page_title: 2003–04 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
section_title: Other systems
hierarchical_section_title: 2003–04 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season / Systems / Other systems
caption_attribution_description: English: Tropical Depression 21S on March 25, 2004
context_page_description: The 2003–04 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season featured the most intense tropical cyclone in the South-West Indian Ocean, Cyclone Gafilo, as well as nine other named storms. Tropical activity began on September 28 when Moderate Tropical Storm Abaimba formed at a low latitude. Activity continued until late May, following Severe Tropical Storm Juba, which marked the third year in a row that a storm formed in May. The final disturbance, one of sixteen, dissipated on May 24. Activity was near average, and the season was one of the longest on record.
  The first intense tropical cyclone was Beni, which reached that intensity on November 13, the third-earliest on record. In December, Tropical Cyclone Cela moved across Madagascar, and Severe Tropical Storm Darius dropped heavy rainfall in the Mascarene Islands. In January, Cyclone Elita crossed Madagascar three times, which caused widespread flooding and 33 deaths. Also in that month was Intense Tropical Cyclone Frank, which developed quickly but remained away from land. On March 7, Cyclone Gafilo struck near Antalaha in northeast Madagascar and largely destroyed the town.
context_section_description: Toward the end of January, an area of convection extended from the coast of Africa. On January 22, the MFR designated the system as Zone of Disturbed Weather 05, after a circulation became present northeast of Madagascar. Unfavorable wind shear prevented development, and the MFR discontinued advisories on January 24. The same MJO pulse that spawned cyclones Elita and Frank also produced an area of convection in the eastern portion of the basin on January 27. A day later, the system organized enough for the MFR to designate it Tropical Disturbance 08. Soon after, the circulation moved southeastward, crossing 90º E into the neighboring Australian basin. There, the BoM tracked the storm, upgrading it to Tropical Cyclone Linda on January 30, and tracking it until February 1.
  A low pressure moved westward from the Australian basin on March 15, potentially a continuation of Tropical Cyclone Evan which moved across Northern Australia in early March. The MFR designated the low as Tropical Disturbance 11, estimating peak winds of 45 km/h (30 mph). The agency discontinued advisories on March 21 while the disturbance was near Agaléga island. That day, convection increased over the circulation despite moderate wind shear. On March 23, the JTWC classified the system as Tropical Cyclone 21S, but the agency discontinued advisories on the next day. The MFR reissued advisories on March 25, following the weak system on a general westward trajectory until March 28 to the northeast of Madagascar. On March 31, the MFR briefly issued advisories on Tropical Disturbance 13 on a system east-southeast of Agaléga. With only pulsing thunderstorms, the system quickly weakened, and the agency ceased issuing advisories. The MFR also issued advisories for Zone of Disturbed Weather 14 on April 26 to the north-northeast of Mauritius, noting an area of thunderstorms and a poorly-defined circulation. The system failed to develop further.
  The final system of the year was Zone of Disturbed Weather 16, which originated east-northeast of Diego Garcia on May 19. The weak system moved to the west-southwest, and the MFR issued their last advisory on May 24.
caption: Satellite image of Tropical Disturbance 11 to the northeast of Madagascar in March
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