Tropical cyclones in 2004

During 2004, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year, a total of 132 systems formed with 82 of these developing further and were named by the responsible warning centre. The strongest tropical cyclone of the year was Cyclone Gafilo, which was estimated to have a minimum barometric pressure of 895 hPa (26.43 inHg). The most active basin in the year was the Western Pacific, which documented 29 named systems, while the North Atlantic 15 named systems formed. Conversely, both the Eastern Pacific hurricane and North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons experienced a below average number of named systems, numbering 12 and 4, respectively. Activity across the southern hemisphere's three basins—South-West Indian, Australian, and South Pacific—was spread evenly, with each region recording seven named storms apiece. Throughout the year, 28 Category 3 tropical cyclones formed, including seven Category 5 tropical cyclones formed in the year. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for the 2004 (seven basins combined), as calculated by Colorado State University was 1024.4 units.

Tropical cyclones in 2004
Year summary map
Year boundaries
First system	Ken
Formed	January 1, 2004
Last system	Raymond
Dissipated	January 10, 2005
Strongest system
Name	Gafilo
Lowest pressure	895 mbar (hPa); 26.43 inHg
Longest lasting system
Name	Ivan
Duration	22 days
Year statistics
Total systems	130
Named systems	80
Total fatalities	6,609 (97)
Total damage	$80.672 billion (2004 USD)
Related articles 2004 Atlantic hurricane season 2004 Pacific hurricane season 2004 Pacific typhoon season 2004 North Indian Ocean cyclone season 2003–04 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season 2004–05 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season 2003–04 Australian region cyclone season 2004–05 Australian region cyclone season 2003–04 South Pacific cyclone season 2004–05 South Pacific cyclone season
Other years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

Satellite photos of the 31 tropical cyclones worldwide that reached Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale during 2004, from Frank in January to Chambo in December.
Among them, Gafilo (center image in the first row) was the most intense, with a minimum central pressure of 895 hPa.

The costliest tropical cyclone was Hurricane Ivan, which struck Caribbean and United States in September causing a tornado outbreak, with US$26.1 billion in damage. The deadliest tropical cyclone of the year was Hurricane Jeanne who killed for at least 3,006 deaths in Haiti.

Global atmospheric and hydrological conditions

Due to a Modoki El Niño – a rare type of El Niño in which unfavorable conditions are produced over the eastern Pacific instead of the Atlantic basin due to warmer sea surface temperatures farther west along the equatorial Pacific – activity was above average in North Atlantic Ocean.^[1]

Summary

North Atlantic Ocean

It was an above average season in which 16 tropical cyclones formed. All but one tropical depression attained tropical storm status, and nine of these became hurricanes. Six hurricanes further intensified into major hurricanes.

Systems

A total of 138 systems formed globally in the year with 60 of them causing significant damage, deaths, and/or setting records for their basin.

January

Cyclone Frank

7 storms formed on January, in the Australian and Southwestern Indian basin, respectively. Cyclone Frank was the strongest.

Tropical cyclones formed in January 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Ken	January 1–6	75 (45)	992	Western Australia	None	None
Monsoon Depression	January 10–17	N/A	N/A	Queensland, New South Wales	None	None
05R	January 22–24	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Elita	January 24–February 4	120 (75)	970	Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius, Réunion	$287 Million	33
Frank	January 26–February 6	185 (115)	930	Rodrigues	None	None
08R	January 28	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Linda	January 28–February 1	95 (60)	985	None	None	None

February

Cyclone Ivy

5 systems formed on February. 3 on Australian region, 1 on South Pacific basin, and 1 on the Western Pacific. Tropical Cyclone Ivy is the strongest.

Tropical cyclones formed in February 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Fritz	February 10–15	95 (60)	985	Queensland, Northern Territory	None	None
01W (Ambo)	February 11–16	55 (35)	1002	Caroline Islands	None	None
Ivy	February 21–28	165 (105)	935	Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, and New Zealand	$3.8 million	4
Monty	February 25–March 3	185 (115)	935	Western Australia	Minor	None
Evan	February 27–March 4	65 (40)	991	Northern Territory	None	None

March

Average storms forming 12 storms. Strongest storm is Cyclone Gafilo with 895 hpa, Hurricane Catarina was the record breaking and the only hurricane in the South Atlantic.

Cyclone Gafilo

Tropical cyclones formed in March 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Gafilo	March 1–15	230 (145)	895	Madagascar	$250 million	363
Subtropical Storm	March 2–5	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Nicky-Helma	March 8–16	110 (70)	975	None	None	None
Fay	March 12–28	215 (130)	910	Northern Territory, Western Australia	Minimal	None
11R	March 15–28	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None
02W (Butchoy)	March 18–24	55 (35)	1000	Philippines	None	None
Grace	March 20–23	95 (60)	985	None	None	None
06F	March 20–22	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Oscar–Itseng	March 21–29	165 (105)	940	None	None	None
Catarina	March 24–28	155 (100)	972	Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil	$350 million	3–11
08F	March 28–April 1	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
13R	March 31–April 1	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None

April

Below average forming 9 systems. Only Typhoon Sudal (2004) became a storm, mostly being a depression.

Typhoon Sudal

Tropical cyclones formed in April 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
09F	April 1–3	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Sudal (Cosme)	April 4–15	165 (105)	940	Caroline Islands	$14 million	None
10F	April 4–9	55 (35)	995	Fiji	$4.17 million	11
11F	April 7	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
12F	April 7–13	Unspecified	Unspecified	Fiji	None	None
13F	April 12–13	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
14F	April 18–19	Unspecified	1006	Tonga	None	None
15F	April 21–24	Unspecified	1006	None	None	None
14R	April 26–27	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None

May

Typhoon Nida

8 systems formed on May. Typhoon Nida is the strongest.

Tropical cyclones formed in May 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
ARB 01	May 5–10	100 (65)	984	Kochi	$6.7 million	None
Juba	May 5–17	100 (65)	980	None	None	None
Nida (Dindo)	May 13–21	175 (115)	935	Caroline Islands, Philippines, Japan	$1.3 million	31
05W	May 14–20	55 (35)	1004	Vietnam	None	None
BOB 01	May 16–19	165 (105)	952	Odisha, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Yunnan	$99.2 million	236
Omais (Enteng)	May 16–22	95 (60)	985	Caroline Islands	None	None
16R	May 19–24	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Agatha	May 22–24	60 (95)	997	None	None	None

June

Typhoon Dianmu

7 storms formed on June. Typhoon Dianmu is the strongest.

Tropical cyclones formed in June 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Conson (Frank)	June 4–11	150 (90)	960	Philippines, Taiwan, Japan	$3.8 million	30
Chanthu (Gener)	June 5–15	110 (70)	975	Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand	$7.9 million	39
ARB 02	June 10–13	55 (35)	992	Puri	None	None
BOB 02	June 11–14	55 (35)	992	None	None	None
Dianmu (Helen)	June 11–21	185 (115)	915	Caroline Islands, Japan	$68.5 million	6
Mindulle (Igme)	June 21–July 4	175 (110)	940	Mariana Islands, Philippines, Taiwan, East China, Ryukyu Islands, Korea	$833 million	56
Tingting	June 25–July 4	150 (90)	955	Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands	$23.7 million	12

July

Typhoon Namtheun

Tropical cyclones formed in July 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Two-E	July 2–4	35 (55)	1007	None	None	None
One-C	July 5–6	30 (45)	1007	None	None	None
Blas	July 11–15	65 (100)	991	Northern Mexico	None	None
Kompasu (Julian)	July 12–16	85 (50)	992	Philippines, Taiwan, South China	Unknown	None
Celia	July 19–25	85 (140)	981	None	None	None
Namtheun	July 24–August 3	155 (100)	955	Japan	None	None
Darby	July 26–August 1	120 (195)	957	None	Minimal	None
TD	July 27	Unspecified	998	South China	None	None
Alex	July 31–August 6	120 (195)	957	Southeastern United States, Atlantic Canada	$7.5 million	1

August

Typhoon Chaba

Tropical cyclones formed in August 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Six-E	August 1–2	30 (45)	1008	None	None	None
Bonnie	August 3–14	65 (100)	1001	Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Yucatán Peninsula, Southeastern United States (Florida), Mid-Atlantic states, New England, Atlantic Canada	$1.27 million	3 (1)
Malou	August 2–6	75 (45)	996	Japan	Unknown	None
Meranti	August 2–9	140 (85)	960	Wake Island	None	None
Rananim (Karen)	August 6–15	150 (90)	950	Ryukyu Islands, East China, Taiwan	$2.44 billion	169
TD	August 6–7	Unspecified	1002	None	None	None
TD	August 7–8	Unspecified	1002	None	None	None
Malakas	August 9–13	85 (50)	990	None	Unknown	None
Charley	August 9–14	150 (240)	941	Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles (Cuba), East Coast of the United States (Florida)	$16.9 billion	15 (20)
Danielle	August 13–21	110 (175)	964	Cape Verde	None	None
Earl	August 13–15	50 (85)	1009	Windward Islands	None	1
Megi (Lawin)	August 14–20	120 (75)	970	Japan, Korea	Unknown	5
Chaba	August 17–31	205 (125)	910	Ryukyu Islands, South Korea, Japan	$977 million	20
Aere (Marce)	August 18–31	150 (90)	955	Caroline Islands, Ryukyu Islands, China, Taiwan	$313 thousand	107
Estelle	August 19–24	70 (110)	989	None	None	None
Frank	August 23–26	70 (110)	979	Baja California Peninsula	None	None
Nine-E	August 23–26	35 (55)	1005	None	None	None
Frances	August 24–September 7	145 (230)	935	(The Bahamas), Southern United States, Midwestern United States, Mid-Atlantic states, New England, Atlantic Canada	$10.1 billion	7 (42)
21W	August 25–31	55 (35)	1000	Mariana Islands	None	None
Georgette	August 26–30	65 (100)	995	None	None	None
Songda (Nina)	August 26–September 8	175 (110)	925	Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, Japan, South Korea	$9 billion	28
Gaston	August 27–September 1	75 (120)	985	The Carolinas (South Carolina), Mid-Atlantic states, New England, Atlantic Canada	$130 million	8 (1)
Hermine	August 27–30	60 (95)	1002	New England (Massachusetts), Atlantic Canada	Minimal	None
Howard	August 30–September 5	140 (220)	943	Baja California Peninsula, Western United States	Minimal	None

September

Hurricane Ivan

Tropical cyclones formed in September 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
Phoebe	September 1–5	85 (50)	990	None	None	None
Ivan	September 2–24	165 (270)	910	Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Greater Antilles, Gulf Coast of the United States (Alabama, Louisiana), Eastern United States, Atlantic Canada	$26.1 billion	94 (33)
Sarika	September 3–9	100 (65)	980	Mariana Islands	None	None
Ten	September 7–9	35 (55)	1009	None	None	None
TD	September 8–11	Not specified	1002	Ryukyu Islands	None	None
Isis	September 8–16	75 (120)	987	None	None	None
Javier	September 10–19	150 (240)	930	Baja California, Southwestern United States	None	None
Haima (Ofel)	September 10–13	75 (45)	996	Taiwan, East China	$7.64 million	None
TD	September 12	Unspecified	1008	Taiwan	None	None
BOB 03	September 12–15	45 (30)	996	West Bengal	None	33
Jeanne	September 13–28	120 (195)	950	Leeward Islands (Guadeloupe), Greater Antilles (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic), (The Bahamas), Southeastern United States (Florida), Mid-Atlantic states, New England, Atlantic Canada	$7.94 billion	3,042
Pablo	September 15–20	Unspecified	1008	Philippines, Vietnam	None	None
TD	September 15–16	Unspecified	1006	East China	None	None
Karl	September 16–24	145 (230)	938	Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway	Minimal	None
Lisa	September 19–October 3	75 (120)	987	None	None	None
Meari (Quinta)	September 19–September 29	165 (105)	940	Caroline Islands, Japan	$798 million	18
TD	September 20	Unspecified	1008	None	None	None
Onil	September 30–October 3	100 (65)	990	India, Pakistan	None	9

October

Typhoon Ma-on

Tropical cyclones formed in October 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
BOB 04/05	October 2–8	45 (30)	1002	India	$23.9 million	218
Ma-on (Rolly)	October 3–10	185 (115)	920	Japan	$603 million	Unknown
Kay	October 4–6	45 (75)	1004	None	None	None
Matthew	October 8–10	45 (75)	997	Gulf Coast of the United States (Louisiana), Midwestern United States, Great Plains	$305 thousand	None
TD	October 9–13	Unspecified	1004	None	None	None
Nicole	October 10–11	50 (85)	986	Bermuda, Maine, Atlantic Canada	None	None
Tokage (Siony)	October 10–20	155 (100)	940	Mariana Islands, Taiwan, Japan	$3.23 billion	95
Lester	October 11–13	50 (85)	1000	Southwestern Mexico	None	None
Nock-ten (Tonyo)	October 14–26	155 (100)	945	Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands	None	3
02	October 25–29	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Sixteen-E	October 25–26	35 (55)	1004	Northern Mexico	None	None
01F	October 28–30	45 (30)	1001	None	None	None

November

Cyclone Bento

Tropical cyclones formed in November 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
ARB 04	November 2–7	55 (35)	1004	Sri Lanka
Arola	November 6–18	110 (70)	978	Diego Garcia	None	None
Muifa (Unding)	November 13–25	150 (90)	950	Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar	$18 million
TD	November 16–18	Unspecified	1006	None	None	None
Bento	November 19–December 5	215 (130)	915	Mascarene Islands	None	None
Merbok (Violeta)	November 21–23	65 (40)	1000	Philippines	$5.1 million	31
Winnie	November 27–30	Unspecified	1002	Philippines	$14.6 million	1,593
Nanmadol (Yoyong)	November 29–December 4	165 (105)	935	Caroline Islands, Philippines, Taiwan	$60.8 million	77
Agni	November 29–December 2	100 (65)	994	Somalia	None	None
Otto	November 29–December 3	50 (85)	995	None	None	None

December

Cyclone Chambo

Tropical cyclones formed in December 2004

Storm name	Dates active	Max wind km/h (mph)	Pressure (hPa)	Areas affected	Damage (USD)	Deaths	Refs
05S	December 3–5	35 (56)	998	Indonesia	None	None
02F	December 3–14	55 (35)	1000	None	None	None
03F	December 5–10	45 (30)	1000	None	None	None
Talas (Zosimo)	December 11–20	75 (45)	994	Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands	$750 thousand	None
05	December 11–11	Unspecified	Unspecified	None	None	None
Noru	December 17–21	75 (45)	990	Mariana Islands	None	None
Judy	December 21–27	85 (50)	987	None	None	None
Chambo	December 22–30	155 (100)	950	Cocos Islands	None	None
Raymond	December 30, 2004 – January 10, 2005	85 (50)	985	Western Australia	Minimal	None

Global effects

Season name		Areas affected	Systems formed	Named storms	Hurricane-force tropical cyclones	Damage (2004 USD)	Deaths	Ref
North Atlantic Ocean[a]		Southeastern United States, Atlantic Canada, Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Yucatán Peninsula, Mid-Atlantic states, New England, East Coast of the United States, Cape Verde, Windward Islands, Midwestern United States, Lucayan Archipelago, Leeward Islands, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Great Plains, Bermudas, Northeastern United States	16	15	9	$61.148 billion	3,164 (97)
Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean[a]		Revillagigedo Islands, Clarion Island, Southwestern Mexico, Northwestern Mexico, Baja California Peninsula, Southwestern United States, Western United States	17	12	6	Un­known	—
Western Pacific Ocean[b]		Caroline Islands, Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Republic of China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Mariana Islands, East China, Ryukyu Islands, Korean Peninsula, South China, Wake Island, Marshall Islands, Russian Far East, Malaysia, Myanmar	45	29	20	$18.766 billion	2,435
North Indian Ocean[c]		Myanmar, Bangladesh, West India, East India, Pakistan, Somalia, Maldives	9	4	2	$129.8 million	587
South-West Indian Ocean	January – June[d][e]	Mascarene Islands, Mauritius, Réunion, Juan de Nova Island, Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Tromelin Island, Agaléga	10	4	4	$250 million	396
	July – December[b]	Diego Garcia, Rodrigues, Madagascar	6	4	3	—	—
Australian region	January – June[d]	Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia	10	8	4	$20 million	—
	July – December[b]	Western Australia, Northern Territory	2	1	—	Un­known	—
South Pacific Ocean	January – June[d]	Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand	10	1	1	$7.97 million	16
	July – December[b]	—	4	1	—	Un­known	—
South Atlantic Ocean		Brazil	1	1	1	$350 million	11
Worldwide		(See above)	130[f]	80	50	$80.672 billion	6,609 (97)

1. The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone/basin are based on the Saffir Simpson Scale which uses 1-minute sustained winds.
2. Only systems that formed either before or on December 31, 2004 are counted in the seasonal totals.
3. The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone/basin are based on the IMD Scale which uses 3-minute sustained winds.
4. Only systems that formed either on or after January 1, 2004 are counted in the seasonal totals.
5. The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone are based on Météo-France, which uses wind gusts.
6. The sum of the number of systems in each basin will not equal the number shown as the total. This is because when systems move between basins, it creates a discrepancy in the actual number of systems.

See also

• Tropical cyclones portal

• Tropical cyclones by year
• List of earthquakes in 2004
• Tornadoes of 2004
• 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

Notes

¹ Only systems that formed either on or after January 1, 2004 are counted in the seasonal totals.
² Only systems that formed either before or on December 31, 2004 are counted in the seasonal totals.
³ The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone/basin are based on the IMD scale which uses 3-minute sustained winds.
⁴ The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone/basin are based on the Saffir–Simpson scale which uses 1-minute sustained winds.
⁵The wind speeds for this tropical cyclone are based on Météo-France which uses gust winds.