2003 South Indian cyclone season
Cyclone Kalunde 2003
Cyclone Kalunde damaged homes, crops and water supplies on Rodrigues in March 2003. It had weakened from its offshore Category 5 peak before brushing the island, but coastal damage remained extensive.
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161 mph
Mar 8, 2003 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Strengthening east of Diego Garcia
Kalunde developed from disturbed weather east-southeast of Diego Garcia in early March. It moved west-northwest and made a small clockwise loop as its circulation organized. The cyclone began rapid strengthening on March 7 and reached maximum one-minute winds of 140 kt on March 8.
Kalunde maintained its strongest phase for about a day before weakening. An eyewall replacement changed the storm's structure as it approached Rodrigues. After passing the island, it continued to weaken and moved out of the tropics in mid-March.
Damaged water and food supplies
On Rodrigues, Kalunde damaged about 1,600 homes and 40 boats. Coastal flooding washed out roads, while power failures made it harder for residents to receive storm information. About 80 percent of the drinking-water supply became contaminated, and the island lost its food crops.
The saved account estimates damage at US$3.15 million in 2003 currency and reports no deaths. The disruption to water, crops and roads continued after the cyclone moved away from the island.
Further reading
QUICK ANSWERS
Kalunde in brief
What was Cyclone Kalunde's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Mar 8, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC.
What category was Cyclone Kalunde?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Mar 8, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Cyclone Kalunde's lowest pressure?
898 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Mar 8, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC.
When did Cyclone Kalunde occur?
The archived track runs from Mar 3, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC to Mar 17, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC, with the tropical stage from Mar 3, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC to Mar 14, 2003, 09:00 PM UTC.
Where did Cyclone Kalunde form?
In the South Indian basin, in the 2003 season. Its first archived position is 10.4°S, 80.4°E on Mar 3, 2003, 06:00 AM UTC.
Did Cyclone Kalunde make landfall?
No archived position places Cyclone Kalunde's center over land, but positions are six-hourly and a brief landfall can fall between them.
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