American Samoa Tropical Cyclone Catalog

The American Samoa Tropical Cyclone Catalog is a project I worked on as a pathways student for the NWS WSO in Pago Pago American Samoa. The catalog so far contains 18 of the most memorable cyclones that affected American Samoa - dating back from Tusi in 1987. Because the tropical cyclones initiate so close to American Samoa, I was tasked with looking at the past storms and the conditions they initiated in as well as what causes them to intensify and how they affected the Territories. It was rather difficult, but I was able to find some data to look at the 1000-500mb thickness maps with an 850mb wind barb overlay, theta-E at 850mb maps, ENSO conditions, soundings, and other variables that play a role in the storms. I would like to share my poster about my time in American Samoa, the difficulties that the one-of-a-kind NWS office has to face, as well as difficulties finding data for my project - especially data in a presentable format. My reasoning for the project is to help the WSO office in Pago Pago help warn CORE partners and Emergency personnel and other agencies of potential incoming storms that will require steps to help protect the people and islands and become a Weather Ready Territory.