2014–15 Southern Hemisphere cyclone season

Nov 1, 2014 – Apr 30, 2015 · Season ended

The 2014–15 Southern Hemisphere cyclone season produced 25 named storms, 13 at hurricane strength and 9 major storms, against a 1991–2020 average of 26.7, 13.8 and 7.5. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 217, 100% of the average.

2013–14 season 2015–16 season All Southern Hemisphere seasons

Named storms

Avg 26.7 (1991–2020)

Hurricane strength

64 kt or stronger · avg 13.8

Major (Cat 3+)

Including 3 Category 5

Accumulated energy

100% of normal

ACE 217 vs 1991–2020 avg 217

Loading map…

Tracks colored by peak strengthTSC1C2C3C4C5

2014–15 season at a glance

Named storms: 25 (1991–2020 average 26.7).
Hurricane strength (64 kt+): 13 (average 13.8).
Major, 96 kt+: 9, including 3 at Category 5 strength (average 7.5).
Accumulated cyclone energy: 217.1, 100% of the 217 average.
Named-storm days: 115.0, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
First named storm: Adjali, November 16, 2014.
First storm at hurricane strength: Adjali, November 17, 2014.
First major storm: Kate, December 26, 2014.
Last storm to dissipate: Raquel, July 4, 2015.
All systems tracked: 25, every one of which reached 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 2014–15 season

Storm	Dates	Peak	Min pressure	Landfall
Adjali	Nov 15 – Nov 24	C1	970 mb	—
TD 2S	Nov 23 – Dec 2	TS	996 mb	—
Bakung	Dec 9 – Dec 14	TS	993 mb	—
Kate	Dec 21 – Jan 4	C3	944 mb	—
Bansi	Jan 8 – Jan 19	C5	918 mb	—
Chedza	Jan 13 – Jan 22	TS	981 mb	Morondava, Madagascar
Niko	Jan 20 – Jan 25	TS	982 mb	—
Diamondra	Jan 24 – Feb 1	TS	985 mb	—
Eunice	Jan 24 – Feb 3	C5	918 mb	—
Ola	Jan 29 – Feb 4	C2	959 mb	—
Fundi	Feb 5 – Feb 11	TS	982 mb	—
Lam	Feb 15 – Feb 21	C3	948 mb	Yes
Marcia	Feb 16 – Feb 22	C4	929 mb	Yeppoon, Australia
Glenda	Feb 19 – Mar 3	TS	973 mb	—
TD 15S	Mar 4 – Mar 9	TS	996 mb	Maintirano, Madagascar
Haliba	Mar 4 – Mar 13	TS	991 mb	—
Pam	Mar 7 – Mar 20	C5	911 mb	—
Olwyn	Mar 8 – Mar 14	C2	956 mb	Yes
Nathan	Mar 9 – Mar 27	C3	948 mb	Yes
Reuben	Mar 19 – Mar 25	TS	989 mb	—
Joalane	Apr 2 – Apr 17	C2	956 mb	—
Ikola	Apr 4 – Apr 8	C4	937 mb	—
Solo	Apr 9 – Apr 12	TS	982 mb	—
Quang	Apr 27 – May 1	C4	933 mb	Yes
Raquel	Jun 28 – Jul 4	TS	989 mb	—

Adjali: Adjali formed in the Southern Hemisphere in November 2014 and peaked as a Category 1 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 970 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
TD 2S: This system formed in the Southern Hemisphere in November 2014 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 996 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Bakung: Bakung formed in the Southern Hemisphere in December 2014 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 993 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
Kate: Kate formed in the Southern Hemisphere in December 2014 and peaked as a Category 3 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 944 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 14 days.
Bansi: Bansi formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2015 and peaked as a Category 5 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 918 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 11 days.
Chedza: Chedza formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 981 mb. It made landfall near Morondava, Madagascar. The system was tracked for 9 days.
Niko: Niko formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 982 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 5 days.
Diamondra: Diamondra formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 985 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
Eunice: Eunice formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2015 and peaked as a Category 5 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 918 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 10 days.
Ola: Ola formed in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2015 and peaked as a Category 2 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 959 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Fundi: Fundi formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 982 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
Lam: Lam formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2015 and peaked as a Category 3 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 948 mb. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Marcia: Marcia formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2015 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 929 mb. It made landfall near Yeppoon, Australia. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Glenda: Glenda formed in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 973 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 12 days.
TD 15S: This system formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 996 mb. It made landfall near Maintirano, Madagascar. The system was tracked for 5 days.
Haliba: Haliba formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 991 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
Pam: Pam formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2015 and peaked as a Category 5 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 911 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 13 days.
Olwyn: Olwyn formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2015 and peaked as a Category 2 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 956 mb. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Nathan: Nathan formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2015 and peaked as a Category 3 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 948 mb. The system was tracked for 18 days.
Reuben: Reuben formed in the Southern Hemisphere in March 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 989 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
Joalane: Joalane formed in the Southern Hemisphere in April 2015 and peaked as a Category 2 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 956 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 16 days.
Ikola: Ikola formed in the Southern Hemisphere in April 2015 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 937 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
Solo: Solo formed in the Southern Hemisphere in April 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 982 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 4 days.
Quang: Quang formed in the Southern Hemisphere in April 2015 and peaked as a Category 4 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 933 mb. The system was tracked for 5 days.
Raquel: Raquel formed in the Southern Hemisphere in June 2015 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 989 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.

Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.

Strongest storm of 2014–15

Cyclone Pam was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 175 mph (280 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 911 mb, on March 13, 2015. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

4 Southern Hemisphere storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 2 matched it. It produced 19% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

Landfalls in 2014–15

7 of the season’s 25 systems made landfall, 4 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.

January 16, 2015: Chedza near Morondava, Madagascar, 50 mph (tropical storm)
February 19, 2015: Lam, 75 mph (Category 1)
February 20, 2015: Marcia near Yeppoon, Australia, 130 mph (Category 4)
March 8, 2015: TD 15S near Maintirano, Madagascar, 30 mph (tropical depression)
March 13, 2015: Olwyn, 75 mph (Category 1)
March 19, 2015: Nathan, 105 mph (Category 2)
March 22, 2015: Nathan, 75 mph (Category 1)
March 23, 2015: Nathan, 50 mph (tropical storm)
May 1, 2015: Quang, 50 mph (tropical storm)

How 2014–15 ranks since 1980

The season ranks 28th of 47 Southern Hemisphere seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 6 other seasons), 25th for hurricane strength (tied with 8 other seasons) and 19th for accumulated cyclone energy.

The record since 1980 is 37 named storms, in 1997, and the highest ACE is 364, in 1997.

2014–15 storm names

The 2014–15 season used 23 names: Adjali, Bakung, Kate, Bansi, Chedza, Niko, Diamondra, Eunice, Ola, Fundi, Lam, Marcia, Glenda, Haliba, Pam, Olwyn, Nathan, Reuben, Joalane, Ikola, Solo, Quang, Raquel.

2 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.

2014–15 season FAQ

How many named storms were there in 2014–15?

The 2014–15 Southern Hemisphere cyclone season had 25 named storms, 13 at hurricane strength and 9 major storms, from 25 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 26.7 named storms, 13.8 at 64 kt or more and 7.5 major per season. The first to form was Adjali and the last was Raquel.

What was the strongest storm of 2014–15?

Cyclone Pam. It peaked at 175 mph (280 km/h, 150 kt) with a lowest pressure of 911 mb on March 13, 2015. That is Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 4 Southern Hemisphere storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 19% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.

When did the 2014–15 season end?

Australia’s official season ran from November 1, 2014 to April 30, 2015. Our counts follow IBTrACS, which files every storm from July 2014 to June 2015 under the 2014–15 season. The busiest months are January–February. The last system, Raquel, dissipated on July 4, 2015.