2005 South Indian cyclone season
Cyclone Bentojana 2004
Cyclone Bentojana reached Category 5 strength at a low latitude in the southern Indian Ocean in November 2004. Its track curved south and southeast before the weakened system resumed a long westward course.
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161 mph
Nov 23, 2004 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Strengthening near 8°S
The archive begins near 6°S, 78°E on November 19. The developing system first moved south, then turned west near 8°S. Its one-minute wind estimates increased from 55 kt to 120 kt over successive daily positions as the cyclone moved toward 76°E.
Bentojana reached maximum one-minute winds of 140 kt on November 23, equivalent to Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Its strongest phase occurred near 74°E, well east of Madagascar and north of the usual subtropical part of the basin.
A long weakening passage
After the peak, Bentojana turned south and southeast while weakening. Near 16°S, 77°E, it changed direction again and moved west across the Indian Ocean. Late positions approach 53°E at depression strength, with the archive ending on December 4. No recorded center position lies over land.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Bentojana in brief
What was Cyclone Bentojana's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Nov 23, 2004, 06:00 PM UTC.
What category was Cyclone Bentojana?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Nov 23, 2004, 06:00 PM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Cyclone Bentojana's lowest pressure?
898 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Nov 23, 2004, 06:00 PM UTC.
When did Cyclone Bentojana occur?
The archived track runs from Nov 19, 2004, 12:00 PM UTC to Dec 4, 2004, 06:00 AM UTC, with the tropical stage from Nov 19, 2004, 12:00 PM UTC to Dec 2, 2004, 03:00 AM UTC.
Where did Cyclone Bentojana form?
In the South Indian basin, in the 2005 season. Its first archived position is 6.1°S, 77.9°E on Nov 19, 2004, 12:00 PM UTC.
Did Cyclone Bentojana make landfall?
No archived position places Cyclone Bentojana's center over land, but positions are six-hourly and a brief landfall can fall between them.
METHODOLOGY
Data sources and limitations
The map and summary are generated from NOAA's IBTrACS v04r01 archive. Wind and category use US-agency records; minimum pressure is calculated during the tropical stage, with the archive's pressure source retained. Category 5 refers to the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale; local agencies may use different classifications. Coastlines use Natural Earth's 1:10m land data.
Track distance adds great-circle distances between consecutive observations, excluding gaps over 12 hours. This track has no gaps over 12 hours. The line shows the storm's center, not its size, rainfall or flood extent. Converted wind speeds are rounded to the nearest whole unit.
Archive retrieved
NOAA IBTrACS archive and Field documentation
Sources & methodology