The 1974 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was part of the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season has no official bounds but cyclones tend to form between April and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northern Indian Ocean. There are two main seas in the North Indian Ocean—the Bay of Bengal to the east of the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Sea to the west of India. The official Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre in this basin is the India Meteorological Department (IMD), while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) releases unofficial advisories. An average of five tropical cyclones form in the North Indian Ocean every season with peaks in May and November.[1] Cyclones occurring between the meridians 45°E and 100°E are included in the season by the IMD.[2]
Systems
Tropical Storm One (01A)
Cyclonic storm (IMD)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration
April 14 – April 17
Peak intensity
65 km/h (40 mph) (3-min);
This cyclone was one of the three rare April cyclone which was formed during first fifteen days of the month during the satellite era. The other cyclones were Cyclone Bijli in 2009 and Cyclone Maarutha in 2017.
Tropical Storm Two (02A)
Cyclonic storm (IMD)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration
May 17 – May 22
Peak intensity
75 km/h (45 mph) (3-min);
A system developed in the Arabian Sea in mid-may and a few days later in turned into a cyclonic storm. As it went in a western direction it strengthened and had a max wind blows of 45 mph and it stayed around the far 1 more day before weakening. Later on May 22 it officially got confirmed as gone. Its other statistics are relatively unknown.[citation needed]
Tropical Storm Three (03B)
Deep depression (IMD)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration
May 29 – June 1
Peak intensity
55 km/h (35 mph) (3-min);
Cyclone Six (06B)
Very severe cyclonic storm (IMD)
Category 1 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration
August 13 – August 20
Peak intensity
130 km/h (80 mph) (3-min);
This cyclone formed on 13 August and reached its peak intensity of a Category 1 storm by the next day. On 15 August, the storm made landfall at Digha in West Bengal. It maintained the intensity of cyclone until 17 August and dissipated on 20 August. The storm caused heavy flooding over West Bengal coastal and deltaic districts. It was a rare August cyclone to peak as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.[citation needed]
This system developed off the eastern coast of southern India on November 23 and strengthened as it moved to the northeast. The system nearly reached hurricane strength as it made landfall near Chittagong late on November 28. A 10 feet (3.0 m) storm surge accompanied the system's approach to Bangladesh, which inundated several islands offshore. Less than 100 people perished while thousands were left homeless.[3]
^DeAngelis, Dick (March 1975). "Hurricane Alley". Mariners Weather Log. Vol. 19, no. 2. United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. pp. 88–89.
