2014 South Indian cyclone season
Cyclone Bruce 2013
Bruce crossed the southern Indian Ocean in December 2013, reaching Category 5 strength far from land. Its track later bent sharply toward the south and southeast as the winds weakened.
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161 mph
Dec 21, 2013 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Strengthening on a southwestward course
The archive begins Bruce's track on December 16 near 8 degrees south and 99 degrees east. The circulation moved southwestward, passing from the eastern Indian Ocean toward its central waters. Its winds increased steadily as the center moved farther from the equator.
Bruce reached its archived maximum of 140 knots on December 21 near 14 degrees south and 85 degrees east. The following day's record still shows winds at that level as the cyclone continued west-southwestward. No recorded position places the center over land during this powerful phase or elsewhere along the track.
A sharp turn and declining winds
The later track turns south near 78 degrees east, then bends southeastward. Sustained winds declined as Bruce moved into higher southern latitudes. Its tropical stage ended late on December 23, while the remaining archived positions extend into December 25 across the open Indian Ocean.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Bruce in brief
What was Cyclone Bruce's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Dec 21, 2013, 12:00 AM UTC.
What category was Cyclone Bruce?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Dec 21, 2013, 12:00 AM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Cyclone Bruce's lowest pressure?
918 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Dec 21, 2013, 12:00 AM UTC.
When did Cyclone Bruce occur?
The archived track runs from Dec 16, 2013, 06:00 AM UTC to Dec 25, 2013, 06:00 PM UTC, with the tropical stage from Dec 16, 2013, 06:00 AM UTC to Dec 23, 2013, 09:00 PM UTC.
Where did Cyclone Bruce form?
In the South Indian basin, in the 2014 season. Its first archived position is 8.2°S, 98.7°E on Dec 16, 2013, 06:00 AM UTC.
Did Cyclone Bruce make landfall?
No archived position places Cyclone Bruce'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