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{{Short description|North Indian cyclone in 2001}}
{{infobox weather event
| image = ARB 01 2001-05-23 Terra.jpg
| caption = The cyclone shortly before peak intensity on May 23
| formed = May 21, 2001
| dissipated = May 29, 2001
}}{{infobox weather event/IMD
| winds = 115
| pressure = 932
}}{{infobox weather event/JTWC
| winds = 110
| pressure = 927
}}{{infobox weather event/Effects
| year = 2001
| casualties = 120–900 dead or missing
| damage = Minimal
| areas = [[Western India]]
| refs = <ref name="GP"/>
}}{{infobox weather event/Footer
| season = [[2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season]]
}}
The '''2001 Gujarat cyclone''' was the third strongest [[tropical cyclone]], in terms of [[barometric pressure]], to form in the [[Arabian Sea]] on record; only Cyclones [[Cyclone Gonu|Gonu]] in [[2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season|2007]] and [[Cyclone Kyarr|Kyarr]] in [[2019 North Indian Ocean cyclone season|2019]] were stronger. The storm originated from a tropical disturbance that formed east of [[Somalia]] on May 18. Over the following few days, the system gradually organized into a tropical depression. Tracking eastward, towards the coastline of southwestern India, the storm slowly intensified. Shortly before reaching shore, the system turned north and later west, away from land. After taking this turn, the storm intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm, attaining its peak intensity on May 24 with winds of 215 km/h (130 mph <small>3-minute winds</small>) and a [[barometric pressure]] of 932 [[Bar (unit)|mbar]] ([[Pascal (unit)|hPa]]). At the time, this ranked the cyclone as the strongest known storm in the [[Arabian Sea]].

After stalling several hundred kilometres offshore, the storm weakened over cooler waters that it had upwelled. By May 27, the system weakened to a cyclonic storm and by this time was approaching the northwestern coastline of India, near [[Gujarat]]. The following day, the storm made landfall in the [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra region]] as a deep depression with winds of 55 km/h (35 mph <small>3-minute winds</small>). The depression quickly weakened after moving inland and dissipated early on May 29.

Although a powerful cyclone over water, the storm had relatively little impact over land. In the [[Valsad district]], two coastal communities lost a combined 200 homes due to large [[Swell (ocean)|swells]] produced by the storm. However, the losses were more extensive offshore. Between 120 and 900 fishermen were listed as missing after contact was lost with their vessels during the storm.

==Meteorological history==
{{storm path|Cyclone 01A 2001 track.png}}
The origins of the 2001 Gujarat cyclone can be traced to a tropical disturbance over the [[Arabian Sea]] on May 18. The following day, the system was determined to be relatively stationary near the island of [[Socotra]]. Although deep [[Atmospheric convection|convection]] was associated with the disturbance, there was no evidence of a [[Low-pressure area|low-level circulation]]. By May 20, the disturbance slowly moved towards the southeast in response to an upper-level [[Trough (meteorology)|trough]] over India. The overall structure gradually improved as good [[Outflow (meteorology)|outflow]] developed. A mid-level circulation finally developed late on May 21, prompting the [[Joint Typhoon Warning Center]] (JTWC) to issue a [[Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert]].<ref name="GP"/> Several hours later, they began monitoring the system as a tropical depression with the identifier 01A;<ref name="JTWCBT">{{cite web|author=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|publisher=Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command|year=2002|access-date=June 3, 2010|title=Cyclone 01A Best Track|url=http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/best_tracks/2001/2001s-bio/bio012001.txt|archive-date=June 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606213545/http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/best_tracks/2001/2001s-bio/bio012001.txt|url-status=dead}}</ref> however, operational advisories were not issued until the cyclone was estimated to have attained tropical storm intensity.<ref name="GP"/><ref name="JTWCBT"/> By the morning of May 22, the [[India Meteorological Department]] (IMD) also took notice of the system.<ref name="GP">{{cite web|author=Gary Padgett|publisher=Typhoon2000|date=July 10, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=Monthly Tropical Weather Summary for May 2001|url=http://www.typhoon2000.ph/garyp_mgtcs/may01.txt}}</ref>

Situated in a region favoring tropical cyclone development about {{convert|650|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Mumbai, India]], the storm [[Rapid intensification|rapidly developed]].<ref name="GP"/> By the afternoon of May 22, the JTWC estimated that 01A attained winds of {{convert|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}}, equivalent to a [[Category 1 hurricane]] on the [[Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale]].<ref name="JTWCBT"/> Additionally, a {{convert|22|km|mi|abbr=on}}-wide [[eye (cyclone)|eye]] developed within the center of circulation during this intensification phase. Throughout most of May 22, the strengthening slowed considerably as it paralleled the southwestern coast of India. Initially, it was feared that the storm would move inland as a powerful cyclone; however, a [[Ridge (meteorology)|ridge]] over the northern Arabian Sea caused the storm to turn westward, back over open water. Once further away from land, the cyclone resumed intensification, becoming a rare, [[Category 3 hurricane|Category 3]] equivalent storm by the morning of May 24.<ref name="GP"/> Later that morning, 01A attained its peak intensity with winds of {{convert|205|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}}, according to the JTWC.<ref name="JTWCBT"/> However, the IMD considered the storm to be slightly stronger, estimating that it attained winds of {{convert|215|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}} by three-minute sustained winds along with a barometric pressure of 932 mbar (hPa; {{convert|932|mbar|inHg|abbr=on|sigfig=4|disp=out}}).<ref name="IMDBT"/>

At the time of peak intensity, the cyclone displayed a well-defined eye and excellent outflow. Although a powerful storm, it quickly weakened as conditions became hostile for tropical cyclone development. Strong [[wind shear]] tore convection away from the cyclone and caused it to become disorganized. Within 48 hours, the system had degraded to a tropical storm and was situated roughly {{convert|555|km|mi|abbr=on}} west-southwest of Mumbai. The weakening trend lessened shortly thereafter but still continued. Operationally, the JTWC issued their final advisory on the cyclone on May 28 as it weakened to a tropical depression over open waters. The once powerful cyclone, now devoid of all convection, tracked towards the northwestern coast of India.<ref name="GP"/> During the afternoon of May 29, the cyclone rapidly regenerated as it made [[landfall]] in [[Gujarat]]. The JTWC estimated that it crossed the coastline with winds of {{convert|100|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}}. Not long after moving overland, the system rapidly weakened and dissipated over India within several hours.<ref name="JTWCBT"/>

==Preparations and impact==
Ahead of the storm, all ports in Gujarat, including [[Kandla]], one of the largest in the country, were closed as a precautionary measure.<ref name="CNN1">{{cite web|agency=Reuters|publisher=CNN|date=May 26, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=India cyclone weakening but still 'a threat'|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/26/india.cyclone.gujarat/index.html}}</ref> On May 25, over 10,000 people were evacuated from coastal areas in the threatened region.<ref name="CNN2">{{cite web|agency=Reuters|publisher=CNN|date=May 25, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=Cyclone threatens India, Pakistan|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/25/india.cyclone.ports/index.html}}</ref> Throughout India, a total of 118,800 people were evacuated<ref name="GP"/> and 100,000 more were evacuated in Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|agency=Agence France-Presse|publisher=ReliefWeb|date=May 29, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=100,000 Pakistanis who fled storm to return home|url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ACOS-64CAKF?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=ST-2001-0729-IND}}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The Indian military was placed on standby to undertake search-and-rescue missions immediately after the storms' passage. Fourteen districts of Gujarat were placed on red alert, the highest level of preparedness. Seven emergency control centers were set up across the country and officials alerted hospitals and fire crews about the approaching storm.<ref>{{cite web|author=Vikram Vakil|publisher=Rediff|date=May 24, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title= Gujarat govt geared up to face cyclone |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/may/24surat.htm}}</ref>

Several relief agencies were already positioned in the region in response to a [[2001 Gujarat earthquake|magnitude 7.7 earthquake in January]] of that year that killed over 20,000 people.<ref name="USGS">{{cite web |author1=[[Advanced National Seismic System|ANSS]] |title=M 7.7 - 17 km NW of Bhach?u, India |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp000a8ds/executive |website=earthquake.usgs.gov |publisher=[[U.S. Geological Survey]] |access-date=29 August 2021 |date=26 January 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ReliefWeb|date=May 27, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=India's quake-hit Gujarat braces as giant cyclone gathers strength|url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ACOS-64BNE2?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=ST-2001-0729-IND|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805120738/http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ACOS-64BNE2?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=ST-2001-0729-IND|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 5, 2012}}</ref> Additional disaster relief teams were deployed to the region to further prepare residents for the cyclone. Food, water and other necessities were stored and ready to be provided to victims of the storm.<ref>{{cite web|author=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies|publisher=ReliefWeb|date=May 25, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=India: Cyclone Information Bulletin No. 1|url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ACOS-64CAKF?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=ST-2001-0729-IND}}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Large swells produced by the storm affected a large portion of the western Indian coastline, especially in the city of [[Bombay]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Staff Writer|publisher=The Record|date=May 26, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=Cyclone Rips Into Bombay|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/432741601.html?dids=432741601:432741601&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+26%2C+2001&author=&pub=The+Record&desc=Caption+Only%3A+CYCLONE+RIPS+INTO+BOMBAY&pqatl=google|page=D.21|archive-date=October 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024083725/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/432741601.html?dids=432741601:432741601&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+26,+2001&author=&pub=The+Record&desc=Caption+Only:+CYCLONE+RIPS+INTO+BOMBAY&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the Valsad district, two coastal communities lost a combined 200 homes due to large swells produced by the storm.<ref name="GP"/> Offshore, between 1,500 and 2,000 fishing vessels had lost contact with the mainland.<ref name="CNN2"/> Later reports indicated that between 120 and 900 fishermen had gone missing as a result of the cyclone.<ref name="GP"/>

==Records==
Operationally, the cyclone was considered to be a [[Category 4 hurricane|Category 4 equivalent]] storm by the JTWC, with peak winds of {{convert|215|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}}.<ref name="GPT">{{cite web|author=Gary Padgett|publisher=Typhoon2000|date=June 11, 2001|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=Monthly Tropical Cyclone Tracks for May 2001|url=http://www.typhoon2000.ph/garyp_mgtcs/may01tks.txt}}</ref> This would have made the system the first recorded storm of that intensity on record in the [[Arabian Sea]].<ref name="JTWCIOBT">{{cite web|author=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|publisher=Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command|year=2009|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=JTWC North Indian Ocean Best Tracks 1945–2008|url=http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/best_tracks/ioindex.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301155353/http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/best_tracks/ioindex.html|archive-date=2010-03-01|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, in post-storm analysis, it was discovered that 1-minute winds did not exceed {{convert|205|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}}.<ref name="JTWCATCR">{{cite web|author=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|publisher=Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command|year=2002|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=2001 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report|url=http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/2001atcr/pdf/2001atcr.pdf|format=PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606232055/http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/2001atcr/pdf/2001atcr.pdf|archive-date=2011-06-06|url-status=dead}}</ref> The next storm to reach this intensity was [[Cyclone Gonu]] in [[2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season]], which became the first known super cyclonic storm in the region.<ref name="IMDBT">{{cite web|publisher=India Meteorological Department |year=2009 |access-date=December 13, 2009 |title=IMD Best Tracks Data ( 1990–2008 ) |url=http://www.imd.gov.in/section/nhac/dynamic/bestpara.xls |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091116093857/http://www.imd.gov.in/section/nhac/dynamic/bestpara.xls |archive-date=November 16, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Gonu">{{cite web|author=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|publisher=Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command|year=2008|access-date=December 13, 2009|title=JTWC Best Track for Tropical Cyclone 02A (Gonu)|url=http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/best_tracks/2007/2007s-bio/bio022007.txt|archive-date=October 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009221646/http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/best_tracks/2007/2007s-bio/bio022007.txt|url-status=dead}}</ref> Upon attaining its peak intensity, the storm attained a [[barometric pressure]] of 932 [[Bar (unit)|mbar]] ([[Pascal (unit)|hPa]]), the lowest in the region at the time. The cyclone was ranked as the strongest in the Arabian Sea for six years until it was surpassed by Gonu in 2007, which attained a minimum pressure of 920 mbar (hPa).<ref name="IMDBT"/> In 2010, [[Cyclone Phet]] surpassed the 2001 cyclone as the second-strongest storm in the region, attaining winds of {{convert|230|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}}, according to the JTWC. Again it was surpassed to sixth place as [[Cyclone Kyarr]], [[Cyclone Chapala]], [[Cyclone Tauktae]] and [[Cyclone Nilofar]] surpassed its windspeed intensity as they become category 4 tropical cyclones in later years. Now this cyclone is tied with [[Cyclone Megh]] for sixth strongest cyclone in Arabian Sea based on windspeed of one minute mean.<ref>{{cite web|author=Joint Typhoon Warning Center |publisher=Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command |date=June 2, 2010 |access-date=June 3, 2010 |title=Cyclone Phet (03A) Advisory Number Eight |url=http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtio31.pgtw..txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100807232013/http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/wt/wtio31.pgtw..txt |archive-date=August 7, 2010 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Tropical cyclones}}
*[[2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season]]
* [[List of Gujarat tropical cyclones]]
*[[Cyclone Gonu]]
*[[Cyclone Biparjoy]]
*[[List of the most intense tropical cyclones#North Indian Ocean|List of the most intense tropical cyclones]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150517005046/http://www.imd.gov.in/section/nhac/dynamic/cyclone.htm India Meteorological Department]
*[http://www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC Joint Typhoon Warning Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301105349/http://www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC |date=2010-03-01 }}
{{Good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2001 India Cyclone}}
[[Category:Extremely severe cyclonic storms]]
[[Category:2001 disasters in India|India Cyclone, 2001]]
[[Category:Tropical cyclones in India]]
[[Category:Tropical cyclones in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Tropical cyclones in 2001]]

2001 Gujarat cyclone - Revision history

All Singers Music Production at 07:48, 20 June 2025