Zoe (2003, South Pacific): Track, Intensity and Historical Data

Cyclone Zoe occurred in the South Pacific basin during the 2003 season, operating under the international identifier 2002358S08185. Official tracking data from NOAA/NCEI IBTrACS v04r01 records the system's progression from its start date on December 23, 2002, at 18:00:00 CE through its final recorded track point on January 4, 2003, at 12:00:00 CE. During this observation period, the system generated 85 individual track points across the main track type.

Intensity and Meteorological Measurements

According to the WMO responsible agency basis—with input from regional agencies including Nadi and Wellington—Cyclone Zoe reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 130.0 knots (approximately 240.8 km/h). The official record also notes a minimum recorded atmospheric pressure of 890.0 mb. These intensity figures characterize the peak metrics captured within the official monitoring framework for the event.

Track Progression and Geographic Scope

The system traversed the South Pacific (basin SP, subbasin MM), registering a mean track latitude of -17.37 degrees and a mean track longitude of 172.47 degrees across its 85 documented points. Representative segments of the track illustrate its movement over time:

• Initial Position: Recorded on December 25, 2002, at 00:00:00 CE at latitude -10.4 and longitude 180.0.
• Mid-Track Position: Recorded on December 27, 2002, at 15:00:00 CE at latitude -11.7 and longitude 170.4.
• Further Progression: Recorded on December 30, 2002, at 06:00:00 CE at latitude -15.0 and longitude 172.1.
• Later Stages: Recorded on January 1, 2003, at 21:00:00 CE at latitude -24.8 and longitude 176.0.
• Final Track Point: Recorded on January 4, 2003, at 12:00:00 CE at latitude -25.3 and longitude 168.4.

The complete dataset comprises 85 track entries spanning from late December 2002 to early January 2003, outlining the geographic path retained in the historical archive.