Observed and forecast tracks: northern hemisphere 2021

Click on the name of the tropical cyclone to see a chart of the observed track and forecast tracks from the Met Office global model. Verification statistics on each tropical cyclone are available upon request from [email protected]. At the end of the season a verification report on the performance of the Met Office global model will be published.

North-west Pacific
Name & ID Start & end dates Central pressure, 1-/10-minute MSW Comments on Met Office global model forecasts

Dujuan (01W)

17-22 February 996mb, 40/40 knots Track forecast errors were mostly slightly above the recent mean values.
Surigae (02W) 13-24 April 895 mb, 165/120 knots Early forecasts had a right-of-track bias, but overall track forecast errors were below the recent mean values. An intense typhoon was predicted, although the extent of the rapid intensification was not forecast.
03W 12-14 May 1001 mb, 35/30 knots 03W was only briefly a tropical storm according to JTWC only and no forecasts were verified.
Choi-wan (04W) 29 May-05 June 998 mb, 50/40 knots A right-of-track bias resulted in track forecast errors above the recent mean values.
Koguma (05W) 12-13 June 996 mb, 35/35 knots Koguma was a short-lived storm and no forecasts were verified.
Champi (06W) 21-27 June 980 mb, 65/65 knots Track forecast errors were a little above the recent mean values.
07W 04-06 July 1003 mb, 30/- knots 07W did not reached tropical storm status.
08W 07 July 1001 mb, 25/- knots 08W did not reached tropical storm status.
In-fa (09W) 16-27 July 955 mb, 95/80 knots Forecasts for In-fa were initially too fast and kept the storm on a continued westerly track instead of turning north. This resulted in large longer lead time errors. Short lead time errors were low.
Cempaka (10W) 18-23 July 990 mb, 75/50 knots Track forecast errors were low for this storm.
Nepartak (11W) 23-28 July 990 mb, 45/40 knots Track forecast errors were mostly a little above the recent mean values.
12W 02-06 August 995 mb, 30/- knots 12W did not achieve tropical storm status.
Lupit (13W) 02-09 August 976 mb, 55/45 knots There was a slow bias and a slight left-of-track bias which resulted in track forecast errors above the recent mean.
Mirinae (14W) 04-09 August 980 mb, 50/45 knots Track forecast errors were mostly very low for this storm.
Nida (15W) 04-07 August 992 mb, 55/50 knots Track forecasts were mostly good for Nida. Skill scores against CLIPER were very high.
Omais (16W) 10-23 August 994 mb, 50/50 knots Omais persisted for a long time as a tropical depression, but only had two brief spells as a tropical storm. Track errors were low.
17W 02-03 September 1001 mb, 30/30 knots No forecasts are verified for this depression
Conson (18W) 06-12 September 985 mb, 60/55 knots There was a slow bias in forecasts. Track errors were mostly above the recent mean values.
Chanthu (19W) 06-18 September 905 mb, 155/115 knots Track forecast errors were below the recent mean and skill scores were high.
Mindulle (20W) 22 September-01 October 920 mb, 145/105 knots There was a left-of-track bias, but errors were below the recent mean value.
Dianmu (21W) 22-24 September 1000 mb, 35/35 knots Dianmu was only briefly a tropical storm and few forecasts were verified.
Lionrock (22W) 07-10 October 994 mb, 40/40 knots Track errors were below the recent mean values.
Kompasu (24W) 08-14 October 975 mb, 55/55 knots Track forecasts were good for this storm.
Namtheun (23W) 10-17 October 996 mb, 65/50 knots There was a marked left-of-track bias resulting in large track forecast errors.
Malou (25W) 24-29 October 965 mb, 85/75 knots Track forecasts were good for this storm.
26W 26-27 October 1000 mb, 30/- knots No forecasts were verified for this tropical depression.
Nyatoh (27W) 29 November - 04 December 925 mb, 125/100 knots Track forecast errors were mostly above the recent mean values.
Rai (28W) 12-21 December 915 mb, 145/105 knots Track forecast errors were low and skill scores high for Typhoon Rai.
29W 16-17 December 1004 mb, 25/- knots No forecasts were verified for this tropical depression.

North-west observed tracks in 2021

Tropical cyclone names

North-east Pacific
Name & ID Start & end dates Central pressure, 1-minute MSW Comments on Met Office global model forecasts

Andres (01E)

09-11 May

1005 mb, 35 knots

Andres was only briefly a tropical storm and just one forecast was verified.

Blanca (02E) 30 May-04 June 998 mb, 50 knots Track errors were low for this storm.
Carlos (03E) 12-16 June 1000 mb, 45 knots Track errors were low for this storm.
Dolores (04E) 18-20 June 990 mb, 60 knots Just a small number of forecasts were verified for Dolores.
Enrique (05E) 24-30 June 975 mb, 80 knots There was a left-of-track bias in forecasts for Enrique.
Felicia (06E) 14-20 July 947 mb, 125 knots Track forecast errors were low for Felicia, although there was a slight left-of-track bias.
Guillermo (07E) 17-20 July 999 mb, 50 knots There was a slight left-of-track bias in forecasts for this short-lived storm.
Hilda (08E) 30 July-06 August 985 mb, 75 knots Track forecast errors were low at short lead times, but high at longer lead times due to a fast bias.
Ignacio (10E) 01-04 August 1004 mb, 35 knots Ignacio was very short-lived as a tropical storm.
Jimena (09E) 30 July-07 August 1005 mb, 35 knots Jimena was short-lived as a tropical storm. Track forecast errors were low.
Kevin (11E) 07-12 August 999 mb, 50 knots There was a fast and left-of-track bias in forecasts resulting in larger than average track forecast errors at longer lead times.
Linda (12E) 10-20 August 950 mb, 115 knots Track forecast errors for Linda were close to the recent mean values for this basin.
Marty (13L) 23-24 August 1001 mb, 40 knots Marty only briefly reached tropical storm status.
Nora (14E) 25-30 August 977 mb, 75 knots Nora turned right and accelerated towards the coast faster than predicted resulting in track forecast errors above the recent mean.
Olaf (15E) 07-11 September 977 mb, 80 knots There was a left-of-track bias in forecasts for Olaf.
Pamela (16E) 10-14 October 985 mb, 70 knots Track forecast errors were low and the landfall location well predicted.
Rick (17E) 22-26 October 977 mb, 90 knots Track forecast errors were mostly near to the recent mean values.
Terry (18E) 04-10 November 1004 mb, 40 knots Terry was short-lived and only one forecast was verified.
Sandra (19E) 07-09 November 1006 mb, 35 knots Sandra was short-lived and only one forecast was verified.
Central North Pacific
Name & ID Start & end dates Central Pressure, 1-minute MSW Comments on Met Office global model forecasts

 

   

 

North-east and Central North Pacific observed tracks in 2021

Tropical cyclone names (North-east Pacific)

Tropical cyclone names (Central North Pacific)

North Atlantic
Name & ID Start & end dates Central pressure, 1-minute MSW Comments on Met Office global model forecasts

Ana (01L)

22-24 May 1006 mb, 40 knots

Track forecast errors for Ana were near to the recent mean values.

Bill (02L) 14-16 June 998 mb, 50 knots Bill was a short-lived tropical storm.
Claudette (03L) 17-22 June 1004 mb, 40 knots Claudette became a tropical storm at landfall and then again after re-emerging over sea. There was a slow bias in forecasts.
Danny (04L) 28-29 June 1013 mb, 35 knots Danny was only briefly a tropical storm and no forecasts were verified.
Elsa (05L) 30 June - 09 July 991 mb, 75 knots Track forecast errors were mostly near to or below the recent mean, although there was a slow bias in forecasts.
Fred (06L) 09-17 August 994 mb, 55 knots Fred had two spells as a tropical storm. Short lead time errors were above the recent mean, but long lead time errors were low and the passage into the eastern Gulf of Mexico well predicted.
Grace (07L) 13-21 August 962 mb, 110 knots Track forecast errors were mostly near to the recent mean. There was a slight left-of-track bias in landfall predictions. Also, early forecasts did not develop Grace quickly enough resulting in low detection percentages.
Henri (08L) 16-23 August 986 mb, 65 knots Track forecast errors were low for Henri and the turn northwards was well predicted.
Ida (09L) 26-30 August 929 mb, 130 knots There was a slight left-of-track and slow bias in forecasts, but track forecast errors were near to the recent mean.
Julian (11L) 29-30 August 998 mb, 50 knots Julian was a short-lived tropical storm and few forecasts were verified.
Kate (10L) 28 August-01 September 1006 mb, 35 knots Kate was a very brief tropical storm.
Larry (12L) 31 August-11 September 955 mb, 110 knots Track forecasts for Larry were mostly very good with errors below the recent mean values. There was a slight fast bias at longer lead times. There was an over-deepening bias in forecasts as larry moved through subtropical latitudes.
Mindy (13L) 08-10 September 1004 mb, 40 knots Mindy was a very short-lived tropical storm.
Nicholas (14L) 12-15 September 988 mb, 65 knots There was a slight slow and left-of-track bias for Nicholas.
Odette (15L) 17-18 September 1001 mb, 40 knots Odette was only briefly a tropical storm and few forecasts were verified.
Peter (16L) 19-23 September 1005 mb, 45 knots Track forecast errors were near to the recent mean values.
Rose (17L) 17-23 September 1004 mb, 45 knots Rose was fairly short-lived. Track forecast errors at longer lead times were low.
Sam (18L) 22 September-05 October 936 mb, 130 knots There was a left-of-track bias, but track forecast errors were below the recent mean values.
Teresa (19L) 24-25 September 1008 mb, 40 knots Teresa was a short-lived subtropical storm.
Victor (20L) 29 September-04 October 997 mb, 55 knots There was a slow bias in forecasts resulting in track forecast errors above the recent mean values.
Wanda (21L) 31 October - 07 November 987 mb, 45 knots Track forecast errors were below the recent mean at short lead times, but mixed at longer lead times.

North Atlantic observed tracks in 2021

Tropical cyclone names

North Indian
Name & ID Start & end dates Central pressure, 1-/3-minute MSW Comments on Met Office global model forecasts

Tauktae (01A)

14-18 May 935 mb, 120/100 knots

An early forecast had a left-of-track bias meaning errors at the longest lead times were large, but mostly track forecast errors were low and landfall well predicted over two days in advance.

Yaas (02B) 24-26 May 974 mb, 65/70 knots Track forecast errors were very low and landfall well predicted by the model.
Gulab (03B) * 24-27 September 994 mb, 40/45 knots The landfall location was well predicted.
Shaheen (03B) * 29 September-04 October 977 mb, 65/60 knots Track forecast errors were mostly below the recent mean values.
04B 11 November 997 mb, 35/30 knots 04B was short-lived and no forecasts were verified.
Jawad (05B) 03-04 December 999 mb, 35/40 knots Jawad was short-lived, but track errors were low.
* Shaheen developed from the remnants of Gulab. Treating as two storms as did IMD, but JTWC used the same identifier.

North Indian observed tracks in 2021

Tropical cyclone names

Mediterranean
Name & ID Start & end dates Central pressure, 1-/10-minute MSW Comments on Met Office global model forecasts
Apollo (01M) 25 October - 02 November 1000 mb, 50/- knots There was a slow bias due to a failure to predict the turn south-eastwards in some forecasts.
Blas (02M) 11-14 November 1007 mb, 35/- knots Blas was only considered to have subtropical storm strength winds briefly. Only one forecast was verified.

Note, there is no official warning agency for Mediterranean tropical or subtropical cyclones, so identifiers are assigned by the Met Office to facilitate tracking and forecast verification.

Mediterranean observed tracks in 2021

Note on estimated wind speeds

1-minute MSW: Maximum sustained wind (knots) averaged over 1 minute (JTWC Hawaii, NHC Miami, CPHC Hawaii)

3-minute MSW: Maximum sustained wind (knots) averaged over 3 minutes (IMD New Delhi)

10-minute MSW: Maximum sustained wind (knots) averaged over 10 minutes (JMA Japan)


Note: Although 1-minute average winds should be stronger than 3-/10-minute averages, this may not be the case here since estimates are obtained from different warning centres using different analysis techniques.