North Indian Ocean cyclone history
Every Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea storm since 1980, from JTWC best tracks in NOAA's IBTrACS archive: season totals, the strongest storms and the most recent ones. Storms in progress are not shown here. For landfalls in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, see the cyclone tracker.
Storms in progress
HurriTracker's current-storm data comes from NHC and CPHC, which cover the Atlantic and the eastern and central Pacific. For a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea, follow the India Meteorological Department, the regional center for the North Indian Ocean, and your national weather service.
Strongest North Indian Ocean cyclones since 1980
Of 284 named storms in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea since 1980, 18 reached 120 knots (140 mph) or more in 1-minute winds and 8 reached Category 5. The ten highest peak winds among named storms:
| # | Storm | Peak wind | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C5Fani (2019) | 175 mph / 280 km/h | 900 mb |
| 2 | C5Gonu (2007) | 165 mph / 270 km/h | 898 mb |
| 3 | C5Amphan (2020) | 165 mph / 270 km/h | 901 mb |
| 4 | C5Mocha (2023) | 165 mph / 270 km/h | 908 mb |
| 5 | C5Sidr (2007) | 160 mph / 260 km/h | 918 mb |
| 6 | C5Phailin (2013) | 160 mph / 260 km/h | 918 mb |
| 7 | C4Giri (2010) | 155 mph / 250 km/h | 922 mb |
| 8 | C4Kyaar (2019) | 155 mph / 250 km/h | 924 mb |
| 9 | C4Chapala (2015) | 150 mph / 240 km/h | 926 mb |
| 10 | C4Phet (2010) | 145 mph / 230 km/h | 929 mb |
North Indian Ocean seasons since 1980
All basins| Season | Named storms | Cyclones | Cat 3+ | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 2024 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 11.8 |
| 2023 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 58.1 |
| 2022 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 14.6 |
| 2021 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 23.1 |
| 2020 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 31.7 |
| 2019 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 85 |
| 2018 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 37.2 |
| 2017 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 17.9 |
| 2016 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| 2015 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 39.8 |
| 2014 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 30.7 |
| 2013 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 38.5 |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4.3 |
Show all 47 seasons
- 2011 · 7 named
- 2010 · 5 named
- 2009 · 6 named
- 2008 · 6 named
- 2007 · 6 named
- 2006 · 7 named
- 2005 · 8 named
- 2004 · 7 named
- 2003 · 4 named
- 2002 · 5 named
- 2001 · 4 named
- 2000 · 5 named
- 1999 · 6 named
- 1998 · 11 named
- 1997 · 7 named
- 1996 · 8 named
- 1995 · 5 named
- 1994 · 5 named
- 1993 · 2 named
- 1992 · 9 named
- 1991 · 5 named
- 1990 · 5 named
- 1989 · 4 named
- 1988 · 6 named
- 1987 · 8 named
- 1986 · 3 named
- 1985 · 7 named
- 1984 · 4 named
- 1983 · 5 named
- 1982 · 9 named
- 1981 · 3 named
- 1980 · 3 named
Counts use 1-minute sustained winds from IBTrACS (NHC/CPHC/JTWC best tracks). ACE = accumulated cyclone energy, 10⁴ kt².
North Indian Ocean cyclone FAQ
When is the North Indian Ocean cyclone season?
There are two seasons, before and after the southwest monsoon. In our 1980–2025 archive, 28% of named storms formed from April to June and 53% from October to December, with October the busiest month. July to September, the height of the monsoon, is quieter.
Who issues official forecasts for the North Indian Ocean?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in New Delhi is the World Meteorological Organization's regional center for the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, and it assigns the region's cyclone names. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Oman and other countries issue warnings for their own coasts. HurriTracker is not an official source.
What is the strongest North Indian Ocean cyclone since 1980?
By peak 1-minute sustained wind, the strongest North Indian Ocean storm since 1980 is Cyclone Fani (2019), at 175 mph (280 km/h), Category 5. The lowest central pressure belongs to Cyclone Gonu (2007), 898 mb. Records come from the IBTrACS best-track archive and can differ slightly from other agencies' figures.