Cyclones in India: Quick Answer
A tropical cyclone is a low-pressure system over warm tropical seas with organised clouds and a strong circular wind flow. In India the India Meteorological Department (IMD) calls a system a Cyclonic Storm once its maximum sustained surface wind reaches 34 knots (62 km/h), and a Super Cyclonic Storm at 120 knots (222 km/h) or more. The north Indian Ocean gets about 5 cyclones a year, and the Bay of Bengal gets about four times as many as the Arabian Sea. Cyclones are most frequent in November (primary peak) and May (secondary peak).
Key exam takeaway: Bay of Bengal > Arabian Sea (4:1). Peaks: November and May. Odisha is crossed by the most cyclones; Andhra Pradesh by the most severe cyclones; Gujarat is the most vulnerable west-coast state (IMD FAQ).
In 2026 the first two cyclones of the year were "Arnab" (a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm that crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast on 28 October) and "Murasu" (a Severe Cyclonic Storm that crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole on 3 November), as per IMD's press releases.
Cyclones are part of India's climate story; revise the season-wise basics in Indian Climate Notes for SSC and the ocean drivers in El Niño, La Niña and IOD.
IMD Classification of Cyclonic Disturbances
This is the most-asked table on the topic. Wind speed means the maximum sustained surface wind (3-minute average), as used by IMD's Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC), New Delhi.
| Category | Short form | Wind speed (knots) | Wind speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Pressure Area | L | Below 17 | Below 31 |
| Depression | D | 17–27 | 31–49 |
| Deep Depression | DD | 28–33 | 50–61 |
| Cyclonic Storm | CS | 34–47 | 62–88 |
| Severe Cyclonic Storm | SCS | 48–63 | 89–117 |
| Very Severe Cyclonic Storm | VSCS | 64–89 | 118–166 |
| Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm | ESCS | 90–119 | 167–221 |
| Super Cyclonic Storm | SuCS | 120 and above | 222 and above |
Trick to remember: 17 – 28 – 34 – 48 – 64 – 90 – 120 knots. Only from Cyclonic Storm (34 knots) upwards does a system get a name.
Where and When Cyclones Form in India
| Fact | What IMD says |
|---|---|
| Average cyclones per year, north Indian Ocean | About 5 (about 5–6% of the global total of about 80) |
| Bay of Bengal vs Arabian Sea | Ratio about 4:1 |
| Peak months | Primary peak November, secondary peak May |
| Most intense season | May–June and October–November |
| Monsoon months (July–September) | Cyclones form but are generally not so intense |
| Most cyclone crossings | Odisha |
| Most severe cyclone crossings | Andhra Pradesh |
| Most vulnerable west-coast state | Gujarat |
| Minimum cyclones in a year | 1 (1949) |
| Maximum cyclones in a year | 10 (1893, 1926, 1930, 1976) |
Why does the Bay of Bengal get more cyclones?
IMD gives three reasons: (1) systems form in-situ over the southeast Bay and Andaman Sea and remnants of Pacific typhoons travel across the South China Sea into the Bay; (2) the Bay is warmer than the Arabian Sea; (3) storms that form in the Bay rarely survive the trip over land into the Arabian Sea, while the Arabian Sea gets few such "imports". The flat, low-lying east coast and wide river deltas (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Ganga–Brahmaputra) also make landfall impacts worse.
Why are there few strong cyclones in July–September?
IMD explains that the monsoon has strong westerlies below 5 km and very strong easterlies above 9 km, creating large vertical wind shear that stops storms from deepening. The breeding zone also shifts to the north Bay of Bengal, so depressions cross the Odisha–West Bengal coast within a day or two, before they can intensify.
Structure of a Tropical Cyclone
- Eye: the calm, nearly cloud-free centre with the lowest pressure; IMD gives a typical diameter of 10 to 50 km.
- Eye-wall (wall cloud): a ring of tall clouds around the eye with the strongest winds and heaviest rain.
- Spiral rain bands: curved bands of cloud and showers stretching hundreds of km outwards.
- Rotation: anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, because of the Coriolis effect.
- Size: a cyclone can be a whirl of 150 to 800 km and may travel 300 to 500 km a day over the sea (IMD FAQ).
Word origin: "cyclone" comes from the Greek cyclos, the coiling of a snake. The term was coined by Henry Piddington, who worked in Kolkata during British rule. The same storm is called a hurricane over the Atlantic and a typhoon over the Pacific.
Conditions Needed for a Cyclone to Form
- Warm ocean water of at least 26.5 °C to a depth of about 50 m, to supply heat and moisture (IMD FAQ).
- Distance from the equator, so the Coriolis force can start rotation (cyclones do not form right on the equator).
- A pre-existing low-pressure disturbance, such as an easterly wave, giving low-level convergence.
- Low vertical wind shear (IMD gives less than about 20 knots between 1.5 km and 12 km), so the storm can grow tall.
- Upper-level outflow (divergence) to remove rising air.
How Cyclones Are Named in the North Indian Ocean
- Cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea have been named since October 2004.
- Names are given by RSMC New Delhi (IMD), one of six such WMO centres in the world.
- The current list was adopted by the WMO/ESCAP Panel member countries in April 2020. It has 13 names from each of 13 countries = 169 names.
- The 13 countries: Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE and Yemen.
- Names are used in order, column by column. A name, once used, is not repeated.
| Country | Some names from the 2020 list |
|---|---|
| India | Gati, Tej, Murasu, Aag, Vyom, Jhar, Probah, Neer |
| Bangladesh | Nisarga, Biparjoy, Arnab, Upakul |
| Myanmar | Tauktae, Michaung |
| Oman | Yaas, Remal |
| Saudi Arabia | Jawad, Fengal |
| Thailand | Sitrang, Montha |
| Yemen | Mocha, Ditwah |
2026 link: "Arnab" was Bangladesh's name and "Murasu" was India's name, both from column 3 of the list.
Cyclones of 2026 (As of 7 November 2026)
| Name | Category at landfall | Landfall | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnab (first cyclone of 2026) | Very Severe Cyclonic Storm; 125–135 km/h gusting to 150 km/h | Crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam during 0200–0800 hours IST on 28 October 2026 | IMD press release, 29.10.2026 |
| Murasu (second cyclone of 2026) | Severe Cyclonic Storm; 100–110 km/h gusting to 120 km/h | Crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast close to Ongole on 3 November 2026 | IMD press release, 05.11.2026 |
Both formed over the Bay of Bengal in the post-monsoon (October–November) peak, which fits the IMD climatology above. The post-monsoon season is also when the northeast monsoon brings rain to Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
IMD's 4-Stage Cyclone Warning System
IMD has used a 4-stage warning system since the pre-monsoon season of 1999:
| Stage | When it is issued |
|---|---|
| Pre-Cyclone Watch | At least 72 hours before adverse weather, when a depression forms that may affect the coast |
| Cyclone Alert | At least 48 hours before, when the cyclone is beyond 500 km from the coast |
| Cyclone Warning | At least 24 hours before, when the cyclone is within 500 km; gives landfall time and place |
| Post-Landfall Outlook | 12 hours before landfall, when within 200 km; covers effects over land |
Cyclones in India: 10 Practice MCQs
Q1. As per IMD, a system with maximum sustained winds of 50 knots is a: (a) Deep Depression (b) Cyclonic Storm (c) Severe Cyclonic Storm (d) Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Answer: (c). SCS is 48–63 knots.
Q2. The minimum wind speed for a "Super Cyclonic Storm" is: (a) 64 knots (b) 90 knots (c) 100 knots (d) 120 knots Answer: (d). 120 knots or 222 km/h.
Q3. The ratio of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea is about: (a) 1:1 (b) 2:1 (c) 4:1 (d) 1:4 Answer: (c).
Q4. The primary peak month for cyclones in the north Indian Ocean is: (a) May (b) July (c) September (d) November Answer: (d). May is the secondary peak.
Q5. Which state is crossed by the highest number of cyclones? (a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Odisha (c) Tamil Nadu (d) West Bengal Answer: (b). Andhra Pradesh records the most severe cyclones.
Q6. Since when have north Indian Ocean cyclones been named? (a) 1999 (b) 2004 (c) 2010 (d) 2020 Answer: (b). October 2004; the present list dates from April 2020.
Q7. How many names are there in the 2020 list for the north Indian Ocean? (a) 64 (b) 104 (c) 169 (d) 200 Answer: (c). 13 countries × 13 names.
Q8. In the Northern Hemisphere, cyclone winds rotate: (a) Clockwise (b) Anticlockwise (c) Only east to west (d) Randomly Answer: (b).
Q9. Who coined the word "cyclone"? (a) Alexander Buchan (b) Henry Piddington (c) Gilbert Walker (d) John Eliot Answer: (b).
Q10. Cyclone "Murasu" (November 2026) took its name from the list contributed by: (a) Bangladesh (b) Sri Lanka (c) India (d) Oman Answer: (c).
Practise more in the SSC CGL geography mock test 02, the SSC CHSL geography mock test 02 and our Indian climate MCQs for SSC.
Cyclones in India FAQs
What wind speed makes a cyclone in India?
IMD calls a system a Cyclonic Storm when its maximum sustained surface wind reaches 34 knots (62 km/h). Below that it is a depression (17–27 knots) or deep depression (28–33 knots).
Why does the east coast of India get more cyclones?
The Bay of Bengal is warmer, receives remnants of Pacific typhoons and has more systems forming in it, so it produces about four times as many cyclones as the Arabian Sea.
Who names cyclones in India?
RSMC New Delhi, part of IMD, assigns names from a list of 169 names given by 13 WMO/ESCAP Panel countries in April 2020.
Which months have the most cyclones in India?
November (primary peak) and May (secondary peak). May–June and October–November produce the most severe storms.
What were the cyclones of 2026 in India?
As of 7 November 2026, IMD named Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab (landfall in Andhra Pradesh on 28 October) and Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu (landfall near Ongole on 3 November).
Practice Next for Indian Geography
- Core notes: Indian Climate Notes for SSC
- Related: El Niño, La Niña and IOD, Types of forests in India (mangroves)
- Also read: Important lakes in India, Indian rivers origin and end list
- Mocks: SSC CGL geography mock test 01, RRB NTPC geography mock test 01
Sources: IMD RSMC New Delhi, FAQ on Tropical Cyclones; IMD press release, 29 October 2026 (Cyclone Arnab); IMD press release, 05 November 2026 (Cyclone Murasu). Last checked 7 November 2026.