south west indian_ocean cyclone season south west indian_ocean cyclone season longest lasting second active season south west indian ocean storms season impacted madagascar countries southeastern africa season began early unnamed tropical storm struck september damaging storm years system named storm season tropical depression named threat outer island mauritius later struck unusual area november resulting unconfirmed deaths fishermen named storm reach tropical storm intensity brushed gusty winds rainfall december threatened strike mauritius instead eastward later tropical storm lasted late december early january damaged destroyed thousands houses killing people january severe tropical storm continued steady activity forming eastern portion basin later tropical storm crossed southern madagascar heavy rains causing flooding mudslides left people homeless february simultaneous tropical cyclones indian_ocean basin cyclone formed west passing east mauritius killing person cyclone formed shortly tropical storm formed farther east having originated australian basin cyclone struck southern produced widespread flooding southeastern africa killing people march strongest storm season reaching minute sustained winds mph struck weakening damaging houses causing island wide power month later subtropical cyclone named intensified southeast madagascar developed eye lastly sixth tropical cyclones record making rare landfall southeastern madagascar killing people destroying thousands houses season summary meteorological office official south west indian_ocean tracking tropical cyclones east coast africa beginning season moved tropical cyclone year august july joint united_states navy united_states_air_force task force issues tropical cyclone warnings region issued advisories storms season season issued advisories systems intensified reach tropical storm force winds meaning conditions generally favorable tropical cyclogenesis systems tropical storm force winds short storms beginning satellite tracking season set season average named storms season days tropical cyclones active slightly normal storm remained intensity days contrast days tropical storm active basin days normal season began early ended late seasons began earlier ended later season start satellite coverage basin addition named storms unnamed tropical storm september non developing tropical depression december tropical depression developed northeastern portion basin moved south later southeast crossing australian region december day later issued advisory storms moderate tropical storm late august weak low level circulation persisted near associated trough near equator initially remained disorganized high wind shear disturbance located low latitude near equator ridge extending eastern coast africa general west southwest movement system organized classified september system developed convection circulation better defined operationally began issuing warnings september tropical disturbance day upgraded tropical depression post analysis indicated system reached peak winds mph september day initiated advisories tropical cyclone storm developed banding features thunderstorms away circulation september storm moved island nation southern indian_ocean weakening discontinued advisories september followed suit day moving storm produced hours islands producing wind gusts mph heavy rainfall affected particularly reported hour period damage limited landslides flooding high winds damaged roofs houses destroyed homes airport damaged winds damaged power lines causing island wide power high winds downed trees blocked roads quickly removed widespread tree damage nature preserve closed weeks accounting usd damage nationwide storm left families homeless damaged crop fields damaging country years tropical depression convection persisted near broad circulation november west system moved westward organized generally favorable conditions classified tropical disturbance november days later agency upgraded tropical depression shortly initiated advisories time storm moving southwest mauritius outer island developing improved outflow emphasize threat named system despite tropical depression late november estimated peak winds mph time began slow motion southwest day depression resumed westward motion disorganized discontinued advisories remnants turned southwest intensified prompting issue advisories november time outflow improved maintained multiple passed near north coast madagascar november turning west day discontinued advisories period organization agency issued advisories november day system moved inland southeastern dissipated shortly northern produced moderate beneficial rainfall landfall area usually experience tropical cyclones damage minimal unofficial reports killed fishermen caused heavy rainfall wind gusts mph tropical cyclone strong area winds near equator developed area convection november east northeast quickly developed outflow distinct circulation tropical depression late november early november upgraded system tropical storm later day initiated advisories ridge southeast storm moved quickly southwestward easterly wind shear prevented significant intensification circulation established beneath convection november intensified reach minute winds mph making tropical cyclone upgraded intensity day minute winds equivalent minimal hurricane cyclone intensified slightly peak winds mph maintained peak winds hours wind shear began increase cyclone weakened curved west change ridge south estimated maintained peak winds mph initially storm retained good outflow convection passed north november producing rainfall wind gusts mph storm turned west northwest interacted ridge south produce wind gusts mph mph mauritius respectively convection gradually diminished november weakened tropical depression status discontinued advisories circulation continued northwest devoid convection turning northeast november dissipated day later north madagascar days mid december tropical cyclone forecast models anticipated storm form southwest proven true area convection formed area tropical disturbance december fourth season december upgraded disturbance tropical depression later day tropical storm crystal storm moved southwestward mauritius ridge southeast strengthening gradual upgraded crystal equivalent minimal hurricane late december day eye developed dry air initially prevented intensification upgraded crystal tropical cyclone status december day cyclone passed east subsequently crystal intensified quickly eye reaching peak winds mph december time storm passed east mauritius turned south rounding ridge maintaining peak winds hours crystal weakened gradually undergoing extratropical transition convection diminished center crystal weakened tropical storm status december day discontinued advisories labeling storm extratropical remnants continued southeast dissipating january crossing australian region passing east crystal produced wind gusts mph storm initially threatened strike mauritius effects minimal island dry southwest quadrant storm crystal produced wind gusts mph rainfall reached minimal precipitation occurred northern mauritius severe tropical storm late december tropical disturbance rapidly formed northwest coast madagascar late december classified tropical disturbance system quickly intensified moving westward strong tropical storm hitting northeastern december weakened moving inland longer tropical cyclone january remnants moved country later crossing remnants reached reclassified tropical disturbance moved southward waters intensified tropical storm january weakening day extratropical remnants persisted days dissipating january dropped heavy rainfall caused flooding country houses severely damaged destroyed leaving thousands homeless storm damaged roads bridges disrupted relief efforts aftermath floods destroyed widespread areas crops midst ongoing food shortage lingering flooding caused outbreak cholera malaria people killed flooding widespread storm destroyed houses killed people country months storm struck left damage deaths areas affected severe tropical storm area convection persisted january southwest associated circulation moved generally southward southwest area generally favorable conditions january thunderstorms increased initiated advisories early january day upgraded outflow pronounced storm continued intensify january upgraded equivalent minimal hurricane estimated peak winds mph shy tropical cyclone status subsequently increased wind shear weakening having spent duration moving generally southward turned southeast january ridge south moving farther east thunderstorms diminished discontinued advisories january day declared extratropical remnants dissipated january severe tropical storm area convection persisted january east southeast quickly developing outflow minimal wind shear moved southwest circulation better defined january initiated advisories later day issued subsequently upgraded disturbance tropical depression initiated advisories shortly system weakened circulation exposed deep convection discontinued advisories january continued tracking disturbance moved west reaching area low wind shear thunderstorms increased center issued advisories january time system nearing eastern madagascar later day upgraded system tropical storm early january estimated peak winds mph making moderate tropical storm shortly storm landfall madagascar south quickly weakened tropical depression crossing country emerging early january storm turned south declared extratropical january remnants dissipated february tropical storm struck madagascar country experienced weeks heavy rainfall causing widespread flooding area moved ashore storm flooded crop fields damaged banana fruit trees storm left landslides isolated caused damage towns left people homeless caused outbreak intense tropical cyclone february began tracking tropical disturbance east madagascar northern coast system moved southwest turning north february day system persistent convection weak circulation located area low wind shear february initiated advisories initially circulation broad exposed thunderstorms day upgraded depression tropical storm status named system storm turned south mauritius steadily intensified february upgraded equivalent minimal hurricane shortly upgraded storm tropical cyclone time began undergoing rapid deepening intense tropical cyclone early february developing defined eye outflow day cyclone passed east mauritius time estimated peak minute winds mph estimated peak minute winds mph subsequently began weakening increasing wind shear eye disorganized later convection separated deepest convection cyclone weakened tropical storm status february day discontinued advisories february declared jerry extratropical remnants dissipated days later early duration passed west producing tropical storm force winds gusts mph cyclone originally threatened strike mauritius directly east southeasterly motion passed east storm forced closure sir schools government offices wind gusts mauritius reached mph dropped heavy rainfall peaking mare produced high waves northern coast person killed storm passage tropical cyclone time tropical storm developing area convection east organizing february system tropical disturbance initially moved north operationally began issuing advisories february tropical disturbance system small center accompanying convection time disturbance turned south favorable conditions allowed gradual development upgraded system tropical storm status late february system named hours later february initiated advisories tropical cyclone eye developed february suggesting quick intensification utc day upgraded equivalent minimal hurricane tropical cyclone status respectively time cyclone turned east northeast weakness ridge north estimated reached peak minute winds mph february day estimated minute winds mph later storm weakened turned southeast ridge intensified outflow decreased interaction cyclone west weakened tropical storm status february february discontinued advisories circulation exposed deep convection day followed suit circulation dissipated moderate tropical storm widespread convection monsoon trough persisted southeastern indian_ocean early february area tracked february australian basin southwest indonesia system moved westward development crossing basin february day began tracking system tropical disturbance february system turned southeast ridge north day started issuing advisories initially storm failed intensify nearby upper level ridge february upgraded system tropical storm day system named outflow pronounced minimal wind shear briefly estimated peak minute winds mph estimated winds mph weakened late february cooler waters dry air stronger shear february discontinued advisories little convection left estimated dissipated day intense tropical cyclone cyclone developed february near southwest coast madagascar initially moved northwest turning southwest favorable conditions development quickly intensified reaching maximum winds mph sustained minutes intense tropical cyclone sixth occur channel years briefly cyclone turned northwest weakening slightly striking south march slowly weakened progressing inland dissipating march path dropped heavy rainfall caused widespread river flooding rains occurred extended drought excessive precipitation caused heavy crop damage notably storm moved ashore provinces cyclone damaged destroyed houses leaving people homeless flooding caused rivers rise days storm passage deaths inland remnant rainfall destroyed bridge houses killing people intense tropical cyclone formed march area convection southeast system slowly intensified drifting west moderate tropical storm march intensification rate increased began steady southwest movement underwent rapid deepening developed eye reaching peak intensity march time estimated minimum pressure mbar inhg winds mph estimated peak winds mph strongest cyclone year basin weakened undergoing eyewall replacement cycle march passed near island weakening cyclone time storm turned south weakening tropical storm march extratropical day remnants dissipated march cyclone passed produced wind gusts estimated mph caused island wide power roads washed percent drinking water contaminated storm day passage island total rain fell total homes damaged total losses island amounted million usd million large low level circulation persisted southwest coast madagascar april april subtropical depression according moved southwest turning sharply southeast day briefly assessed fair potential development circulation exposed april began quickly intensifying day initiated advisories time classified system extratropical system developed convection near center tropical cyclone april developed eye center thunderstorms prompting upgrade storm peak winds mph time storm area weak wind shear increasing shear caused rapid weakening eye dissipate early april extratropical merged approaching cold late season april area convection formed southwest gradually organized companion system west showed signs development eastern system declared tropical disturbance ridge southeast moved generally southwest early duration system affected mauritius gusty winds intensified tropical storm initial strengthening phase storm weakened later intensified approached madagascar developed defined eye reached peak winds eastern madagascar coastline reached tropical cyclone status time month hours cyclone stalled turning south weakening extratropical dissipated days later struck madagascar year cyclone hit country representing known occurrence tropical cyclone impacts consecutive years struck madagascar produced gusts strong mph heavy rainfall reaching hour period damage country heaviest buildings destroyed people killed destroyed houses nationwide leaving people homeless storm destroyed large areas crops disrupted transportation including damaging road injured killed people madagascar storm names tropical disturbance named reaches moderate tropical storm strength tropical disturbance reaches moderate tropical storm status west sub regional madagascar assigns appropriate storm tropical disturbance reaches moderate tropical storm status sub regional mauritius assigns appropriate storm new annual list year names retired season effects table lists tropical cyclones subtropical cyclones monitored south west indian_ocean cyclone season information intensity duration areas affected primarily comes death damage reports come press reports relevant national disaster management agency damage totals given usd
2002–03 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season