Tropical cyclones in 2004
Storm name Dates active Max wind mph ( km/h ) Min pressure ( mbar ) Areas affected Damage ( USD ) Deaths
Fritz February 10-15 95 ( 60 ) 985 Queensland , Northern Territory None None
01W ( Ambo ) February 11-16 55 ( 35 ) 1002 Caroline Islands None None
Ivy February 21-28 165 ( 105 ) 935 Vanuatu , Solomon Islands , New Caledonia , and New Zealand $ 3.8 million 4
Monty February 25-March 3 185 ( 115 ) 935 Western Australia Minor None
Evan February 27-March 4 65 ( 40 ) 991 Northern Territory None None
Systems -- February
Cyclone Ivy
Tropical cyclones in 2004 were spread out across seven different areas called basins; the strongest of these tropical cyclones was Cyclone Gafilo, which strengthened to a minimum barometric pressure of 895 mbar (hPa; 26.43 inHg) becomes the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the South-West Indian Ocean before striking the east coast of Madagascar. 130 tropical cyclones had formed this year to date. 81 tropical cyclones had been named by either a Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) or a Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC). The most active basin in 2004 was the Western Pacific, which documented 29 named systems, while the North Atlantic, despite only amounting to 15 named systems, was its basin's hyperactive season since 1995. Conversely, both the Eastern Pacific hurricane and North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons experienced the least number of cyclones reaching tropical storm intensity in recorded history, numbering 12 and 4, respectively. Activity across the southern hemisphere's three basins - South-West Indian, Australian, and South Pacific - was spread evenly, with each region recording seven named storms apiece. The highest accumulated cyclone energy (ACE), longest-lived and costliest tropical cyclone was Hurricane Ivan in a total index of 70.4 units, also which struck Caribbean and United States in September causing a tornado outbreak,with US$26.1 billion in damage. The deadliest tropical cyclone of the year was Hurricane Jeanne wo killed for at least 3,006 deaths in Haiti. Tropical cyclone activity in each basin is under the authority of an RSMC. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is responsible for tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic and East Pacific. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) is responsible for tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific. Both the NHC and CPHC are subdivisions of the National Weather Service.