page_title: 2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
section_title: Other systems
hierarchical_section_title: 2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season / Systems / Other systems
caption_attribution_description: Tropical Cyclone 04B near peak intensity on November 11 at 0809 UTC. This image was produced from data from NOAA-16, provided by NOAA. Maximum sustained winds were about 35 to 40 mph at the time.
context_page_description: The 2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was fairly quiet, although activity was evenly spread between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. There were six depressions tracked by the India Meteorological Department, which is the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the northern Indian Ocean. The agency also tracked four cyclonic storms, which have maximum winds of at least 65 km/h sustained over 3 minutes. The American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center tracked an additional storm – Tropical Storm Vamei – which crossed over from the South China Sea at a record-low latitude.
  The first storm originated on May 21, and became the strongest recorded storm in the Arabian Sea at the time. The IMD estimated peak 3 minute winds of 215 km/h while the storm was off the west coast of India. The storm weakened greatly before making landfall in Gujarat, and although impact on land was minor, it left up to 950 fishermen missing. A few weeks later, the first Bay of Bengal system originated – a short-lived depression that dropped heavy rainfall upon striking Odisha.
context_section_description: For several days in June, the JTWC monitored a disturbance in the northern Bay of Bengal for potential development, associated with the southwest monsoon. On June 9, a low pressure area formed, and it became well-defined by June 11. By that time, there was convection located west of an exposed circulation. Early on the following day, the IMD classified it as a depression, estimating peak winds of 45 km/h (30 mph). Strong wind shear prevented much development. Shortly after forming, the system moved northwestward and made landfall near Paradip, Odisha. It quickly weakened below depression intensity on June 13 while progressing inland, degenerating into a remnant low near Madhya Pradesh on June 15. The system dropped heavy rainfall along its path, with a daily peak of 350 mm (14 in) in Vidarbha.
  On November 7, a cycling area of convection was persistent off the east coast of India, associated with a broad circulation embedded within a trough. The thunderstorms expanded and gradually organized, aided by good outflow and low wind shear. On November 11, the IMD upgraded the system to a depression off the coast of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. On the same day, the JTWC began classifying the depression as Tropical Cyclone 04B. Located within a weakness of the ridge, the depression moved slowly to the north and northeast, and was initially expected to move ashore. However, increasing shear removed the convection from the center, and the storm remained offshore while weakening. On November 12, the IMD downgraded the system back to a low pressure area. The storm brought rainfall to coastal portions of eastern India, peaking at 150 mm (5.9 in) in Paradip.
  The near-equator Tropical Storm Vamei crossed Sumatra from the South China Sea at the end of December. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency – the official agency covering the western Pacific Ocean – the storm weakened into a remnant low on December 28, along the east coast of Sumatra. On the next day, the remnants entered the Bay of Bengal, and thunderstorms soon reformed over the circulation due to weak to moderate wind shear. After the remnants of Vamei regenerated, the JTWC classified it as Tropical Cyclone 05B on December 30, although the agency later treated it as a continuation of the original storm. Moving west-northwest, the storm re-intensified to a secondary peak of 65 km/h (40 mph). However, an increase in wind shear left the circulation center exposed. Vamei quickly weakened, dissipating early on January 1, 2002. The IMD never tracked the storm.
caption: Satellite image of the November depression east of India
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