Cyclone Wasa–Arthur

During 12 December, Wasa passed through the French Polynesian Austral Islands and passed directly over Tubuai, before it degenerated into a tropical depression later that day. However, gale-force winds remained associated with the depression, before the system turned towards the east-northeast and entered into warmer waters near the Tuamotu Islands. On 14 December, Wasa regenerated into a tropical depression and was renamed Arthur. During that day, the system gradually intensified before it reached its secondary peak intensity with sustained wind speeds of 95 km/h (60 mph). The following day, the system maintained its peak intensity, as it moved through the uninhabited Acteon Group, before it started gradually weaken the next day. Arthur degenerated into a shallow depression during 17 December, before it was last noted during the next day as it dissipated to the north of the Pitcairn Islands.

Tourists on Bora Bora were evacuated to a local church, after Wasa–Arthur had swept high seas into tourist bungalows. Overall the system caused an estimated US$60 million in damage within French Polynesia, with the majority of the damage done between 9 and 12 December. The cyclone destroyed and damaged several homes; a variety of crops; and damaged several public buildings, hotels, roads and power installations. On Rurutu, Moerai's harbour was destroyed by a cyclonic swell from the system, while the local school and police station were destroyed by high waves. Two people were killed when torrential rainfall from the cyclone caused a mudslide in Moorea, the day after Wasa had made its closest approach to the island. The Government of France incurred costs of about FF68 million including FF53 million for the efforts of the French military. The Government of French Polynesia subsequently borrowed FF55 million and built up a fund from local banks of about FF1.5 billion, to help with the reconstruction. The name Wasa was later retired from the South Pacific basin's lists of tropical cyclone names by the World Meteorological Organization.

Meteorological history

On 3 December, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) started to monitor a tropical depression, that was embedded within a monsoon trough of low pressure over the Northern Cook Islands. Over the next couple of days, the system gradually developed further as it moved south-westwards, before the United States Naval Western Oceanography Center (NWOC) initiated advisories on the system and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 07P during 5 December. This was followed by the FMS who reported that the depression had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale and named it Wasa, while it was located about 250 km (155 mi) to the southwest of the Penhryn in the Northern Cook Islands. Over the next day, Wasa quickly intensified and made a small cyclonic loop, before it was classified as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone during 7 December. On 8 December, Wasa started to move south-eastwards towards the Society Islands of French Polynesia, while the NWOC reported that Wasa had peaked in intensity with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 195 km/h (120 mph), which made it equivalent to a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. This was followed by the FMS during the next day, who estimated that the system had peaked as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone, with 10-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph).

Wasa subsequently approached the Society Islands of Manuae and Motu One, before it passed within 60 km (35 mi) of Maupihaa and 125 km (80 mi) of Maupiti during 10 December. During the next day, the system started to weaken as it approached the Austral Islands and passed about 300 km (185 mi) to the southwest of Tahiti. The system subsequently continued to move south-eastwards and passed about 70 km (45 mi) to the northeast of Rurutu, before it directly passed over Tubuai on 12 December. After Wasa had passed over Tubuai, the FMS reported that Wasa had weakened below tropical cyclone strength and degenerated into a depression. Over the next day, gale-force winds persisted within the depression's southeastern quadrant, as it moved towards the east-northeast and into warmer waters near the Tuamotu Islands. By 13 December, the NWOC issued their final warning on the system, before the FMS reported during the next day that Wasa had regenerated into a tropical cyclone. However, for convenience, operational purposes, and to avoid any potential confusion among recipients of the warnings, the FMS decided to rename the system Arthur. During 14 December, Arthur passed about 150 km (90 mi) to the north-northwest of the atoll: Mururoa, while the FMS reported that winds associated with the system had increased to marginal storm force with winds of 95 km/h (60 mph). Over the next day, Arthur maintained its intensity as it moved north-eastwards through the northern islands of the Acteon Group, before the NWOC classified the system as Tropical Cyclone 08P during 15 December. Arthur subsequently started to gradually weaken as it turned eastwards, before the FMS and the NWOC reported that it had degenerated into a depression on 17 December. The system was last noted the next day, while it was located about 890 km (555 mi) to the southeast of Papeete in French Polynesia.