List of most intense tropical cyclones

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The following is a list of most intense tropical cyclones, subdivided by basins. The strongest tropical cyclone recorded worldwide, as measured by minimum central pressure, was Typhoon Tip, which reached a pressure of 870 mbar (hPa) (25.69inHg) on October 12, 1979.[1] In the available records, a total of 45 tropical cyclones attained a pressure of less than 900 mbar (hPa) (26.56 inHg), most of which in the Western North Pacific Ocean. Data listed are provided by the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre, unless otherwise noted.

Contents

[edit] Atlantic Ocean

Eye of Hurricane Wilma while at peak intensity
Eye of Hurricane Wilma while at peak intensity

Storms with an intensity of 920 mbar (27.17 inHg) or less are listed.

Most intense Atlantic hurricanes
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Hurricane Season Min. pressure
1 Wilma 2005 882 mbar (hPa)
2 Gilbert 1988 888 mbar (hPa)
3 "Labor Day" 1935 892 mbar (hPa)
4 Rita 2005 895 mbar (hPa)
5 Allen 1980 899 mbar (hPa)
6 Katrina 2005 902 mbar (hPa)
7 Camille 1969 905 mbar (hPa)
Mitch 1998 905 mbar (hPa)
Dean 2007 905 mbar (hPa)
10 Ivan 2004 910 mbar (hPa)
11 Janet 1955 914 mbar (hPa)
12 Isabel 2003 915 mbar (hPa)
13 Hugo 1989 918 mbar (hPa)
14 Opal 1995 919 mbar (hPa)
Gloria 1989 919 mbar (hPa)
16 Hattie 1960 920 mbar (hPa)
Source: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851-2006 [2]

[edit] Eastern North Pacific Ocean

Hurricane Linda near peak intensity
Hurricane Linda near peak intensity

Storms with an intensity of 920 mbar (27.17 inHg) or less are listed.

Most intense Pacific hurricanes
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Hurricane Season Min. pressure
1 Linda 1997 902 mbar (hPa)
2 Kenna 2002 913 mbar (hPa)
3 Ava 1973 915 mbar (hPa)
Ioke 2006 915 mbar (hPa)
5 Guillermo 1997 919 mbar (hPa)
Source: Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Best Track File 1949-2006[3]

[edit] Western North Pacific Ocean

Typhoon Tip at worldwide record peak intensity
Typhoon Tip at worldwide record peak intensity

Storms with an intensity of 900 mbar (26.58 inHg) or less are listed.

Most intense Pacific typhoons
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Typhoon Season Min. pressure
1 Tip 1979 870 mbar (hPa)
2 Nora 1973 875 mbar (hPa)
June 1975 875 mbar (hPa)
4 Ida 1958 877 mbar (hPa)
5 Kit 1966 880 mbar (hPa)
Rita 1978 880 mbar (hPa)
Vanessa 1984 880 mbar (hPa)
8 Nina 1953 885 mbar (hPa)
Joan 1959 885 mbar (hPa)
Irma 1971 885 mbar (hPa)
Forrest 1983 885 mbar (hPa)
12 Marge 1951 886 mbar (hPa)
13 Ida 1954 890 mbar (hPa)
Nancy 1961 890 mbar (hPa)
Emma 1966 890 mbar (hPa)
Amy 1971 890 mbar (hPa)
Wynne 1980 890 mbar (hPa)
Betty 1987 890 mbar (hPa)
Flo 1990 890 mbar (hPa)
20 Vera 1959 895 mbar (hPa)
Violet 1961 895 mbar (hPa)
Sally 1964 895 mbar (hPa)
Wilda 1964 895 mbar (hPa)
Elsie 1969 895 mbar (hPa)
Patsy 1973 895 mbar (hPa)
Louise 1976 895 mbar (hPa)
Elsie 1981 895 mbar (hPa)
Mac 1982 895 mbar (hPa)
Abby 1983 895 mbar (hPa)
Marge 1983 895 mbar (hPa)
Dot 1985 895 mbar (hPa)
Betty 1987 895 mbar (hPa)
Ruth 1991 895 mbar (hPa)
Yuri 1991 895 mbar (hPa)
35 Tess 1953 900 mbar (hPa)
Pamela 1954 900 mbar (hPa)
Virginia 1957 900 mbar (hPa)
Hester 1957 900 mbar (hPa)
Lola 1957 900 mbar (hPa)
Opal 1962 900 mbar (hPa)
Karen 1962 900 mbar (hPa)
Sally 1964 900 mbar (hPa)
Opal 1964 900 mbar (hPa)
Bess 1965 900 mbar (hPa)
Carla 1967 900 mbar (hPa)
Agnes 1968 900 mbar (hPa)
Viola 1969 900 mbar (hPa)
Hope 1970 900 mbar (hPa)
Nina 1975 900 mbar (hPa)
Elsie 1975 900 mbar (hPa)
Hope 1979 900 mbar (hPa)
Bess 1982 900 mbar (hPa)
Peggy 1986 900 mbar (hPa)
Holly 1987 900 mbar (hPa)
Gay 1992 900 mbar (hPa)
Zeb 1998 900 mbar (hPa)
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Best Track 1951-2006[4]

[edit] North Indian Ocean

1991 Bangladesh cyclone near peak intensity
1991 Bangladesh cyclone near peak intensity

Storms with an intensity of 920 mbar (27.17 inHg) or less are listed. Because no best track is available online from the India Meteorological Department, data prior to 2005 are estimates from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, unless otherwise noted.

Most intense Pacific typhoons
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Cyclone Season Min. pressure
1 Gay 1989 898 mbar (hPa)
Unnamed 1991 898 mbar (hPa)
Unnamed 1999 898 mbar (hPa)
4 Unnamed 1982 914 mbar (hPa)
5 Unnamed 1990 916 mbar (hPa)
1992 1992 916 mbar (hPa)
Unnamed 1994 916 mbar (hPa)
8 Unnamed 1963 <920 mbar (hPa)[5]
9 Gonu 2007 920 mbar (hPa)[6]
Source: Joint Typhoon Warning Center ATCR Archive 1959-2005[7]

[edit] Southwest Indian Ocean

Cyclone Gafilo at peak intensity
Cyclone Gafilo at peak intensity

Storms with an intensity of 920 mbar (27.17 inHg) or less are listed. Storms are listed from 1980 to the present.

Most intense Southwest Indian Ocean cyclones
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Cyclone Season Min. pressure
1 Gafilo 2004 895 mbar (hPa)[8]
2 Damia 1981 898 mbar (hPa)
3 Geralda 1994 905 mbar (hPa)
Hudah 2000 905 mbar (hPa)
Hary 2002 905 mbar (hPa)[9]
Kalunde 2002 905 mbar (hPa)[10]
Bento 2004 905 mbar (hPa)[11]
8 Litanne 1994 910 mbar (hPa)
Dina 2002 910 mbar (hPa)[9]
Bento 2004 910 mbar (hPa)[12]
11 Daniella 1996 915 mbar (hPa)
Helinda 1996 915 mbar (hPa)
Evrina 1999 915 mbar (hPa)
Bondo 2004 915 mbar (hPa)[13]
15 Marlene 1995 920 mbar (hPa)
Bonita 1996 920 mbar (hPa)
Guillaume 2002 920 mbar (hPa)[9]
Source: La Reunion Best Track File 1851-2006[14]

[edit] Australian Region

Cyclone Gwenda near peak intensity
Cyclone Gwenda near peak intensity

Storms with an intensity of 920 mbar (27.17 inHg) or less are listed.

Most intense Australian cyclones
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Cyclone Season Min. pressure
1 Gwenda 1999 900 mbar (hPa)
Inigo 2003 900 mbar (hPa)
3 Orson 1989 905 mbar (hPa)
Monica 2006 905 mbar (hPa)[12]
5 Theodore 1994 910 mbar (hPa)
Vance 1999 910 mbar (hPa)
Fay 2004 910 mbar (hPa)
Glenda 2006 910 mbar (hPa)
George 2007 910 mbar (hPa)[13]
10 Joan 1975 915 mbar (hPa)
Samy 1980 915 mbar (hPa)
Graham 1991 915 mbar (hPa)
Jane 1992 915 mbar (hPa)
Daryl 1995 915 mbar (hPa)
Pancho 1997 915 mbar (hPa)
John 1999 915 mbar (hPa)
Paul 2000 915 mbar (hPa)
Chris 2002 915 mbar (hPa)
Larry 2006 915 mbar (hPa)[12]
20 Floyd 2006 916 mbar (hPa)
21 Kathy 1983 920 mbar (hPa)
Kirsty 1985 920 mbar (hPa)
Rewa 1994 920 mbar (hPa)
Chloe 1995 920 mbar (hPa)
Melanie 1996 920 mbar (hPa)
Frederic 1999 920 mbar (hPa)
Source: Australian Region Best Track 1907-2006 [15]

[edit] South Pacific Ocean

Cyclone Zoe at peak intensity
Cyclone Zoe at peak intensity

Storms with an intensity of 920 mbar (27.17 inHg) or less are listed. As no Best Track, or other similar records exists online for the South Pacific Ocean, the following are the most intense cyclones since 1998.

Most intense Australian cyclones
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Cyclone Season Min. pressure
1 Zoe 2002 890 mbar (hPa)[10]
2 Percy 2005 900 mbar (hPa)[8]
3 Heta 2003 915 mbar (hPa)[8]
Meena 2005 915 mbar (hPa)[8]
Olaf 2005 915 mbar (hPa)[8]
6 Beni 2003 920 mbar (hPa)[10]
Dovi 2003 920 mbar (hPa)[10]

[edit] References

Tropical cyclones Portal
  1. ^ George M. Dunnavan & John W. Dierks (1980). An Analysis of Super Typhoon Tip (October 1979). Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Retrieved on 2007-01-24.
  2. ^ Hurricane Research Division (2007). Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851-2006. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  3. ^ Hurricane Research Division (2007). Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Best Track File 1949-2006. NOAA. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  4. ^ Japan Meteorological Agency (2007). Western North Pacific Typhoon Best Track File 1951-2006. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  5. ^ India Meteorology Department (1963). 1963 India Weather Review: Depressions and Cyclonic Storms (PDF). Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  6. ^ India Meteorological Department (2007). Super Cyclonic Storm "GONU" over East Central and adjoining westcentral and north Arabian Sea. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  7. ^ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2007). North Indian Ocean Cyclone Best Track Archive File 1959-2005. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  8. ^ a b c d e Gary Padgett (2004). 2003-2004 Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Summary. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  9. ^ a b c Gary Padgett (2002). 2001-2002 Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Summary. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  10. ^ a b c d Gary Padgett (2003). 2002-2003 Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Summary. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  11. ^ Gary Padgett (2004). 2004-2005 Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Summary. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  12. ^ a b c Gary Padgett (2006). 2005-2006 Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Summary. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  13. ^ a b Gary Padgett (2007). 2006-2007 Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Summary. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  14. ^ Météo-France (2003). Southwest Indian Ocean Cyclone Best Track File 1839-2003. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  15. ^ Bureau of Meteorology (2006). Australian Region Best Track 1907-2006 (Zip). Retrieved on 2007-11-04.


The most powerful tropical cyclones by area of development or impact

Arabian Sea

Australia

Bay of Bengal

Central Pacific

East Pacific

North Atlantic

South Pacific

SW Indian Ocean

West Pacific

Cyclone Gonu
920 hPa
(2007)

Cyclone Inigo
900 hPa
(2003)

Orissa cyclone
912 hPa
(1999)

Hurricane Ioke
915 hPa
(2006)

Hurricane Linda
902 hPa
(1997)

Hurricane Wilma
882 hPa
(2005)

Cyclone Zoe
890 hPa
(2002)

Cyclone Gafilo
895 hPa
(2004)

Typhoon Tip
870 hPa
(1979)