page_title: Cyclone Raquel
section_title: Meteorological history
hierarchical_section_title: Cyclone Raquel / Meteorological history
caption_attribution_description: English: Track map of Tropical Cyclone Raquel of the 2014-15 Australian region cyclone season&#160;and the 2015-16 South Pacific cyclone season. The points show the location of the storm at 6-hour intervals. The colour represents the storm's maximum sustained wind speeds as classified in the Saffir–Simpson scale (see below), and the shape of the data points represent the nature of the storm, according to the legend below. Saffir–Simpson scale Tropical depression≤38 mph≤62 km/h Category 3111–129 mph178–208 km/h Tropical storm39–73 mph63–118 km/h Category 4130–156 mph209–251 km/h Category 174–95 mph119–153 km/h Category 5≥157 mph≥252 km/h Category 296–110 mph154–177 km/h Unknown Storm type Tropical cyclone Subtropical cyclone Extratropical cyclone / Remnant low / Tropical disturbance / Monsoon depression
context_page_description: Tropical Cyclone Raquel was the first tropical cyclone to exist within the South Pacific Ocean during the month of July on record. The system was first noted during June 28, 2015, while it was located to the northeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands within the South Pacific basin. Over the next few days the system moved south-westwards towards the Solomon Islands, under the influence of a ridge of high pressure and gradually developed further. The system was subsequently named Raquel during June 30, as it moved into the Australian region and developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale. Strong vertical wind shear subsequently limited further development of the system, with atmospheric convection surrounding the system displaced to the west and south of the system. The system subsequently weakened into a tropical depression during July 2, after it had recurved and move eastwards into the South Pacific basin. During that day atmospheric convection surrounding the system improved, as it started to move towards the south-southwest and the Australian region.
context_section_description: During June 2015, a near record strength pulse in the Madden–Julian oscillation lead to a period of significant weather across the Western Pacific. This significant weather included a major westerly wind burst during late June, which caused a set of twin tropical cyclones to develop. The first tropical cyclone developed in the Northern Hemisphere during June 29, before it later developed into Typhoon Chan-hom. The second tropical cyclone was first noted by the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) as Tropical Disturbance 17F and Tropical Low 24U during June 28, while it was located about 660 km (410 mi) to the northeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. This system had a well-defined low level circulation centre which was located within an environment, that was marginally favourable for further development with low-moderate vertical wind shear offset by a poleward outflow. The system subsequently moved south-westwards towards the Solomon Islands under the influence of a ridge of high pressure and gradually developed further and was classified as Tropical Depression 17F during the next day.
  The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) subsequently issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert during June 30, after the systems chances of becoming a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours became high. Later that day as the system approached 160°E and the border between the South Pacific Basin and the Australian Region, the JTWC initiated advisories on the system and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 25P. 17F was subsequently named Raquel at 18:00 UTC (04:00 July 1, Australian Eastern Standard Time) by the BoM, after the system had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale. Throughout the following day, the BoM expected the system to intensify further and possibly become a Category 2 tropical cyclone, as it moved towards the Solomon Islands. However, strong vertical wind shear limited development of the system, with atmospheric convection surrounding the system displaced to the west and south of the system. As a result, Raquel had peaked as a Category 1 tropical cyclone, with 10-minute sustained wind speeds of 65 km/h (40 mph). The system subsequently weakened into a tropical depression during July 2, after it had recurved and move eastwards into the South Pacific basin. During that day atmospheric convection surrounding the system initially improved, as it started to move towards the south-southwest and the Australian region. Raquel subsequently passed near or over several of the Solomon Islands between July 3–5, before it was last noted to the south-west of Guadalcanal during July 5, as it rapidly lost its tropical characteristics.
caption: Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
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