Timeline of the 2015 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

Timeline of the
2015 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
Season summary map
Season boundaries
First system formedJune 7, 2015
Last system dissipatedNovember 10, 2015
Strongest system
NameChapala
Maximum winds215 km/h (130 mph)
(3-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure940 hPa (mbar)
Longest lasting system
NameChapala
Duration8 days
Storm articles
Other years
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

The 2015 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was a below-average tropical cyclone season[nb 1] which featured the highest number of deaths since the 2010 season. Despite inactivity in the Bay of Bengal caused by the ongoing El Niño, the season produced an above-average number of tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea.[1] The first storm of the season, Ashobaa, formed on 7 June, while the final storm of the season, Megh, ultimately dissipated on 10 November.

A total of twelve depressions were recorded, of which nine intensified into deep depressions. Of these nine, a total of four further strengthened into cyclonic storms, while two attained their peaks as extremely severe cyclonic storms. In early June, Cyclonic Storm Ashobaa produced significant flooding in eastern Oman and the United Arab Emirates.[2][3][4] Later that month, Deep Depression ARB 02 resulted in the worst floods in the Amreli district of Gujarat in 90 years.[5] The storm resulted in 80 deaths and an estimated 16.5 billion Indian rupees in damage in the state.[6][7] In late July and early August, Cyclonic Storm Komen resulted in between 187 and 280 deaths in northeastern India, Bangladesh and Myanmar due to torrential rains as it slowly moved through the region. In early November, Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Chapala, the strongest storm of the season, became the first recorded tropical cyclone to produce hurricane-force winds in Yemen. During the storm's passage, areas in southern Yemen received 610 mm (24 in) of rainfall over 48 hours, or 700% of the average yearly precipitation.[8] Just days after Chapala produced widespread damage in Yemen and the Puntland region of Somalia, Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Megh passed through the same region causing further destruction. Megh was judged to have been the worst tropical cyclone ever to affect the Yemeni island of Socotra, and resulted in 18 deaths on the island.[9] The final storm of the season to form, Deep Depression BOB 03, produced significant flooding in southern India and resulted in at least 71 deaths in the region in early November.[10][11]

Within the northern Indian Ocean, tropical cyclones were monitored by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center in New Delhi. The IMD designated tropical cyclones forming in the Arabian Sea with the prefix "ARB", tropical cyclones forming in the Bay of Bengal with the prefix "BOB" and tropical cyclones forming overland with the prefix "LAND". In addition, the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued unofficial warnings within the region, with tropical cyclones forming in the Arabian Sea assigned the suffix "A" and tropical cyclones forming in the Bay of Bengal assigned the "B" suffix. The IMD used the IMD Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale and measured average sustained wind speeds taken over a three-minute period, while the JTWC measured average sustained wind speeds taken over a one-minute period and used the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale.

This timeline includes information from post-storm reviews by the IMD and the JTWC. It documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthenings, weakenings, landfalls, extratropical transition, and dissipations during the season. Reports among warning centers often differ; therefore, information from both agencies has been included.

  1. ^ a b Report on Cyclonic Disturbances Over North Indian Ocean During 2015 (PDF) (Report). New Delhi, India: India Meteorological Department. April 2016. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  2. ^ Eric Leister (12 June 2015). "Rainstorm Ashobaa Slams Oman With Historic Flooding". Accuweather. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  3. ^ Fahad Al Mukrashi (12 June 2015). "Heavy rains cause flooding in southern Oman". Gulf News. Muscat, Oman. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  4. ^ Bindu Rai. "Ashobaa Latest: Gale winds to strike Muscat; Waterlogging in Fujairah". Emirates247. Archived from the original on 2015-06-13. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Gujarat's Amreli battles worst flood in 90 years". Times of India. Rajkot, India. 26 June 2015. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Gujarat death toll touches 80, four lakh ex gratia for kin". Hindustan Times. Ahmedabad, India. 27 June 2015. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Flash flood: Govt announces Rs 300-crore relief package". The Indian Express. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  8. ^ Bob Henson (3 November 2015). "Chapala Slams Yemen: First Hurricane-Strength Cyclone on Record". Weather Underground. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  9. ^ Jason Samenow (9 November 2015). "Unprecedented: Second freak tropical cyclone to strike Yemen in the same week". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Rain batters TN: Jaya announces Rs 500cr relief, IAF in action". Hindustan Times. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  11. ^ "31 people killed in Tamil Nadu in rain related incidents". The Statesman. Press Trust of India. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2017.


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