| Basin: | SPac |
| Year: | 1981 |
| Track: | 1980-1981 South Pacific cyclone season summary.jpg |
| First Storm Formed: | November 27, 1980 |
| Last Storm Dissipated: | March 21, 1981 |
| Strongest Storm Name: | Freda |
| Strongest Storm Pressure: | 955 |
| Strongest Storm Winds: | 80 |
| Average Wind Speed: | 10 |
| Total Depressions: | 12 |
| Total Hurricanes: | 11 |
| Total Intense: | 4 |
| Five Seasons: | 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83 |
| South Indian Season: | 1980–81 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season |
| South Pacific Season: | 1980–81 Australian region cyclone season |
The 1980–81 South Pacific cyclone season was an above-average season.
This season marked the first time that the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued warnings and performed best track analysis on significant tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere.[1]
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Diola 1980 track.png |
| Formed: | November 27 |
| Dissipated: | November 30 |
| Pressure: | 990 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 35 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 40 |
Diola existed from November 27 to November 30.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Arthur 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | January 11 |
| Dissipated: | January 17 |
| Pressure: | 965 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 70 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 75 |
Arthur existed from January 11 to January 17.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Betsy 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | January 30 |
| Dissipated: | February 4 |
| Pressure: | 995 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 35 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 40 |
Betsy existed from January 30 to February 4.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Cliff 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | February 9 |
| Dissipated: | February 13 (Crossed 160°E) |
| Pressure: | 975 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 65 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 75 |
Cliff developed on February 9, near Vanua Lava, Vanuatu. The cyclone reached peak intensity on February 12, with an estimated central pressure of 975 hPa. It passed over New Caledonia at near peak intensity, with sustained winds . After crossing into the Australian region, Cliff struck Queensland on February 14, making landfall near Bundaberg. The cyclone caused some crop and structural damages in South East Queensland, and beach erosion occurred on the Gold and Sunshine coasts. One man was drowned off the Gold Coast.[2]
| Basin: | SPac |
| Formed: | February 16 |
| Dissipated: | February 21 |
| Track: | 1981 South Pacific tropical cyclone 6 track.png |
| Pressure: | 985 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 50 |
This cyclone existed from February 16 to February 21.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Daman 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | February 20 |
| Dissipated: | February 24 |
| Pressure: | 980 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 55 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 40 |
Daman existed from February 20 to February 24.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Formed: | February 22 |
| Dissipated: | March 7 |
| Pressure: | 990 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 40 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 46 |
This cyclone existed from February 22 to March 7.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Esau 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | March 1 |
| Dissipated: | March 5 |
| Pressure: | 980 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 55 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 60 |
Esau existed from March 1 to March 5.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Freda Pacific 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | March 4 (Crossed 160°E) |
| Dissipated: | March 9 |
| Pressure: | 955 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 80 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 90 |
Freda existed from February 24 to March 9.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Tahmar 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | March 8 |
| Dissipated: | March 13 |
| Pressure: | 970 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 65 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 75 |
Tahmar existed from March 8 to March 13.
| Basin: | SPac |
| Track: | Fran 1981 track.png |
| Formed: | March 17 |
| Dissipated: | March 24 |
| Pressure: | 985 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 50 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 60 |
Fran existed from March 17 to March 24.
The JTWC initiated warnings on Tropical Cyclone 12P during January 26, which had moved into the basin from the Australian region during the previous day. The system subsequently passed in between Vanuatu and New Caledonia before it was last noted during January 27.
|-| Diola || || bgcolor=#|Category 1 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|40kn|| bgcolor=#|990abbr=onNaNabbr=on|| || || || |-| Arthur || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|70kn || bgcolor=#|965abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || ||[3] |-| Betsy || || bgcolor=#|Category 1 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|40kn || bgcolor=#|990abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || |||-| Cliff || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|65kn || bgcolor=#|970abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || ||[4] |-| Unnamed || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|50kn || bgcolor=#|985abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || |||-| Daman || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|55kn || bgcolor=#|980abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || |||-| Unnamed || || bgcolor=#|Category 1 tropical cyclone|| bgcolor=#|40kn || bgcolor=#|990abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || |||-| Esau || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|55kn || bgcolor=#|980abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || |||-| Freda || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|80kn || bgcolor=#|955abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || ||[5] |-| Tahmar || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 severe tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|65kn || bgcolor=#|970abbr=onNaNabbr=on || French Polynesia || || ||[6] |-| Fran || || bgcolor=#|Category 2 tropical cyclone || bgcolor=#|55kn || bgcolor=#|980abbr=onNaNabbr=on || || || |||-