Cyclones in Zambia
Cyclones only occur occasionally in Zambia. On average, they happen about 2 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Eastern and Southern.The typical cyclone season depends on the summer monsoon. In the months before (May to June) and after (October to November), the most severe storms occur.
The most severe cyclone to make landfall in Zambia in the past 12 months was »Freddy«. It reached a wind speed of up to 41 km/h on March 13, 2023 at 11:00 pm local time near Chadiza and was 116 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical depression cyclone. On the open sea, speeds of up to 183 km/h were measured (category 3).
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Back to overview: Zambia
Current satellite image of the Indian Ocean
08.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Zambia since 2018
Freddy: March 2-14, 2023
Wind speed:
max. 183 km/h
on land:
max. 41 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 957 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Eastern
Eastern
Gombe: March 8-14, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 183 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 630 km
Air pressure:
below 959 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Eastern
Eastern
Ana: January 23-25, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Zambia. On January 25th, 2022 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 191 km southwest of Luangwa in Lusaka.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Nsanje in Malawi on January 25th at 2:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Nsanje in Malawi on January 25th at 2:00 am.
Eloise: January 11-27, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 157 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1259 km
Eye:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 965 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Zambia. On January 23rd, 2021 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 513 km southwest of Luangwa in Lusaka.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Quelimane in Mozambique on January 22nd at 2:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Quelimane in Mozambique on January 22nd at 2:00 pm.
Chalane: December 25-30, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 241 km
Air pressure:
below 990 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Zambia. On December 30th, 2020 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 714 km southwest of Petauke in Eastern.
Chalane: December 20, 2020 to January 4, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 124 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 982 km
Air pressure:
below 975 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Southern
Southern
Idai: March 4-16, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Eye:
max. 167 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Zambia. On March 7th, 2019 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 288 km southwest of Chadiza in Eastern.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Quelimane in Mozambique on March 4th at 11:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Quelimane in Mozambique on March 4th at 11:00 am.
Desmond: January 17-22, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 989 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Zambia. On January 22nd, 2019 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 537 km southwest of Chadiza in Eastern.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Quelimane in Mozambique on January 22nd at 2:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Quelimane in Mozambique on January 22nd at 2:00 am.
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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