Cyclone Agni
| Severe cyclonic storm (IMD scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 1 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
Cyclone Agni after formation, just to the north of the equator
|
|
| Formed | November 28, 2004 |
| Dissipated | December 3, 2004 |
| Highest winds |
3-minute sustained: 100 km/h (65 mph) 1-minute sustained: 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 994 hPa (mbar); 29.35 inHg |
| Fatalities | None reported |
| Damage | None |
| Areas affected | Somalia |
| Part of the 2004 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Severe Cyclonic Storm Agni was a tropical cyclone of the 2004 North Indian Ocean cyclone season notable for its record proximity to the equator. It was the second North Indian Ocean cyclone to receive a name, after Onil earlier in the year. Agni formed on November 28 well to the southwest of India in the Arabian Sea, and steadily intensified as it tracked northwestward. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimated peak 1 minute sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph), while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) estimated peak 3 minute sustained winds of 100 km/h (65 mph); the IMD is the official warning center for the north Indian Ocean. After peaking, it weakened due to wind shear, dry air, and cooler waters, and the JTWC issued its final advisory on December 3 as it approached the coast of Somalia. The remnants of Agni moved along the Somalian coastline until dissipating on December 5.
A tropical disturbance was observed on November 19 about 800 km (500 mi) southeast of Colombo, Sri Lanka in the Bay of Bengal. The disturbance tracked westward, gradually organizing and prompting the JTWC to issue a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on November 22. After passing south of Sri Lanka, it became disorganized and was no longer considered likely to develop into a tropical cyclone. The circulation associated with the system continued westward, reorganizing on November 26 in the Arabian Sea. Despite being located unusually close to the equator, the disturbance maintained convection, or thunderstorms, which was becoming organized around the weak low-level circulation. With low wind shear and diffluence aloft, the JTWC remarked the system had a fair chance of developing.
...
Wikipedia