2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

The 2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season had the earliest named storm since 1992. Eleven tropical storms formed, compared to an average of nine. Nine of the systems attained cyclone intensity, the second highest total in 30 years. The strongest storm, Cyclone Hary, was the first very intense tropical cyclone since 2000.

About 2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season in brief

Summary 2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasonThe 2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season had the earliest named storm since 1992. Eleven tropical storms formed, compared to an average of nine. There were 73 days on which tropical cyclones were active, which was more than twice as much as the previous season. Nine of the systems attained cyclone intensity, the second highest total in 30 years. The strongest storm, Cyclone Hary, was the first very intense tropical cyclone since 2000. It hit Madagascar, where it caused lighter damage than expected but three deaths. The second-to-last storm was Cyclone Kesiny, which killed 33 people when it struck Madagascar in the midst of a political crisis. The season started on November 1, 2001, and ended on April 30, 2002; for Mauritius and the Seychelles, the season continued until May 15. Several systems during the season developed in the eastern portion of the basin, similar to 1993–94; unlike that season, many storms stayed at sea throughout their lifetime, thus reducing casualties and damage. The Bureau of Meteorology classified a tropical low as Tropical Cyclone Alex on October 26 in the Australian region. It was initially located in an area of strong wind shear, which prevented significant strengthening. On October 27, the system crossed into the South-west Indian Ocean at around the same time, and it was renamed Andre. The system was no longer classifiable as a tropical system, and the remnants continued to the west-southwest until being absorbed by a trough on November 24.

The monsoon trough spawned a tropical storm, Bako, on December 1, which turned into a severe storm on December 1. Bako was renamed Bako Bako on December 2, and was renamed on December 3, and on December 4, it was upgraded to a severe tropical storm. The storm was the last in the basin to make landfall, which occurred on December 8. The tropical storm that made landfall was called Cyclone Bessi, which made landfall on December 9, and died on December 10. It is the only storm in the region that has made landfall since the start of the season, which began on November 1, 2001. It has since been downgraded to a tropical depression, and is no longer a tropical tropical storm or cyclone. The last storm that formed in the South West Indian Ocean was called Andre, which formed on October 31, 2002, and dissipated on October 30, 2002. The first storm was Andre in late October, which emerged from the Australian basin as Tropical Cyclone Alex. It moved generally to the south-west before turning northwestward on October 29, before turning southwestward onOctober 29, after weakening. It then turned northwestward before turning northward on October 31, after separating from the center of the system. It later turned southwestward, and moved into the southwest Indian Ocean, which is around 90° E, around which it turned to the southwest.