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1978–79 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	November 19, 1978
Last system dissipated	April 13, 1979
Strongest storm
Name	Celine and Idylle
• Maximum winds	165 km/h (105 mph) (10-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	927 hPa (mbar)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions	10
Total storms	6
Tropical cyclones	4
Intense tropical cyclones	2
Total fatalities	74
Total damage	Unknown
Related articles
1978–79 Australian region cyclone season 1978–79 South Pacific cyclone season
South-West Indian Ocean tropical cyclone seasons 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81

The 1978–79 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was an average cyclone season. The season officially ran from November 1, 1978, to April 30, 1979.

Systems

Tropical Cyclone Angele

Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	December 13 – December 29
Peak intensity	150 km/h (95 mph) (10-min); 941 hPa (mbar)

Angele form on December 13, while stationed in the middle of the Mozambique Channel. It traveled north and gradually organized into a tropical storm while performing a tight counter-clockwise loop. On December 18 Angele intensified into a tropical cyclone before making landfall on Mozambique. Angele weakened to a tropical storm while over land, but re-intensified back to a tropical cyclone as it re-emerged into the Mozambique channel. The cyclone moved south and quite abruptly, on December 23, moved to the northeast. On December 24 Angele reached a peak intensity as a category three cyclone. The system weakened slightly before making landfall on Madagascar two days later. The weak storm moved over the open Indian Ocean and translated into an extra-tropical storm.

Angele is responsible for four deaths and 2,500 people homeless in Mozambique. In Madagascar 70 people were killed by the storm's passage.

Cyclone 03S

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	December 24 (Entered basin) – December 26
Peak intensity	100 km/h (65 mph) (1-min);

03S entered the basin on December 24 and lasted until December 26.

Tropical Cyclone Benjamine

Tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 3 – January 14
Peak intensity	150 km/h (95 mph) (10-min); 941 hPa (mbar)

Benjamine existed from January 3 to January 14. On January 7, the cyclone passed between Réunion and Mauritius. On the former island, the storm dropped heavy rainfall, reaching 665 mm (26.2 in) at Gite de Bellecombe, along with 126 km/h (78 mph) wind gusts at St. Denis. The storm damaged or destroyed 194 houses, while also damaging crops and power lines.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Celine

Intense tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	January 31 – February 12
Peak intensity	170 km/h (105 mph) (10-min); 927 hPa (mbar)

Celine existed from January 31 to February 12. Celine looped near Mauritius while intensifying, and later passed just north of Rodrigues. Wind gusts on the latter island reached 216 km/h (134 mph). The storm killed about half of the population of the critically endangered Rodrigues flying fox.

Tropical Depression Dora

Tropical depression (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	February 4 – February 12
Peak intensity	50 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 997 hPa (mbar)

Dora existed from February 4 to February 12.

Moderate Tropical Storm Estelle

Moderate tropical storm (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	February 10 – February 18
Peak intensity	65 km/h (40 mph) (10-min); 991 hPa (mbar)

Estelle existed from February 10 to February 18. For several days, Estelle moved around the Mascarene Islands, with a peak rainfall total on Réunion of 544 mm (21.4 in) recorded at Petite Plaine.

Tropical Depression Fatou

Tropical depression (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	February 14 – February 16
Peak intensity	50 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 997 hPa (mbar)

Fatou existed from February 14 to February 16.

Tropical Depression Gelie

Tropical depression (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	March 8 – March 14
Peak intensity	50 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 997 hPa (mbar)

Gelie existed from March 8 to March 14.

Tropical Depression Helios

Tropical depression (MFR)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	March 26 – March 28
Peak intensity	50 km/h (30 mph) (10-min); 997 hPa (mbar)

Helios existed from March 26 to March 28.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Idylle

Intense tropical cyclone (MFR)
Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Duration	April 4 – April 13 (Exited basin)
Peak intensity	175 km/h (110 mph) (10-min); 927 hPa (mbar)

Idylle developed on April 4 and left the basin on April 13.

See also

• Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1978, 1979
• Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons: 1978, 1979
• Western Pacific typhoon seasons: 1978, 1979
• North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1978, 1979

References

1. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2013). "Historical event review". Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
2. Tropical Cyclone Benjamine, 3-14 January, 1979. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
3. Hurricane Celine, 31 January-12 February. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
4. J. Bryan Carroll; Georgina M. Mace (January 1988). "Population management of the Rodrigues fruit bat". Conservation Science and Zoos. 27: 70–78. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1988.tb03198.x.
5. Tropical Storm Estelle, 11-18 February. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Global tropical/extratropical cyclone climatic atlas. 1996. Retrieved February 7, 2019.

• South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons
• 1978–79 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season