2019 North Indian cyclone season
Cyclone Fani 2019
Fani intensified over the Bay of Bengal before striking Odisha in early May. Large evacuations in India and Bangladesh preceded a storm that caused extensive infrastructure and property damage.
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173 mph
May 2, 2019 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
From low latitudes into the Bay of Bengal
Fani developed west of Sumatra in late April, with the archive beginning near 2 degrees north. Wind shear initially hindered its organization. Conditions improved by April 30, allowing rapid intensification as the circulation moved farther into the Bay of Bengal.
The archive records peak sustained winds of 150 knots on May 2, equivalent to Category 5 strength. Fani weakened somewhat before reaching Odisha on May 3, then lost its organized thunderstorm structure over land. The archived track ends on May 4.
Evacuations before extensive damage
Authorities in India and Bangladesh each moved at least a million people out of exposed areas, using higher ground and cyclone shelters. The evacuations reduced exposure to the approaching storm. Damage across the two countries was estimated at about US$8.1 billion, with the largest share in Odisha.
IMPACT
Reported impact
| Deaths | 89 |
|---|---|
| Areas affected | India |
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Fani in brief
What was Cyclone Fani's highest wind speed?
173 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on May 2, 2019, 12:00 PM UTC.
What category was Cyclone Fani?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on May 2, 2019, 12:00 PM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Cyclone Fani's lowest pressure?
900 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on May 2, 2019, 12:00 PM UTC.
When did Cyclone Fani occur?
The archived track runs from Apr 25, 2019, 06:00 PM UTC to May 4, 2019, 12:00 PM UTC, with the tropical stage from Apr 25, 2019, 06:00 PM UTC to May 4, 2019, 12:00 PM UTC.
Where did Cyclone Fani form?
In the North Indian basin, in the 2019 season. Its first archived position is 1.9°N, 90.2°E on Apr 25, 2019, 06:00 PM UTC.
Did Cyclone Fani make landfall?
The archive places its center over land at 1 recorded position; the strongest is 132 mph on May 3, 2019, 06:00 AM UTC. Positions are six-hourly, so this is not a landfall chronology.
How many people died in Cyclone Fani?
89 deaths are recorded by Wikidata.
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