Tropical Storm Vamei
Tropical Storm Vamei near landfall in Malaysia on 27 December | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 26 December 2001 |
| Dissipated | 28 December 2001 (1 January 2002 per JTWC) |
| Tropical storm | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Highest winds | 85 km/h (50 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 1006 hPa (mbar); 29.71 inHg |
| Category 1-equivalent typhoon | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 976 hPa (mbar); 28.82 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 5 direct |
| Damage | $3.58 million (2001 USD) |
| Areas affected | Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season | |
Tropical Storm Vamei (also known as Typhoon Vamei) was a Pacific tropical cyclone that formed at about 85 nautical miles (100 mi; 160 km) from the equator—closer than any other tropical cyclone on record. The last storm of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season, Vamei developed on 26 December at 1.4° N in the South China Sea. It strengthened quickly and made landfall along extreme southeastern Peninsular Malaysia. Vamei rapidly weakened into a remnant low over Sumatra on 28 December, and the remnants eventually re-organized in the North Indian Ocean. Afterward, the storm encountered strong wind shear once again, and dissipated on 1 January 2002.
Though Vamei was officially designated as a tropical storm, its intensity is disputed; some agencies classify it as a typhoon, based on sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and the appearance of an eye. The storm brought flooding and landslides to eastern Peninsular Malaysia, causing $3.58 million in damage (2001 USD, $6.36 million 2025 USD) and five deaths.