4.6 | 6th(tied with 2 other seasons) | 11(2015) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 166.3 | 132.8 | 14th | 318.1(2018) |

West Pacific

| Name | MaximumCategoryMax
Cat | Dates>39 mph | Maximum Sustained Winds | Minimum Central Pressure |
| | TS | December 17Dec 17 | 40 mph | 1002 mb |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1945-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 1 | 1.4 | 23rd(tied with 14 other Decembers) | 4(1952, 1986, 2001) |
| TyphoonWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 0 | 0.8(8 in 10 Decembers) | 29th(tied with 14 other Decembers) | 3(1986) |
| Major TyphoonWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 0 | 0.5(5 in 10 Decembers) | 21st(tied with 22 other Decembers) | 2(8 Decembers) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 0.1 | 13.7 | 37th | 72.1(1959) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1945-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 17 | 26.0 | 41st | 38(1964) |
| TyphoonWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 12 | 16.1 | 34th(tied with 4 other seasons) | 26(1964) |
| Major TyphoonWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 8 | 9.4 | 23rd(tied with 5 other seasons) | 16(2015) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 268.2 | 299.8 | 25th | 588.3(1997) |

North Indian

| Name | MaximumCategoryMax
Cat | Dates>39 mph | Maximum Sustained Winds | Minimum Central Pressure |
| | TS | December 3Dec 3-5 | 70 mph | 987 mb |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1972-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 1 | 0.9(9 in 10 Decembers) | 9th(tied with 20 other Decembers) | 3(2005) |
| CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 0 | 0.3(3 in 10 Decembers) | 11th(tied with 32 other Decembers) | 1(10 Decembers) |
| Major CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 0 | 0.0(0 in 10 Decembers) | 2nd(tied with 41 other Decembers) | 1(2017) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 2.3 | 2.8 | 17th | 11.0(2017) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1972-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 8 | 5.4 | 3rd(tied with 3 other seasons) | 11(1992) |
| CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 4 | 2.1 | 3rd(tied with 4 other seasons) | 6(2019) |
| Major CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 3 | 1.1 | 2nd(tied with 1 other season) | 5(2019) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 56.0 | 24.6 | 2nd | 93.0(2019) |

South Indian

No South Indian Tropical Cyclones occurred during December 2023.

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1956-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 0 | 1.4 | 32nd(tied with 12 other Decembers) | 4(1980) |
| CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 0 | 0.7(7 in 10 Decembers) | 23rd(tied with 21 other Decembers) | 3(2014, 2020) |
| Major CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 0 | 0.5(5 in 10 Decembers) | 14th(tied with 30 other Decembers) | 3(2014) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 0.0 | 10.1 | 32nd(tied with 12 other Decembers) | 54.9(2014) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1956-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 0 | 3.0 | 40th(tied with 4 other seasons) | 6(1997) |
| CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 0 | 1.2 | 30th(tied with 14 other seasons) | 3(6 seasons) |
| Major CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 0 | 0.8(8 in 10 seasons) | 19th(tied with 25 other seasons) | 3(2014, 2019) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 0.0 | 18.7 | 40th(tied with 4 other seasons) | 71.2(1997) |

Australia

| Name | MaximumCategoryMax
Cat | Dates>39 mph | Maximum Sustained Winds | Minimum Central Pressure |
| | 4 | December 5Dec 5-14 | 135 mph | 937 mb |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1956-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 1 | 1.5 | 20th(tied with 13 other Decembers) | 4(1997) |
| Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 1 | 0.8(8 in 10 Decembers) | 6th(tied with 17 other Decembers) | 2(6 Decembers) |
| Major Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 1 | 0.4(4 in 10 Decembers) | 2nd(tied with 10 other Decembers) | 2(2014) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 17.6 | 8.8 | 6th | 33.7(1999) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1956-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 1 | 2.2 | 27th(tied with 8 other seasons) | 7(1997) |
| Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 1 | 0.9(9 in 10 seasons) | 8th(tied with 19 other seasons) | 3(1996, 1999) |
| Major Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 1 | 0.4(4 in 10 seasons) | 2nd(tied with 11 other seasons) | 2(2014) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 17.6 | 10.5 | 6th | 42.6(1999) |

Southwest Pacific

No Southwest Pacific Tropical Cyclones occurred during December 2023.

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1956-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 0 | 0.7(7 in 10 Decembers) | 23rd(tied with 21 other Decembers) | 3(5 Decembers) |
| Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 0 | 0.5(5 in 10 Decembers) | 16th(tied with 28 other Decembers) | 2(1987, 1992, 2013) |
| Major Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 0 | 0.3(3 in 10 Decembers) | 8th(tied with 36 other Decembers) | 2(1992, 2013) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 0.0 | 6.3 | 23rd(tied with 21 other Decembers) | 47.1(1992) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1956-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 2 | 1.3 | 9th(tied with 7 other seasons) | 6(1998) |
| Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 2 | 0.7(7 in 10 seasons) | 2nd(tied with 5 other seasons) | 4(1998) |
| Major Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 1 | 0.4(4 in 10 seasons) | 3rd(tied with 8 other seasons) | 2(1992, 2013) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 17.0 | 8.5 | 8th | 47.2(1992) |

Global

| Name | MaximumCategoryMax
Cat | Dates>39 mph | Maximum Sustained Winds | Minimum Central Pressure |
| | TS | December 3Dec 3-5 | 70 mph | 987 mb |
| | 4 | December 5Dec 5-14 | 135 mph | 937 mb |
| | TS | December 17Dec 17 | 40 mph | 1002 mb |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1972-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 3 | 6.0 | 39th(tied with 4 other Decembers) | 10(1998) |
| Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 1 | 3.0 | 36th(tied with 7 other Decembers) | 6(1991, 1998, 2019) |
| Major Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 1 | 1.6 | 16th(tied with 21 other Decembers) | 4(1991, 2012, 2013, 2019) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 20.0 | 43.5 | 38th | 88.7(2012) |

| Storm Type | Count | 1991-2020Mean | 1981-2023Rank* | 1972-2023Record |
| Tropical StormWinds ≥ 39 mph (34 kts) | 78 | 87.5 | 34th(tied with 4 other seasons) | 106(2020) |
| Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 74 mph (64 kts) | 45 | 47.6 | 24th(tied with 3 other seasons) | 59(1990, 2018) |
| Major Tropical CycloneWinds ≥ 111 mph (96 kts) | 30 | 25.6 | 6th(tied with 1 other season) | 39(2015) |
| Accumulated Cyclone EnergyACE×10⁴ kt² | 853.6 | 784.3 | 11th | 1,148.5(1992) |

Data Description

The data in this report are derived from NCEI's IBTrACS dataset(Knapp et al. 2010; Schreck et al. 2014). IBTrACS tropical cyclone track and intensity data from agencies and sources around the globe. In this report, data from NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) are used for the North Atlantic and East Pacific. The other basins use data from the U.S. Military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

Historical values use the "best track" data that have been analyzed by forecasters after the season using all available data. Operational procedures and observing systems have changed with time and between regions, which makes these data heterogeneous. Intensity data are generally the most reliable since the early 1970s in the Atlantic (Landsea and Franklin 2013) and since the mid-1980s in other regions (Chu et al. 2002). The number of short-lived storms (≤2 days) has also increased since around 2000 due to improvements in observations and analysis techniques (Landsea et al. 2010).

Values for the current year are provisional values from the operational forecast advisories. IBTrACS obtains these from NCEP's TC Vitals, the NCAR Tropical Cyclone Guidance Project, and NHC provisional data. These values are subject to change during the post-season best track analysis. They also only include 6-hourly storm fixes, which means they may miss special advisories at landfall, peak intensity, etc.

The tropical cyclone seasons in the Southern Hemisphere begin in July and end in June, while the Northern Hemisphere seasons are counted from January to December. Storms are counted in all basins, months, and years in which they occur, which means some storms may appear more than once. However, the global totals only include each storm one time.

- Chu, J.-H., C. R. Sampson, A. S. Levine, and E. Fukada, 2002: The joint typhoon warning center tropical cyclone best-tracks, 1945–2000. Naval Research Laboratory, Reference Number NRL/MR/7540-02-16, 22 pp., https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/best-tracks/tc-bt-report.html.
- Knapp, K. R., M. C. Kruk, D. H. Levinson, H. J. Diamond, and C. J. Neumann, 2010: The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS). Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 91, 363–376, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009BAMS2755.1.
- Landsea, C. W., and J. L. Franklin, 2013: Atlantic Hurricane database uncertainty and presentation of a new database format. Mon. Wea. Rev., 141, 3576–3592, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-12-00254.1.
- ——, G. A. Vecchi, L. Bengtsson, and T. R. Knutson, 2010: Impact of duration thresholds on Atlantic tropical cyclone counts. J. Climate, 23, 2508–2519, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI3034.1.
- Schreck, C. J., K. R. Knapp, and J. P. Kossin, 2014: The Impact of Best Track Discrepancies on Global Tropical Cyclone Climatologies using IBTrACS. Mon. Wea. Rev., 142, 3881–3899, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-14-00021.1.

Citing This Report NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Monthly Tropical Cyclones Report for December 2023, published online January 2024, retrieved on January 13, 2024 from

https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/ access/ monitoring/ monthly-report/ tropical-cyclones/ 202312.