page_title: 1981–82 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
section_title: Other systems
hierarchical_section_title: 1981–82 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season / Systems / Other systems
caption_attribution_description: English: Tropical Storm 20S on February 23, 1982
context_page_description: The 1981–82 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was destructive and deadly in Madagascar, where four cyclones killed 100 people and caused $250 million in damage. The season was fairly active, lasting from October to May. There were nine named storms that attained gale-force winds, or at least 65 km/h. Five of the storms attained tropical cyclone status, which have 10 minute sustained winds of at least 120 km/h.
  The first storm was Tropical Cyclone Alex, which was named by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. this was due to the boundary of the basin at the time, which incorporated the Indian Ocean south of the equator and extended from the east coast of Africa to 80° E; the eastern extent was later moved to 90° E. Two other storms – Armelle and Damia – also originated in the Australian basin. The latter was the strongest cyclone on record in the basin at the time by barometric pressure, estimated at 898 mbar. The first storm to affect Madagascar was Benedicte in December, and was followed by tropical storms Frida and Electre in February and Justine in March.
context_section_description: A tropical depression formed south of Diego Garcia on February 12. Given the name Heberte, it moved southward initially, reaching winds of only 50 km/h (30 mph). A ridge to the south turned the system back north, and Heberte dissipated on February 14 near where it formed.
  There were three short-lived tropical depressions toward the end of February. The first formed on February 19 about 350 km (220 mi) northeast of Tromelin Island. It moved southward toward Mauritius, bringing several days of heavy rainfall there and Réunion. The depression turned to the west-northwest and dissipated on February 23. That day, the other two depressions formed, including one between Réunion and Madagascar. Given the name Isabeau, it moved westward and dissipated on February 24, reaching winds of only 50 km/h (30 mph). The other depression originated in the Mozambique Channel off the southwest coast of Madagascar. On February 24, the system passed south of the island while moving southeastward, bringing wind gusts of 79 km/h (49 mph) at Tôlanaro. It gradually became extratropical, dissipating within the westerlies on February 26. The JTWC classified the system as Tropical Cyclone 20S, estimating 1 minute winds of 85 km/h (50 mph), although it was only officially classified as a tropical depression.
caption: Satellite image of February tropical depression near Madagascar
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