The 1979 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was part of the annual cycle of
tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
formation. The season has no official bounds but cyclones tend to form between April and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northern
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
. There are two main seas in the North Indian Ocean—the
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between ...
to the east of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
and the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
to the west of India. The official
Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre
A Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) is responsible for the distribution of information, advisories, and warnings regarding the specific program they have a part of, agreed by consensus at the World Meteorological Organization as p ...
in this basin is the
India Meteorological Department (IMD), while the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) releases unofficial advisories. An average of five tropical cyclones form in the North Indian Ocean every season with peaks in May and November. Cyclones occurring between the meridians
45°E and
100°E are included in the season by the IMD.
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Systems
Cyclone One (1B)
The system formed on 6 May close to the coast of Sri Lanka. It moved towards northwest in its existence after making a small loop. On 13 May, the cyclone made landfall near
Ongole
Ongole is a city in Prakasam district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Prakasam district and also the mandal headquarters of Ongole mandal in Ongole revenue division. Ongole cattle, an indigenous breed of oxen, ...
in
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
and dissipated rapidly by the same day. The storm killed 700 people and 300,000 cattle over there.
Nellore
Nellore is a city located on the banks of Penna River, in Nellore district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of the district, as well as Nellore mandal and Nellore revenue division. It is the List of cities in ...
reported gust winds up to 155 kmph. In Peddaganjam and Kovuur, storm surges were up to 12 ft. which led to
coastal flooding
Coastal flooding normally occurs when dry and low-lying land is submerged by seawater. The range of a coastal flooding is a result of the elevation of floodwater that penetrates the inland which is controlled by the topography of the coastal land ...
in those areas. Together 40 lakh people were affected by the storm and nearly 7 lakh houses were damaged.
Tropical Storm Two (2A)
Tropical Storm Three (3B) (Hope)
Tropical Storm Four (4B/4A)
Tropical Depression Five (5B)
Tropical Storm Six (6B)
Tropical Storm Seven (7A)
Tropical Depression Eight (8B)
See also
*
North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone
In the Indian Ocean north of the equator, tropical cyclones can form throughout the year on either side of India, although most frequently between April and June, and between October and December.
Sub-basins
The North Indian Ocean is the lea ...
*
1979 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1979 Atlantic hurricane season was the first season to include both male and female names, as well as the common six-year rotating lists of tropical cyclone names. The season officially began on June 1, and lasted until November 30 ...
*
1979 Pacific hurricane season
*
1979 Pacific typhoon season
The 1979 Pacific typhoon season featured the largest and most intense tropical cyclone recorded globally, Typhoon Tip. The season also experienced slightly above-average tropical cyclone activity. The season had no official bounds; it ran year-rou ...
*Australian cyclone seasons:
1978–79,
1979–80
*South Pacific cyclone seasons:
1978–79,
1979–80
*South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons:
1979–80,
1979–80
References
External links
India Meteorological DepartmentJoint Typhoon Warning CenterSome Large-Scale Characteristics Associated with Tropical Cyclone Development in the North Indian Ocean during FGGEIBTrACS Website
{{TC Decades, Year=1970, basin=North Indian Ocean, type=cyclone