1991 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
| 1991 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
|---|---|
Season summary map
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| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | January 17, 1991 |
| Last system dissipated | November 16, 1991 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | BOB 01 |
| • Maximum winds | 235 km/h (145 mph) (3-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 918 hPa (mbar) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Depressions | 8 official, 1 unofficial |
| Deep depressions | 4 |
| Cyclonic storms | 3 |
| Super cyclonic storms | 1 |
| Total fatalities | >138000 |
| Total damage | $1.5 billion (1991 USD) |
| Related articles | |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | January 17 – January 20 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 65 km/h (40 mph) (1-min) 997 hPa (mbar) |
| Super cyclonic storm (IMD) | |
| Category 5 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | April 22 – April 30 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 235 km/h (145 mph) (3-min) 918 hPa (mbar) |
| Cyclonic storm (IMD) | |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | May 30 – June 3 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 85 km/h (50 mph) (3-min) 990 hPa (mbar) |
| Depression (IMD) | |
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| Duration | August 21 – August 26 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 45 km/h (30 mph) (3-min) 992 hPa (mbar) |
| Depression (IMD) | |
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| Duration | September 21 – September 22 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 45 km/h (30 mph) (3-min) 1000 hPa (mbar) |
| Depression (IMD) | |
 |
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| Duration | October 12 – October 14 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 45 km/h (30 mph) (3-min) 998 hPa (mbar) |
| Depression (IMD) | |
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| Duration | October 28 – October 30 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 45 km/h (30 mph) (3-min) 998 hPa (mbar) |
| Cyclonic storm (IMD) | |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
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| Duration | November 9 – November 16 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 85 km/h (50 mph) (3-min) 998 hPa (mbar) |
The 1991 North Indian Ocean Cyclone season was the period in which tropical cyclones formed to the north of the equator in the Indian Ocean. During the season tropical cyclones were monitored by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The IMD assigned all depressions that it monitored with BOB followed by a number in numerical order. The JTWC also assigned a number and either the letter A or B depending on where the depression was when the first advisory was issued.
During the year there were eight depressions that were monitored by the IMD while the JTWC monitored four during the year of which one was not monitored by the IMD. The first cyclone of the year formed on January 17 and had little effect on ships that were moving through the Arabian sea to take part in the Gulf War. The deadliest cyclone during the year was Super Cyclonic Storm BOB 01 which killed over 138,000 people.
During 1991 the India Meteorological Department officially monitored eight cyclonic disturbances, which included five depressions and three cyclonic storms. For the sixth and final year in a row, there was no cyclonic storms officially monitored within the Arabian Sea. However, the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center unofficially monitored a tropical storm within the Arabian Sea, during January that posed a direct threat to Coalition forces in the buildup to the Gulf war. The first official system of the season was the strongest, deadliest, and most damaging system of the season
During January 14, the JTWC started to monitor an area of convection that had developed within the near equatorial trough of low pressure, about 900 km (560 mi) to the southeast of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Over the next couple of days the disturbance moved towards the northwest under the subtropical ridge of pressure, before early on January 17, the JTWC noticed a steady increase in deep convection and issued a tropical cyclone formation alert. Later that day the JTWC initiated advisories as the disturbance had intensified into a tropical storm and designated it as Cyclone 01A. As the Cyclone was suffering from being in an area of strong vertical wind shear it was not able to intensify past minimal tropical storm strength of 65 km/h, (40 mph). During the next couple of days, strong upper level winds stripped deep convection away from the center with the JTWC downgrading the cyclone to a tropical depression early on January 19. The remaining low level circulation center slowly dissipated with the JTWC issuing their final advisory early the next day.
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