2018 Bluetiger’s Kingdom Tropical Cyclone Season

2018 Bluetiger’s Kingdom Tropical Cyclone Season is an ongoing event of tropical cyclone formation that runs through the whole year. The season’s first named storm, Amber developed on January 26.

Seasonal Forecasts
On February 8, 2018, the BMA issued their first forecast of the season, predicting 31 named storms, 20 tropical cyclones and 11 intense tropical cyclones. You can issue your own forecast for the season if you wish to.

Timeline
The season’s first named storm, Amber, developed on January 26, along with tropical Depression 02X on the following day. Amber absorbed 02X, slammed to the Chocolatey Coast as an intense tropical cyclone, and caused severe flooding and damage in places near and in Chocolatey Town. A few days prior to Amber’s dissipation, the BMA started to track tropical depression 03X that formed about 900 km to the east of the Volcano Island. 03X strenghened to a tropical storm with the name Bart late of February 3rd and made landfall near Jellycoast. On February 22, two new storms were observed: Carol and 05X. Both systems are forecasted to at least arrive Severe tropical cyclone intensity. A few hours later, 05X was named Dylan. The BMA also predicted that Carol may arrive at Intense Tropical Cyclone intensity while Dylan might strengthen to a severe tropical cyclone 12 hours later than its first forecast.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Amber
On January 26th, the BMA started to track a tropical depression that has formed at the south of Jellycoast, orignally expected to just strengthen to a tropical storm and make landfall near Jellycoast. However, due to the unexpected formation of 02X, the weak and named storm Amber started to create Fujiwhara interaction with 02X. Amber soon later absorbed 02X and started to strenghen. It eventually strengthened to a tropical cyclone on January 28th, and strengthening to a severe tropical cyclone on January 29th, which further intensified to an intense tropical cyclone on January 30th, and making peak intensity on the same day, and also making landfall near Chocolatey town on the same day. It later weakened to a tropical storm and a depression in the following day. The system eventually dissipated on the same day.

Severe damage was caused by Amber after the storm. At least 272 people are confirmed dead and still having at least 3 missing. Damages were currently counted up to 3.024 billion USD.

Tropical Depression 02X
A weak depression that unexpectedly and surprisingly formed near Amber’s outflow. The short-lived depression eventually was absorbed by Amber. No deaths or damage was caused by the storm.

The sudden and random formation of this storm made the tropical cyclone fans so surprised, because the disturbance has been never even considered to strenghen to a tropical depression.

Tropical Storm Bart
On February 2, the BMA started to track a tropical disturbance about 900 km east of the Volcano Island. The system strengthened to a tropical depression and a tropical storm the following day, and made landfall near Jellycoast the next day.

So far, the damage of Bart was raised up to 710 million USD. Death toll also rises to 12.

Hyper Tropical Cyclone Carol
Early on February 22, the BMA started to track a tropical storm that formed in the open ocean with the name Carol. The storm is expected to strengthen to an Intense Tropical Cyclone on February 25th. Early the next day, Carol strengthened to a tropical cyclone, and it can become a super tropical cyclone. On February 24, since the storm will be moving closer to Volcano Island, storm surges started to appear, killing 2 storm chasers due to that. The storm killed another at least 5000 people and caused 124 billion dollars of damage, being the third-costliest tropical cyclone every recorded, behind Katrina and Harvey.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Dylan
On the same time the BMA started to track Carol, BMA also started to track a new depression called 05X. 6 hours later, it strengthened to Tropical Storm Dylan. On February 23 0600 UTC, Dylan became a severe tropical storm. It later strengthened to an intense cyclone and killed at least 800 people too, with over 20 billion dollars of damage.

Storm Names
These names are a list of names that were used by BMA. They will be used if a storm has at least a 10-minute sustained winds of 65 km/h (40 mph). So far only five names has been used for tropical cyclone naming.

Retirement
On January 10th, 2019, the BMA will announce the retired names of this season. Replacement names will be chosen on January 17th, 2019.