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SOUTH INDIAN · 2003 SEASON

Cyclone Kalunde (2003)

Recorded track and intensity · 3 Mar 2003–17 Mar 2003

PEAK INTENSITYCategory 5
THE COMPLETE TRACKOpen in the explorer
KALUNDE: complete recorded track, 3 Mar 2003–17 Mar 2003Recorded track from 3 Mar 2003 to 17 Mar 2003. Colors show the recorded wind category. The highlighted position follows the replay controls.MADAGASCAR4 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 UTCPeak · Category 53 MAR17 MAR

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

Wind speed & pressure

8 Mar, 06:00 UTC
Wind speed 140 ktPressure 898 hPa
0880809501601020kthPa3 Mar7 Mar12 Mar17 Mar

Forward speed & ACE

8 Mar, 06:00 UTC
Forward speed 8 ktCumulative ACE 8.11 10⁴ kt²
001517.53035kt10⁴ kt²3 Mar7 Mar12 Mar17 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

8 Mar 2003 · tropical stage

Recorded track duration14 days

Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present

Approximate track distance4,730 km

Along the recorded center positions

STORM HISTORY

Track and intensity summary

Kalunde is listed in the South Indian basin for the 2003 season. Its archived track begins on 3 Mar 2003, 06:00 UTC at 10.4°S, 80.4°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 8 Mar 2003, 06:00 UTC. The highest recorded tropical-stage one-minute sustained wind is 140 knots (161 mph / 259 km/h), first recorded on 8 Mar 2003, 06:00 UTC at 14°S, 70.4°E. The minimum recorded tropical-stage central pressure is 898 hPa on 8 Mar 2003, 06:00 UTC.

The full record spans 336 hours and approximately 4,730 kilometers along the recorded center positions. The last recorded position is 39.9°S, 72.4°E on 17 Mar 2003, 06:00 UTC. The final tropical-stage observation is earlier, on 14 Mar 2003, 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

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