1980 North Indian cyclone season
Apr–Jun · Oct–Dec · Season ended
The 1980 North Indian cyclone season produced 3 named storms, 0 at hurricane strength and 0 major storms, against a 1991–2020 average of 6.3, 2.0 and 1.0. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 2, 7% of the average.
1980 season at a glance
- Named storms: 3 (1991–2020 average 6.3).
- Hurricane strength (64 kt+): 0 (average 2.0).
- Major, 96 kt+: 0 (average 1.0).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 1.6, 7% of the 24 average.
- Named-storm days: 3.3, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Tropical Storm 1B, October 16.
- First storm at hurricane strength: none.
- Last storm to dissipate: Tropical Storm 5B, December 20.
- All systems tracked: 5, including 2 that stayed below tropical-storm strength.
Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph). Regional agencies here use 10-minute winds (3-minute in India), so their official counts can differ.
Every storm of the 1980 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD 1B | – | TS | — | Vakarai, Sri Lanka |
| TD 2B | – | TD | — | — |
| TD 3A | – | TS | — | — |
| TD 4B | – | TD | — | — |
| TD 5B | – | TS | — | Trincomalee, Sri Lanka |
- TD 1B: This system formed in the North Indian in October 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). It made landfall near Vakarai, Sri Lanka. The system was tracked for 10 days.
- TD 2B: This system formed in the North Indian in October 1980. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- TD 3A: This system formed in the North Indian in November 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- TD 4B: This system formed in the North Indian in December 1980. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- TD 5B: This system formed in the North Indian in December 1980 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). It made landfall near Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The system was tracked for 10 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 1980
Tropical Storm 1B was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 40 mph (65 km/h), on October 16. It stayed below hurricane strength (64 kt, 74 mph).
200 North Indian storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 83 matched it. It produced 25% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 1980
2 of the season’s 5 systems made landfall, none of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.
How 1980 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 43rd of 47 North Indian seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 2 other seasons), 39th for hurricane strength (tied with 8 other seasons) and 46th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 11 named storms, in 1998, and the highest ACE is 85, in 2019.
1980 storm names
No storm in the 1980 season was named.
5 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
1980 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 1980?
The 1980 North Indian cyclone season had 3 named storms, 0 at hurricane strength and 0 major storms, from 5 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 6.3 named storms, 2.0 at 64 kt or more and 1.0 major per season. The first to form was Tropical Storm 1B and the last was Tropical Storm 5B.
What was the strongest storm of 1980?
Tropical Storm 1B. It peaked at 40 mph (65 km/h, 35 kt) on October 16. It stayed below hurricane strength (64 kt, 74 mph). 200 North Indian storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 25% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 1980 season end?
The North Indian Ocean has no official season, so the 1980 season is the calendar year: every storm that formed by December 31 counts. The last system, Tropical Storm 5B, dissipated on December 20. Since 1980, 31 North Indian storms reached tropical-storm strength in December.