1971–72 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

1971–72 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed9 July 1971
Last system dissipated11 March 1972
Strongest storm
NameFabienne
 • Maximum winds215 km/h (130 mph)
(10-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure967 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions9
Total storms9
Tropical cyclones4
Intense tropical cyclones1
Total fatalities7
Total damageUnknown
Related articles
South-West Indian Ocean tropical cyclone seasons
1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74

The 1971–72 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was a below-average cyclone season. The season officially ran from November 1, 1971, to April 30, 1972.

Systems

Tropical cyclone scales#Comparisons across basins

Moderate Tropical Storm Odette

Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJuly 9 – July 16
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);

Odette existed from July 9 to July 16.

Severe Tropical Storm Agnes

Severe tropical storm (MFR)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationDecember 9 – December 24
Peak intensity110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min);

Agnes existed from December 9 to December 24. Rainbands from Agnes affected Réunion while the storm passed to the north.[1]

Moderate Tropical Storm Belle

Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationJanuary 1 – January 5
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);

Belle existed from January 1 to January 5.

Moderate Tropical Storm Caroline

Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 3 – February 14
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);

Caroline existed from February 3 to February 14.

Moderate Tropical Storm Dolly

Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 4 – February 9
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);

Dolly existed from February 4 to February 9. On February 7, Dolly brushed the southwest coast of Réunion, bringing days of heavy rainfall that reached 774 mm (30.5 in) at Piton Tortue. The rains damaged crops and flooded coastal roads. Dolly killed five people on the island.[2]

Tropical Cyclone Eugenie

Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 10 – February 21
Peak intensity120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min);

Rainfall from the storm spread from Swaziland to Durban in South Africa, reaching over 350 mm (14 in) near the coast. The rains caused widespread river flooding.[3]

Intense Tropical Cyclone Fabienne

Intense tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 11 – February 25
Peak intensity215 km/h (130 mph) (10-min);
967 hPa (mbar)

Fabienne existed from February 11 to February 25. On February 18, Fabienne passed just west of Rodrigues, producing wind gusts of 254 km/h (158 mph). The storm caused two fatalities on the island, as well as 16 injuries.[4][5][6]

Tropical Cyclone Tessie–Gigi

Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
 
DurationFebruary 27 (Entered basin) – February 28
Peak intensity120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min);

This system entered the basin on February 27 and became extratropical by February 28.

Tropical Cyclone Hermione

Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
 
DurationMarch 1 – March 11
Peak intensity120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min);

Hermione existed from March 1 to March 11. On March 5, Hermione passed north of the Mascarene Islands, producing heavy rainfall on Réunion that reached 757.5 mm (29.82 in) at Foc Foc.[7]

See also

  • Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1971, 1972
  • Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1971, 1972
  • Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1971, 1972
  • North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1971, 1972

References

  1. ^ Tropical Storm Agnes, 10-23 December. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  2. ^ Tropical Storm Dolly, 4-10 February. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  3. ^ Z.P. Kovács; D.B. Du Plessis; P.R. Bracher; P. Dunn; G.C.L. Mallory (May 1985). Documentation of the 1984 Domoina Floods (PDF) (Report). Department of Water Affairs (South Africa). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  4. ^ Hurricane Fabienne, 10-27 February. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (August 1993). "Significant Data on Major Disasters Worldwide 1900-present" (PDF). p. 140. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  6. ^ The Green Industrial Revolution: Energy, Engineering and Economics. Butterworth-Heinemann. 2014. p. 399. ISBN 9780128025536.
  7. ^ Hurricane Hermione, 29 February-March 11. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2019.