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SOUTH INDIAN · 2016 SEASON

Cyclone Fantala (2016)

Recorded track and intensity · 10 Apr 2016–26 Apr 2016

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
FANTALA: complete recorded track, 10 Apr 2016–26 Apr 2016Recorded track from 10 Apr 2016 to 26 Apr 2016. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.MADAGASCARMAURITIUS11 Apr, 00:00 UTC12 Apr, 00:00 UTC13 Apr, 00:00 UTC14 Apr, 00:00 UTC15 Apr, 00:00 UTC16 Apr, 00:00 UTC17 Apr, 00:00 UTC18 Apr, 00:00 UTC19 Apr, 00:00 UTC20 Apr, 00:00 UTC21 Apr, 00:00 UTC22 Apr, 00:00 UTC23 Apr, 00:00 UTC24 Apr, 00:00 UTC25 Apr, 00:00 UTC26 Apr, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 510 APR26 APR

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DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5Post-tropical
All times UTC

Wind speed & pressure

18 Apr, 00:00 UTC
Wind speed 155 ktPressure 907 hPa
0900809601601020kthPa10 Apr16 Apr21 Apr26 Apr

Forward speed & ACE

18 Apr, 00:00 UTC
Forward speed 6 ktCumulative ACE 30.79 10⁴ kt²
001027.52055kt10⁴ kt²10 Apr16 Apr21 Apr26 Apr

Hover or tap either graph to follow the track. The slider controls both graphs. Each line uses its matching colored axis.

Forward speed measures the center’s motion. ACE accumulates squared one-minute winds at 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC during tropical or subtropical stages at 34 kt or above. Missing measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind155 kt

178 mph / 287 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure907 hPa

18 Apr 2016 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration16 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance5,680 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Fantala is listed in the South Indian basin for the 2016 season. Its archived track begins on 10 Apr 2016, 18:00 UTC at 11.9°S, 74.2°E. US-agency wind is not available for this first observation. These dates describe the available observations, which may include stages before and after the tropical cyclone phase.

The first Category 5 observation appears on 17 Apr 2016, 09:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 155 knots (178 mph / 287 km/h), first recorded on 18 Apr 2016, 00:00 UTC at 9.5°S, 50.1°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 907 hPa on 18 Apr 2016, 00:00 UTC.

The full record spans 384 hours and approximately 5,680 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 5.1°S, 43.4°E on 26 Apr 2016, 18:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 23 Apr 2016, 15:00 UTC.

This summary is calculated from the NOAA IBTrACS archive. Category 5 describes the storm’s peak recorded wind intensity, not its intensity at landfall or the severity of impacts at any location. Landfall times, damage and casualties have not been independently reviewed for this page.

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 · Field documentation

Sources & methodology

Browse all Category 5 storm pages