1984 North Indian Ocean cyclone season


The 1984 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was part of the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season has no official bounds but cyclones tend to form between April and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northern Indian Ocean. There are two main seas in the North Indian Ocean—the Bay of Bengal to the east of the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Sea to the west of India. The official Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre in this basin is the India Meteorological Department, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center releases unofficial advisories. An average of five tropical cyclones form in the North Indian Ocean every season with peaks in May and November. Cyclones occurring between the meridians 45°E and 100°E are included in the season by the IMD.

Systems

Tropical Storm One (1A)

On May 23 a tropical depression developed in the northwest Arabian Sea. It drifted west-northwestward, slowly organizing into a tropical storm on the 26th. It tracked westward through the Gulf of Aden, reaching a peak of 50 mph winds before hitting northern Somalia on the 28th, quickly dissipating thereafter. It became the first North Indian tropical cyclone in recorded history to transit the Gulf of Aden, and held the record for westernmost landfalling North Indian tropical cyclone until 2018's Cyclone Sagar.

Tropical Storm Two (2B)

Tropical Storm Two, which developed on October 10 in the central Bay of Bengal, hit northeastern India on the 14th, causing little damage or deaths.

Cyclone Three (3B)

Tropical Depression Three formed in the south-central Bay of Bengal. It tracked west-northwestward, becoming a tropical storm on November 10 and a cyclone on the 11th. A break in the ridge brought it northward, where steering currents collapsed on the 13th. After reaching a peak of 95 mph winds the cyclone looped slowly to the west and hit India on the 14th and dissipating on the 15th. Due to the cyclone's stalling just offshore, the cyclone brought torrential flooding, resulting in at least 430 fatalities and moderate damage.

Cyclone Four (4B)

The final storm of the season began its life east of Sri Lanka on November 27. It drifted northwestward, becoming a tropical storm on the 28th before cyclonically looping to the west. On the 30th the storm became a cyclone, and hit southeastern India on the 1st as an 85 mph cyclone. It rapidly weakened over India, and lost its low level circulation on the 2nd. The mid-level circulation remained, and the system redeveloped over the Arabian Sea on the 3rd. After reaching a secondary peak of 70 mph winds the storm turned to the southwest, hit Somalia on the 7th, and dissipated on the 8th.