Tropical cyclones in Southern Africa

At least 30 tropical cyclones have affected the Southern African mainland. Three countries in southeastern Africa – Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa – border the Indian Ocean. Other inland countries also experience the effects of tropical cyclones, including Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Satellite image of Cyclone Idai, one of the worst tropical cyclones on record in Africa

Storms

1800s

1900s
  • February 15, 1950 - After crossing Madagascar, a cyclone struck eastern Mozambique and moved across much of Africa, eventually reaching northern Namibia.[2][3]
  • April 15, 1952 - A cyclone moved ashore southeastern Tanzania near Lindi with maximum sustained winds estimated at 180 km/h (110 mph); this made the cyclone the strongest on record to strike the country.[4] The cyclone left 34 fatalities in Tanzania.[1]
  • January 28, 1984 - Tropical Storm Domoina struck southeastern Mozambique, and later crossed into Swaziland and eastern South Africa. In Mozambique, Domoina killed 109 people and caused about $75 million in damage. Rainfall in Swaziland reached 906 mm (35.7 in) at Piggs Peak. Damage in the country totaled $54 million, with 73 deaths. In South Africa, rainfall peaked at 950 mm (37 in, causing 100 year floods along the Umfolozi River. The Pongola River altered its course after the storm. Flooding caused the Pongolapoort Dam to reach 87% of its capacity; when waters were released to maintain the structural integrity, additional flooding occurred in Mozambique, forcing thousands to evacuate. Across South Africa, the storm caused 60 deaths and damaged the properties of 500,000 people, causing R100 million (1984 ZAR, $70 million 1984 USD).[nb 1][6][7][8][9][10]
  • February 19, 1984 - Tropical Storm Imboa looped off the east coast of South Africa, causing flooding and killing four people in the country.[11][8]

2000s
Image of United States helicopter flying over flooded Mozambique after Cyclone Eline

2010s
Satellite image of Cyclone Kenneth near landfall
  • February 11, 2011 - Cyclone Bingiza emerged into the Mozambique Channel after crossing northern Madagascar.
  • January 17, 2012 - Subtropical Depression Dando struck southern Mozambique
  • January 21, 2012 - Cyclone Funso
  • March 2012 - Tropical Storm Irina
  • February 2013 - Cyclone Haruna
  • January 2014 - Deliwe
  • March 26, 2014 - Cyclone Hellen formed near the northeast coast of Mozambique, bringing rainfall to the region.
  • April 27, 2016 - The remnants of Cyclone Fantala produced flooding in Tanzania that killed eight people.
  • February 15, 2017 - Cyclone Dineo struck central Mozambique, causing flooding that extended into Zimbabwe and Malawi. Dineo killed 271 people and caused over US$200 million in damage.
  • January 14, 2018 - A tropical depression formed over Mozambique.
  • January 17, 2019 - A tropical low formed over Mozambique and later intensified into Tropical Storm Desmond in the Mozambique Channel.
  • March 4, 2019 - A tropical depression moved ashore Mozambique, and later moved into the Mozambique Channel, strengthening into Cyclone Idai. The intense tropical cyclone made landfall near Beira. The cyclone killed 1,000 people.
  • April 25, 2019 - Cyclone Kenneth became the strongest tropical cyclone on record to strike Mozambique, when it moved ashore just north of Pemba. The JTWC estimated landfall winds of 220 km/h (140 mph). Kenneth killed 45 people in Mozambique, less than two months after Idai's deadly trek through the region.[12][13][14]

Climatological statistics
Storms affecting Southern Africa by month
Month Number of storms
January
7
February
10
March
7
April
4
October
2
November
2
December
3
Storms affecting Southern Africa by period
Period Number of storms
1950s
2
1980s
2
2010s
7

Notes
  1. Original source is in South African rand, converted to United States dollar.[5]

References
  1. R. E. Sallema1; G. Y. S. Mtui (September 2008). "Adaptation technologies and legal instruments to address climate change impacts to coastal and marine resources in Tanzania" (PDF). African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. 2 (9).
  2. Kenneth R. Knapp; Michael C. Kruk; David H. Levinson; Howard J. Diamond; Charles J. Neumann (2010). 1950 Moderate Tropical Storm NOT_NAMED (1950040S12065). The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS): Unifying tropical cyclone best track data (Report). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  3. Charles W. Newton, ed. (1972). Meteorology of the Southern Hemisphere. American Meteorological Society. p. 200. ISBN 9781935704331.
  4. "The Tanzanian hurricane of 14-16 April, 1952" (PDF). National Weather Digest. 9 (2). 1984.
  5. Lawrence H. Officer (2013). "Exchange Rates Between the United States Dollar and Forty-one Currencies". Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  6. Z.P. Kovács; D.B. Du Plessis; P.R. Bracher; P. Dunn; G.C.L. Mallory (May 1985). Documentation of the 1984 Domoina Floods (PDF) (Report). Department of Water Affairs (South Africa).
  7. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (August 1993). Significant Data on Major Disasters Worldwide 1900-present (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 2013-07-19.
  8. Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance. Annual Report for FY 1984 (PDF) (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  9. Richard M. DeAngelis (Summer 1984). Elwyn E. Wilson (ed.). "Hurricane Alley". Mariners Weather Log. United States Department of Commerce. 28 (3): 182–183.
  10. S.E. Grenfell; W.N. Ellery; M.C. Grenfell. Geomorphology and dynamics of the Mfolozi River floodplain, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (PDF) (Report). Rhodes University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  11. La Météorlogie, Service de la Réunion (September 1984). "La Saison Cyclonique 1983–1984 A Madagascar" (PDF). Madagascar: Revue de Géographie (in French). 43 (Juil-Déc 1983): 146. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  12. Brandon Miller (25 April 2019). "Cyclone Kenneth: Thousands evacuated as Mozambique is hit with the strongest storm in its history". Cable News Network. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  13. Jonathan Belles (24 April 2019). "Tropical Cyclone Kenneth to Bring Feet of Rain, Damaging Winds to Mozambique Weeks After Idai Brings Humanitarian Crisis". The Weather Company. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  14. "Southern Africa: Tropical Cyclone Kenneth Flash Update No. 13 (12 May 2019)". Relief Web. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
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