Cyclone Olaf (2005)

On 16 February 2005 satellite imagery showed a well-defined eye as Olaf strengthened into a category 5 cyclone, with a peak intensity of 165 mph and a pressure of 915 millibars. It was the third South Pacific cyclone to hit the Cook Islands during the 2004 to 2005 season, after Meena and Nancy, and Cyclone Percy would affect the same archipelago less than two weeks later. Shear associated with an upper-level trough brought the weakening, with cloud tops warming and the storm's symmetry breaking down.

Formed (UTC)

2005-02-10

Dissipated (UTC)

2005-02-23

Peak Saffir-Simpson category

5

Peak wind (knots, 1-minute)

145

Basin it formed in

South Pacific

IBTrACS storm page

ncics.org/ibtracs/index.php?name=v04r01-2005041S13181

Category: Disasters & Incidents

Tags: tropical cyclone, cook islands, category 5, south pacific

Coordinates: -27.137423866185244, -160.60782201672683

Part of South Pacific tropical cyclones of category 4 and above in the 1997 to 2009 seasons

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