2009 North Indian cyclone season
Apr–Jun · Oct–Dec · Season ended
The 2009 North Indian cyclone season produced 6 named storms, 1 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 8, 35% of the average.
2009 season at a glance
- Named storms: 6 (1991–2020 average 6.3).
- Hurricane strength (64 kt+): 1 (average 2.0).
- Major, 96 kt+: 0 (average 1.0).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 8.2, 35% of the 24 average.
- Named-storm days: 11.0, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Bijli, April 15.
- First storm at hurricane strength: Aila, May 25.
- Last storm to dissipate: Ward, December 15.
- All systems tracked: 8, 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 2009 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijli | – | TS | 985 mb | Bāndarban, Bangladesh |
| Aila | – | C1 | 974 mb | Kakdwip, India |
| Unnamed | – | TD | 998 mb | Una, India |
| Unnamed | – | TD | 996 mb | — |
| Unnamed | – | TS | 988 mb | Balasore, India |
| TD 3B | – | TS | 990 mb | Egra, India |
| Phyan | – | TS | 985 mb | Khopoli, India |
| Ward | – | TS | 989 mb | Trincomalee, Sri Lanka |
- Bijli: Bijli formed in the North Indian in April 2009 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 985 mb. It made landfall near Bāndarban, Bangladesh. The system was tracked for 4 days.
- Aila: Aila formed in the North Indian in May 2009 and peaked as a Category 1 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 974 mb. It made landfall near Kakdwip, India. The system was tracked for 4 days.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in June 2009 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 998 mb. It made landfall near Una, India. The system was tracked for 1 day.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in June 2009 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 1 day.
- Unnamed: This system formed in the North Indian in July 2009 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 988 mb. It made landfall near Balasore, India. The system was tracked for 1 day.
- TD 3B: This system formed in the North Indian in September 2009 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mb. It made landfall near Egra, India. The system was tracked for 4 days.
- Phyan: Phyan formed in the North Indian in November 2009 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 985 mb. It made landfall near Khopoli, India. The system was tracked for 2 days.
- Ward: Ward formed in the North Indian in December 2009 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 989 mb. It made landfall near Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The system was tracked for 5 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2009
Cyclone Aila was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 75 mph (120 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 974 mb, on May 25. That is Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
61 North Indian storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 18 matched it. It produced 23% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2009
7 of the season’s 8 systems made landfall, 1 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.
- April 17: Bijli near Bāndarban, Bangladesh, 50 mph (tropical storm)
- May 25: Aila near Kakdwip, India, 75 mph (Category 1)
- June 23: Unnamed near Una, India, 35 mph (tropical depression)
- July 20: Unnamed near Balasore, India, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- September 5: TD 3B near Egra, India, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- November 11: Phyan near Khopoli, India, 50 mph (tropical storm)
- December 14: Ward near Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, 30 mph (tropical depression)
How 2009 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 19th of 47 North Indian seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 9 other seasons), 23rd for hurricane strength (tied with 15 other seasons) and 39th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 11 named storms, in 1998, and the highest ACE is 85, in 2019.
2009 storm names
The 2009 season used 4 names: Bijli, Aila, Phyan, Ward.
4 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
2009 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 2009?
The 2009 North Indian cyclone season had 6 named storms, 1 at hurricane strength and 0 major storms, from 8 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 Bijli and the last was Ward.
What was the strongest storm of 2009?
Cyclone Aila. It peaked at 75 mph (120 km/h, 65 kt) with a lowest pressure of 974 mb on May 25. That is Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 61 North Indian storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 23% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 2009 season end?
The North Indian Ocean has no official season, so the 2009 season is the calendar year: every storm that formed by December 31 counts. The last system, Ward, dissipated on December 15. Since 1980, 31 North Indian storms reached tropical-storm strength in December.