2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	15 August 2024
Last system dissipated	Season ongoing
Strongest storm
Name	Bheki
• Maximum winds	195 km/h (120 mph) (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	943 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total disturbances	3
Total depressions	3
Total storms	2
Tropical cyclones	1
Intense tropical cyclones	1
Very intense tropical cyclones	0
Total fatalities	0
Total damage	$0,000 (2025 USD)
Related articles
2024–25 Australian region cyclone season 2024–25 South Pacific cyclone season
South-West Indian Ocean tropical cyclone seasons 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27

The 2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season is the current annual cycle of tropical cyclone and subtropical cyclone formation. It began on 15 November 2024, and will end on 30 April 2025, with the exception for Mauritius and the Seychelles, for which it will end on 15 May 2025. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical and subtropical cyclones form in the basin, which is west of 90°E and south of the Equator. However, tropical cyclones can form year-round with any cyclone forming between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, like 01 in August, will be part of the season. Tropical and subtropical cyclones in this basin are monitored by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in Réunion and unofficially by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

This season's ACE index, as of November 21, is approximately 18.2 units.^[1] This number represents sum of the squares of the maximum sustained wind speed (knots) for all named storms while they are at least tropical storm intensity, divided by 10,000. Therefore, tropical depressions are not included.

Tropical depression (MFR)
Duration	15 August – 17 August
Peak intensity	55 km/h (35 mph) (10-min); 1000 hPa (mbar)

On 8 August, the MFR noted that in mid-August, tropical cyclogenesis was possible near the equator due to a westerly wind burst expected to form during the active phase of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO).^[2] Three days later, a near-equatorial trough formed, with convective activity developing near the trough's axis.^[3] Slowly developing, on August 13, a low-level circulation was seen, with convective bands wrapping around its circulation.^[4] Two days later, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began tracking the disturbance, noting that it was in a marginal environment for development.^[5] Just a few hours later, the MFR designated the disturbance as Zone of Disturbed Weather 01.^[6] Soon after, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on the disturbance, noting that despite being in an environment with high wind shear, it was intensifying.^[7] Later that day, the disturbance had intensified into a tropical depression.^[8] However, it weakened into a zone of disturbed weather, and after its window of development ended on August 17, the MFR issued their last warning on the system.^[9] The JTWC soon cancelled their TCFA on the disturbance, noting that it could still develop.^[10] As a result, early the next day, the MFR began re-monitoring the disturbance as it was developing despite being in an unfavorable environment.^[11] However, as it entered an increasingly dry and sheared environment on 20 August, it degenerated into a remnant low.^[12] The JTWC stopped tracking it later that day, as it had dissipated,^[13] with the MFR following suit as well.^[14]

Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	30 September – 5 October
Peak intensity	85 km/h (50 mph) (10-min); 992 hPa (mbar)

On 24 September, the MFR noted that tropical cyclogenesis would be possible in late September due to the passage of an equatorial Rossby wave and an Kelvin wave, which would help cause the formation of a temporary near-equatorial trough.^[15] The next day, a near-equatorial trough would begin forming, featuring moderate convective activity on its polar side.^[16] The JTWC would begin tracking the disturbance late on 30 September, noting that it was in an environment marginally favorable for development east-southeast off Diego Garcia.^[17] The next day, the MFR upgraded this system into a tropical depression.^[18] The JTWC would upgrade it into Tropical Cyclone 01S later that day,^[19] with the MFR following suit the next day, upgrading the depression into Moderate Tropical Storm Ancha.^[20] A few hours later, it peaked with 1-minute sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h).^[21] Ancha's cloud pattern would improve on 2 October, causing it to peak as a high-end moderate tropical storm with 10-minute sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h).^[22] However, the next day, Ancha's low-level circulation began being exposed due to moderate wind shear, extensive dry air, and steadily cooling sea surface temperatures, prompting the JTWC to issue their last warning on it.^[23] This caused Ancha to recurve westward due to the subtropical ridge^[24] prior to degenerating into a remnant low a few hours later.^[25] However, for a short time it regenerated into a moderate tropical storm.^[26] However, increasing tropospheric shear caused this temporary regeneration to end, and the MFR would stop monitoring it on 4 October.^[27]

Intense tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	12 November – present
Peak intensity	195 km/h (120 mph) (10-min); 943 hPa (mbar)

On 11 November, the MFR noted that an elongated low-level circulation was developing despite being inside an environment with dry air and easterly shear, due to good divergence on the western side, steadily developing convection, and monsoonal flow.^[28] Later that day, the JTWC began tracking the disturbance, noting that it was in an environment favorable for development southeast off Diego Garcia.^[29] Further organization occurred, and early on 12 November, the MFR designated the system as Zone of Disturbed Weather 03.^[30] Following convection beginning to surround the system's circulation, the MFR upgraded it to Moderate Tropical Storm Bheki on 14 November,^[31] with the JTWC designating it Tropical Cyclone 02S a few hours later.^[32] A developing central dense overcast and improving cloud pattern prompted the MFR to upgrade Bheki into a severe tropical storm early the next day.^[33] Bheki strengthened rapidly and peaked as an Intense Tropical Cyclone on November 18, becoming the strongest November tropical cyclone on record in the basin based on sustained wind speeds. It was also the third-strongest November tropical cyclone in the basin based on minimum central pressure.

Within the South-West Indian Ocean, tropical depressions and subtropical depressions that are judged to have 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 65 km/h (40 mph) by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center on Réunion island, France (RSMC La Réunion) are usually assigned a name. However, it is the Sub-Regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centers in Mauritius and Madagascar who name the systems. The Sub-Regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Center (Mauritius Meteorological Services) in Mauritius names a storm if it intensifies into a moderate tropical storm between 55°E and 90°E. If instead a cyclone intensifies into a moderate tropical storm between 30°E and 55°E then the Sub-Regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Center (Meteo Madagascar) in Madagascar assigns the appropriate name to the storm. Storm names are taken from three pre-determined lists of names, which rotate on a triennial basis, with any names that have been used automatically removed. New names this season are: Ancha, Bheki, Chido, Dikeledi, Elvis, Faida, Garance, Honde, Ivone, Jude, Kanto and Lira. They replaced Ana, Batsirai, Cliff, Dumako, Emnati, Fezile, Gombe, Halima, Issa, Jasmine and Karim during the 2021–22 season, and also Letlama, which was not used, but the reason for its removal is unknown.^[34]

This table lists all of the tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones that were monitored during the 2024–2025 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. Information on their intensity, duration, name, areas affected, primarily comes from RSMC La Réunion. Death and damage reports come from either press reports or the relevant national disaster management agency while the damage totals are given in 2024 or 2025 USD.

• Weather of 2024 and 2025
• List of Southern Hemisphere cyclone seasons
• Tropical cyclones in 2024 and 2025
• Atlantic hurricane seasons: 2024, 2025
• Pacific hurricane seasons: 2024, 2025
• Pacific typhoon seasons: 2024, 2025
• North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2024, 2025
• 2024–25 Australian region cyclone season
• 2024–25 South Pacific cyclone season

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2024-25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season.

• Météo-France La Réunion (in French)
  • Alternative website
• Direction Générale de la Météorologie de Madagascar (in French)
• Mauritius Meteorological Services
• Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)