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SOUTH INDIAN · 2004 SEASON

Cyclone Gafilo (2004)

Recorded track and intensity · 1 Mar 2004–18 Mar 2004

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
GAFILO: complete recorded track, 1 Mar 2004–18 Mar 2004Recorded track from 1 Mar 2004 to 18 Mar 2004. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.MAURITIUS2 Mar, 00:00 UTC3 Mar, 00:00 UTC4 Mar, 00:00 UTC5 Mar, 00:00 UTC6 Mar, 00:00 UTC7 Mar, 00:00 UTC8 Mar, 00:00 UTC9 Mar, 00:00 UTC10 Mar, 00:00 UTC11 Mar, 00:00 UTC12 Mar, 00:00 UTC13 Mar, 00:00 UTC14 Mar, 00:00 UTC15 Mar, 00:00 UTC16 Mar, 00:00 UTC17 Mar, 00:00 UTC18 Mar, 00:00 UTCPeak · Category 51 MAR18 MAR

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

Wind speed & pressure

6 Mar, 06:00 UTC
Wind speed 140 ktPressure 898 hPa
0880809501601020kthPa1 Mar6 Mar12 Mar18 Mar

Forward speed & ACE

6 Mar, 06:00 UTC
Forward speed 8 ktCumulative ACE 11.30 10⁴ kt²
001512.53025kt10⁴ kt²1 Mar6 Mar12 Mar18 Mar

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 observations make ACE partial. Missing measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind140 kt

161 mph / 259 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure898 hPa

6 Mar 2004 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration17 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance8,120 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Gafilo is listed in the South Indian basin for the 2004 season. Its archived track begins on 1 Mar 2004, 06:00 UTC at 11.6°S, 72.2°E. The first observation lists sustained winds of 20 knots. These dates describe the available observations, which may include stages before and after the tropical cyclone phase.

The first Category 5 observation appears on 6 Mar 2004, 03:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 140 knots (161 mph / 259 km/h), first recorded on 6 Mar 2004, 06:00 UTC at 14.7°S, 53.4°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 898 hPa on 6 Mar 2004, 06:00 UTC.

The full record spans 408 hours and approximately 8,120 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 24.7°S, 60.1°E on 18 Mar 2004, 06:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 14 Mar 2004, 03:00 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

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