1967–68 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

The 1967–68 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was an above average cyclone season.

1967–68 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formedDecember 30, 1967
Last system dissipatedApril 15, 1968
Strongest storm
NameMonique
 • Maximum winds230 km/h (145 mph)
(1-minute sustained)
 • Lowest pressure933 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions8
Total storms7
Tropical cyclones4
Total fatalities38
Total damageUnknown
Related articles
South-West Indian Ocean tropical cyclone seasons
1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70

Systems

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Moderate Tropical Storm Anita

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Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
  
DurationOctober 30 – November 2
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);

Tropical Cyclone Belinda

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Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationDecember 8 – December 23
Peak intensity120 km/h (75 mph) (10-min);

Tropical Cyclone Carmen

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Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationDecember 19 – December 28
Peak intensity140 km/h (85 mph) (10-min);
978 hPa (mbar)

On December 23, Cyclone Carmen passed just west of Rodrigues, producing heavy rainfall and wind gusts of 216 km/h (134 mph). The storm also dropped rainfall on Réunion.[1]

Tropical Depression Debby

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Tropical depression (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
  
DurationDecember 30 – January 2
Peak intensity55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min);

Tropical Cyclone Elspeth

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Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationDecember 29 – January 9
Peak intensity150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min);

Severe Tropical Storm Flossie

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Severe tropical storm (MFR)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationJanuary 7 – January 14
Peak intensity110 km/h (70 mph) (10-min);

Intense Tropical Cyclone Georgette

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Intense tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationJanuary 9 – February 1
Peak intensity165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min);

Prior to Cyclone Freddy in 2023, Cyclone Georgette was the longest-lasting tropical cyclone in the South-West Indian Ocean basin since the advent of satellite imagery.[2] It formed on January 10, 1968, well to the northeast of the Mascarene Islands. Tracking generally westward, Georgette struck northern Madagascar on January 15 as a tropical storm. It moved southwestward in the Mozambique Channel, crossing over eastern Mozambique on January 19. It quickly reached open waters while gradually intensifying, executing a loop off of eastern Mozambique. Georgette continued to the southeast, passing over southern Madagascar on January 28.[3] It was last noted on February 2 after lasting for 24 days.[2]

Georgette killed one person in the Comoros, eight in Mozambique, and 23 in Madagascar. The storm brought heavy, but beneficial rainfall to Réunion.[4]

Tropical Cyclone Henriette

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Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationJanuary 17 – January 28
Peak intensity150 km/h (90 mph) (10-min);

On January 21, Cyclone Henriette passed just east of Rodrigues, producing 165 km/h (103 mph) wind gusts.[5]

Severe Tropical Storm Ida

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Severe tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
  
DurationFebruary 10 – February 15
Peak intensity95 km/h (60 mph) (10-min);

Ida affected Réunion and Mauritius.[6]

Intense Tropical Cyclone Gina–Janine

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Intense tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationFebruary 13 – March 2
Peak intensity165 km/h (105 mph) (10-min);

Moderate Tropical Storm Karine

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Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
  
DurationMarch 6 – March 13
Peak intensity75 km/h (45 mph) (10-min);

The storm passed near Réunion, bringing heavy rainfall that caused river flooding. Six people drowned on the island during the storm's passage.[7]

Moderate Tropical Storm Lottie

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Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
  
DurationMarch 26 – March 27
Peak intensity65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min);

Tropical Cyclone Monique

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Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationMarch 26 – April 3
Peak intensity130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min);
933 hPa (mbar)

The eye of Cyclone Monique passed just northwest of Rodrigues, producing a minimum pressure of 933 mbar (27.6 inHg), as well as wind gusts of 276 km/h (171 mph) in the island's interior; this was the highest wind gust on record for the island. The winds wrecked most of the island's crops and destroyed many houses while also causing severe erosion. The outskirts of Monique also produced high waves and dropped rainfall in Réunion.[8][9][10]

Tropical Cyclone Noreen

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Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
  
DurationApril 5 – April 15
Peak intensity130 km/h (80 mph) (10-min);

See also

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  • Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1967, 1968
  • Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1967, 1968
  • Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1967, 1968
  • North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1967, 1968

References

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  1. ^ Hurricane Carmen, 19-27 December. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Neal Dorst; Anne-Claire Fontan. "E) Records relatifs aux cyclones tropicaux: Sujet E6) Which tropical cyclone lasted the longest?". Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  3. ^ Kenneth R. Knapp; Michael C. Kruk; David H. Levinson; Howard J. Diamond; Charles J. Neumann (2010). 1968 11S:Georgette (1968009S13071). The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS): Unifying tropical cyclone best track data (Report). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  4. ^ Hurricane Georgette, 9-31 January. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  5. ^ Hurricane Henriette, 17-26 January. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  6. ^ Bath, Michael (February 11, 2021). "Season 1967-1968 Tropical Cyclone IDA Track Map". Australian Severe Weather. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  7. ^ Tropical Storm Karine, 6-13 March. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  8. ^ Hurricane Monique, 26 March-3 April. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  9. ^ Sébastien Langlade. The SouthWest Indian Ocean cyclone basin (PDF) (Report). RSMC La Reunion. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  10. ^ John Mauremootoo; Anthony Cheke; Iain Watt (2003). Mauritius & Rodrigues Historical Context (PDF) (Report). p. 36. Retrieved February 12, 2019.