Tropical Storm in American Samoa, December 20 to 21, 1998

A stationary tropical depression was located to the west of the Samoan Islands with maximum wind gusts of 61 miles per hour early Sunday evening. High winds and heavy rains prompted the cancellation of inter-island flights between the two Samoas with the FAA Control tower at Tafuna reporting winds on Sunday averaging about 30 knots. When the gale wind warning was canceled, the tropical depression was located 200 miles to the west of Tutuila and moving westward away from the islands. Three yachts in the harbor were pushed onto the rocks in the Pago area, a tree fell on a car in the Congo Hill area, another tree fell across the road in Leone and there was a minor landslide at Matuu/Faganeanea area. The high winds put debris on the main highway while the heavy rain flooded the streets.No injuries had been reported.