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SOUTH INDIAN · 1996 SEASON

Cyclone Itelle (1996)

Recorded track and intensity · 6 Apr 1996–19 Apr 1996

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
ITELLE: complete recorded track, 6 Apr 1996–19 Apr 1996Recorded track from 6 Apr 1996 to 19 Apr 1996. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.MADAGASCARMAURITIUS7 Apr, 00:00 UTC8 Apr, 00:00 UTC9 Apr, 00:00 UTC10 Apr, 00:00 UTC11 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 UTCPeak · Category 56 APR19 APR

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

Wind speed & pressure

14 Apr, 00:00 UTC
Wind speed 140 ktPressure 935 hPa
0920809701601020kthPa6 Apr10 Apr14 Apr19 Apr

Forward speed & ACE

14 Apr, 00:00 UTC
Forward speed 8 ktCumulative ACE 17.72 10⁴ kt²
005151030kt10⁴ kt²6 Apr10 Apr14 Apr19 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 observations make ACE partial. Missing measurements remain gaps.

Maximum sustained wind140 kt

161 mph / 259 km/h

Minimum recorded pressure925 hPa

12 Apr 1996 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration12.5 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance3,770 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Itelle is listed in the South Indian basin for the 1996 season. Its archived track begins on 6 Apr 1996, 12:00 UTC at 12.8°S, 85.1°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 13 Apr 1996, 21:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 140 knots (161 mph / 259 km/h), first recorded on 14 Apr 1996, 00:00 UTC at 15°S, 63.5°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 925 hPa on 12 Apr 1996, 12:00 UTC.

The full record spans 300 hours and approximately 3,770 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 15.9°S, 51.7°E on 19 Apr 1996, 00:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 18 Apr 1996, 21:00 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