Cyclones in Zimbabwe
Cyclones occur rarely in Zimbabwe. On average, they happen about once per year. The hardest hit regions are Mashonaland East and Manicaland.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.
Zimbabwe has certainly been affected by the foothills of several cyclones, but during the past 12 months no cyclone reached the inhabited areas on land.
› The most severe natural disasters worldwide
Back to overview: Zimbabwe
Current satellite image of the Indian Ocean
05.02.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Zimbabwe since 2018
Gombe: March 8-14, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 183 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 959 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On March 13th, 2022 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 271 km northwest of Mutoko in Mashonaland East.
Ana: January 23-25, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
on land:
max. 37 km/h
Diameter:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Mashonaland East
Mashonaland East
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. On December 30th, 2020 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 346 km west of Chimanimani in Manicaland.
Idai: March 4-16, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
on land:
max. 87 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Eye:
max. 167 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Manicaland
Mashonaland East
Manicaland
Mashonaland East
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. On January 17th, 2019 at 5:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 328 km southwest of Chiredzi in Masvingo.
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.