PEDRO

History

Tropical Cyclone Pedro developed from a low-pressure area embedded in the monsoon trough over the eastern Indian Ocean, first identified by the Bureau of Meteorology at 0000 UTC on 6 November 1989 near 7.8°S, 97.2°E. The disturbance drifted slowly westward over the following two days, becoming steadily better organised, and was upgraded to a tropical cyclone and named Pedro on 8 November.

Continued intensification followed, and Pedro attained its peak at about 1300 UTC on 10 November, with estimated 10-minute sustained winds near 110 km/h and a central pressure of 982 hPa. A small eye briefly appeared on satellite imagery around this time. The cyclone then turned southward into an environment of strong vertical wind shear, which stripped the convection away to the north-west and exposed the low-level circulation. Pedro's winds fell below gale force by 0000 UTC on 13 November, and the remnant low dissipated the next day.

The system remained over open water, but passed roughly 137 km from Cocos (Keeling) Island, where a peak gust of about 137 km/h was recorded. More than 200 mm of rain fell on the island in 24 hours, producing localised flooding, and damage was reported to a palm plantation and a loading wharf. Pedro was the first named cyclone of an above-average 1989–90 Australian region season.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia