1967–68 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season explained
| Basin: | SWI |
| Year: | 1968 |
| Track: | 1967-1968 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season summary.jpg |
| First Storm Formed: | December 30, 1967 |
| Last Storm Dissipated: | April 15, 1968 |
| Strongest Storm Name: | Monique |
| Strongest Storm Pressure: | 933 |
| Strongest Storm Winds: | 125 |
| Average Wind Speed: | 1 |
| Total Depressions: | 8 |
| Total Storms: | 7 |
| Total Hurricanes: | 4 |
| Fatalities: | 38 |
| Five Seasons: | 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70 |
| Australian Season: | 1967–68 Australian region cyclone season |
| South Pacific Season: | 1967–68 South Pacific cyclone season |
The 1967–68 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was an above average cyclone season.
Systems
Moderate Tropical Storm Anita
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | October 30 |
| Dissipated: | November 2 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 35 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 40 |
Tropical Cyclone Belinda
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | December 8 |
| Dissipated: | December 23 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 65 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 70 |
Tropical Cyclone Carmen
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | December 19 |
| Dissipated: | December 28 |
| Pressure: | 978 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 75 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 85 |
On December 23, Cyclone Carmen passed just west of Rodrigues, producing heavy rainfall and wind gusts of 216km/h. The storm also dropped rainfall on Réunion.[1]
Tropical Depression Debby
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | December 30 |
| Dissipated: | January 2 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 30 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 35 |
Tropical Cyclone Elspeth
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | December 29 |
| Dissipated: | January 9 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 80 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 90 |
Severe Tropical Storm Flossie
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | January 7 |
| Dissipated: | January 14 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 60 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 70 |
Intense Tropical Cyclone Georgette
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | January 9 |
| Dissipated: | February 1 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 90 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 100 |
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
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | January 17 |
| Dissipated: | January 28 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 80 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 90 |
On January 21, Cyclone Henriette passed just east of Rodrigues, producing 165km/h wind gusts.[5]
Severe Tropical Storm Ida
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | February 10 |
| Dissipated: | February 15 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 50 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 55 |
Ida affected Réunion and Mauritius.[6]
Intense Tropical Cyclone Gina–Janine
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | February 13 |
| Dissipated: | March 2 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 90 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 90 |
Moderate Tropical Storm Karine
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | March 6 |
| Dissipated: | March 13 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 40 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 45 |
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
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | March 26 |
| Dissipated: | March 27 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 35 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 35 |
Tropical Cyclone Monique
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | March 26 |
| Dissipated: | April 3 |
| Pressure: | 933 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 70 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 125 |
The eye of Cyclone Monique passed just northwest of Rodrigues, producing a minimum pressure of 933mbar, as well as wind gusts of 276km/h 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
| Basin: | SWI |
| Formed: | April 5 |
| Dissipated: | April 15 |
| 10-Min Winds: | 70 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 80 |
See also
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1967, 1968
- Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1967, 1968
- Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1967, 1968
- North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1967, 1968
Notes and References
- Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. [{{GTECCA url|basin=SWI|year=1967_6}} Hurricane Carmen, 19-27 December]. 1996. National Climatic Data Center. February 14, 2019.
- Web site: Neal Dorst. Anne-Claire Fontan. E) Records relatifs aux cyclones tropicaux: Sujet E6) Which tropical cyclone lasted the longest?. 2014-10-07.
- Kenneth R. Knapp. Michael C. Kruk. David H. Levinson. Howard J. Diamond. Charles J. Neumann. 2010. The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS): Unifying tropical cyclone best track data. 1968 11S:Georgette (1968009S13071). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 2014-07-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305205928/http://atms.unca.edu/ibtracs/ibtracs_v03r04/browse-ibtracs/index.php?name=v03r04-1968009S13071. 2016-03-05. dead.
- Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. [{{GTECCA url|basin=SWI|year=1968_2}} Hurricane Georgette, 9-31 January]. 1996. National Climatic Data Center. February 14, 2019.
- Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. [{{GTECCA url|basin=SWI|year=1968_3}} Hurricane Henriette, 17-26 January]. 1996. National Climatic Data Center. February 14, 2019.
- Web site: Bath. Michael. Season 1967-1968 Tropical Cyclone IDA Track Map. February 11, 2021. Australian Severe Weather. August 31, 2021.
- Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. [{{GTECCA url|basin=SWI|year=1968_7}} Tropical Storm Karine, 6-13 March]. 1996. National Climatic Data Center. February 14, 2019.
- Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. [{{GTECCA url|basin=SWI|year=1968_8}} Hurricane Monique, 26 March-3 April]. 1996. National Climatic Data Center. February 12, 2019.
- The SouthWest Indian Ocean cyclone basin. Sébastien Langlade. RSMC La Reunion. February 12, 2019.
- 36. Mauritius & Rodrigues Historical Context. PDF. John Mauremootoo. Anthony Cheke. Iain Watt. 2003. February 12, 2019.
