2004 North Indian cyclone season
Apr–Jun · Oct–Dec · Season ended
The 2004 North Indian cyclone season produced 7 named storms, 2 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 16, 66% of the average.
2004 season at a glance
- Named storms: 7 (1991–2020 average 6.3).
- Hurricane strength (64 kt+): 2 (average 2.0).
- Major, 96 kt+: 0 (average 1.0).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 15.7, 66% of the 24 average.
- Named-storm days: 21.3, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Tropical Storm 1A, May 5.
- First storm at hurricane strength: Cyclone 2B, May 19.
- Last storm to dissipate: Cyclone 5A, December 5.
- All systems tracked: 10, including 3 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 2004 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD 1A | – | TS | 990 mb | — |
| TD 2B | – | C1 | 976 mb | Sittwe, Myanmar |
| Unnamed | – | TS | 992 mb | — |
| Unnamed | – | TS | 990 mb | Balipatapur, India |
| Unnamed | – | TD | 996 mb | — |
| TD 3A | – | TS | 997 mb | Talala, India |
| Unnamed | – | TD | 1002 mb | Tuni, India |
| Unnamed | – | TD | 1004 mb | — |
| TD 4A | – | TS | 994 mb | — |
| TD 5A | – | C1 | 976 mb | — |
- TD 1A: This system formed in the North Indian in May 2004 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- TD 2B: This system formed in the North Indian in May 2004 and peaked as a Category 1 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 976 mb. It made landfall near Sittwe, Myanmar. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in June 2004 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 992 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in June 2004 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mb. It made landfall near Balipatapur, India. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in September 2004 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 996 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- TD 3A: This system formed in the North Indian in September 2004 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. It made landfall near Talala, India. The system was tracked for 10 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in October 2004 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1002 mb. It made landfall near Tuni, India. The system was tracked for 2 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in October 2004 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1004 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 1 day.
- TD 4A: This system formed in the North Indian in November 2004 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 994 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- TD 5A: This system formed in the North Indian in November 2004 and peaked as a Category 1 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 976 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2004
Cyclone 2B was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 75 mph (120 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 976 mb, on May 19. That is Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
61 North Indian storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 18 matched it. It produced 15% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2004
4 of the season’s 10 systems made landfall, 1 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.
How 2004 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 12th of 47 North Indian seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 6 other seasons), 12th for hurricane strength (tied with 10 other seasons) and 24th for accumulated cyclone energy (tied with 1 other season).
The record since 1980 is 11 named storms, in 1998, and the highest ACE is 85, in 2019.
2004 storm names
No storm in the 2004 season was named.
10 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
2004 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 2004?
The 2004 North Indian cyclone season had 7 named storms, 2 at hurricane strength and 0 major storms, from 10 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 1A and the last was Cyclone 5A.
What was the strongest storm of 2004?
Cyclone 2B. It peaked at 75 mph (120 km/h, 65 kt) with a lowest pressure of 976 mb on May 19. That is Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 61 North Indian storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 15% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 2004 season end?
The North Indian Ocean has no official season, so the 2004 season is the calendar year: every storm that formed by December 31 counts. The last system, Cyclone 5A, dissipated on December 5. Since 1980, 31 North Indian storms reached tropical-storm strength in December.