Cyclones in Indonesia
Cyclones occur very often in Indonesia. On average, they happen about 12 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas and Sumatra.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 Indonesia in the past 12 months was »Ilsa«. It reached a wind speed of up to 69 km/h on April 9, 2023 at 5:00 am local time near Atambua and was 176 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical storm cyclone. On the open sea, speeds of up to 237 km/h were measured (category 4).
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Current satellite image of the eastern Indian Ocean
03.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Indonesia since 2018
Ilsa: April 8-13, 2023
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 237 km/h
on land:
max. 69 km/h
Diameter:
max. 704 km
Air pressure:
below 929 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
Freddy: February 6-24, 2023
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 256 km/h
Diameter:
max. 582 km
Air pressure:
below 924 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On February 6th, 2023 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 263 km southeast of Waingapu in Lesser Sunda Islands.
Asani: May 7-11, 2022
Region:
Bay of Bengal
Wind speed:
max. 119 km/h
Diameter:
max. 130 km
Air pressure:
below 976 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On May 7th, 2022 at 1:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 541 km northeast of Sabang in Sumatra.
Charlotte: March 18-25, 2022
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 167 km/h
Air pressure:
below 956 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On March 19th, 2022 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 219 km southeast of Waingapu in Lesser Sunda Islands.
Anika: February 25 to March 3, 2022
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 100 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On February 26th, 2022 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 443 km southwest of Soe in Lesser Sunda Islands.
Anika: February 24 to March 4, 2022
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Air pressure:
below 978 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On February 25th, 2022 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 468 km southwest of Soe in Lesser Sunda Islands.
Jawad: November 30 to December 6, 2021
Region:
Bay of Bengal
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
on land:
max. 46 km/h
Diameter:
max. 926 km
Air pressure:
below 1000 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Sumatra
Sumatra
Seroja: April 4-12, 2021
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 167 km
Air pressure:
below 972 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
Seroja: April 2-12, 2021
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
on land:
max. 102 km/h
Diameter:
max. 741 km
Air pressure:
below 968 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
Odette: April 3-10, 2021
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 96 km/h
Diameter:
max. 852 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On April 4th, 2021 at 1:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 294 km southeast of Pelabuhanratu in Java.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Flying Fish Cove on Christmas Island on April 4th at 1:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Flying Fish Cove on Christmas Island on April 4th at 1:00 am.
Marian: February 21 to March 9, 2021
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 180 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1185 km
Air pressure:
below 954 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Java
Java
Dujuan: February 17-23, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On February 20th, 2021 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 504 km northwest of Tobelo in Moluccas.
Dujuan: February 14-23, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
on land:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 982 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Moluccas
Moluccas
Krovanh: December 17-25, 2020
Region:
Bay of Bengal
Wind speed:
max. 65 km/h
on land:
max. 28 km/h
Diameter:
max. 667 km
Air pressure:
below 1000 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Moluccas
Moluccas
Ferdinand: February 22 to March 1, 2020
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
Diameter:
max. 204 km
Air pressure:
below 958 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On February 23rd, 2020 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 213 km southeast of Waingapu in Lesser Sunda Islands.
Ferdinand: February 22 to March 1, 2020
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 648 km
Air pressure:
below 958 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
Claudia: January 4-19, 2020
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 152 km/h
on land:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Air pressure:
below 963 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
Lili: May 6-11, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On May 11th, 2019 at 2:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 173 km west of Atambua in Lesser Sunda Islands.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Lospalos in Timor-Leste on May 11th at 5:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Lospalos in Timor-Leste on May 11th at 5:00 am.
Wallace: April 3-13, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 648 km
Air pressure:
below 992 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall in Indonesia. On April 6th, 2019 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 173 km south of Soe in Lesser Sunda Islands.
Veronica: March 18-30, 2019
Region:
Western Australia
Wind speed:
max. 235 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 3741 km
Air pressure:
below 927 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
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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