During 2019, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year,a total of 142 systems formed, with 100 of these developing further and being named by the responsible warning centre. The strongest tropical cyclone of the year was Typhoon Halong, with a minimum barometric pressure of . Cyclone Idai became the deadliest tropical cyclone of the year, after killing 1,593 people in Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. The costliest tropical cyclone of the year was Typhoon Hagibis, which caused more than $15 billion in damage after striking Japan.
Similar to the previous year, 2019 was above average in terms of the number of storms. The most active basin of the year was the Western Pacific, which documented 29 named systems. The Eastern Pacific had an average season, although many of the storms were rather weak and short-lived, therefore the number of hurricanes was the least since 2010. The North Atlantic hurricane season experienced an above average number of tropical storms, numbering 18, though most were rather weak and short-lived, especially late in the season. In the North Indian Ocean basin it was extremely active, breaking many records. This included Cyclone Kyarr, the second-strongest Arabian Sea Cyclone on record and one of the strongest cyclone ever in the North Indian Ocean. Activity across the southern hemisphere's three basins – South-West Indian, Australian, and South Pacific – was fairly significant, with the regions recording 25 named storms altogether, with the most intense Southern Hemisphere cyclone of the year, Cyclone Ambali from the Southwest Indian Ocean basin peaking with a central pressure of . Eight Category 5 tropical cyclones formed in 2019. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for the 2019 (seven basins combined), as calculated by Colorado State University (CSU) was 854.8 units.
Global atmospheric and hydrological conditions The El Niño from the previous year continued into the start of 2019, albeit in borderline-neutral conditions, though many agencies were still predicting it to continue into Spring. This weak El Niño state persisted through Summer, however sea surface temperatures in the Pacific transitioned to a neutral state by August, marking the end of the El Niño and the beginning of ENSO-neutral conditions. These neutral conditions continued in Winter, and onto the next year.
Summary
North Atlantic Ocean
The North Atlantic Ocean experienced their fourth-most active season on record, tied with 1969, at 18 named storms. Most of the storms were weak and short-lived, possibly because of moderately high wind shear that persisted throughout the season. Sea surface temperatures, however, were quite high for tropical cyclone development. Saharan dust counts were fairly sedate throughout the month of September. Andrea, Melissa, and Rebekah were the only storms to become subtropical storms throughout some portion of their lives (Andrea and Rebekah were subtropical for their whole lives). The North Atlantic basin featured a record fifth consecutive year for tropical or subtropical development before the month of June, which the record continues when Tropical Storms Arthur and Bertha form on May 16 and 27, 2020, yet marking the sixth year of tropical development before the season actually starts. The season also featured more than one Category 5 Hurricane, making it one of only seven seasons to accomplish such a feat. Hurricane Dorian was the strongest tropical cyclone for the basin in 2019. Dorian peaked with a strength of 185 miles per hour, and peaked at an intensity of 910 hPa/mbar. Dorian is the record-tying strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane. The record is tied with the Great 1935 Labor Day hurricane. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index value for the individual basin is 132 units, which is only dubbed "above normal", despite the high count of named storms of 18.
Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean
The Eastern portions of the Pacific Ocean was only moderately active, likely because of a weakening El Niño trend that started in late July. The 2019 Pacific hurricane season featured 21 tropical depressions, 19 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. The first tropical depression didn't form until June 25; which is the latest start on record, since reliable records were kept in 1971, that a first tropical cyclone ever formed. Alvin, the first tropical storm of the season, did eventually become the first hurricane of the 2019 Pacific hurricane season. Barbara, the strongest hurricane of the basin in 2019, was short-lived. However, Barbara did eventually undergo rapid intensification and peaked as a high end Category 4 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Barbara encountered large portions of wind shear and weakened very rapidly. Barbara's remnants did eventually reach Hawaii, but little to no damage was reported. No hurricanes formed in August. It wasn't until September 1 that the next hurricane formed; Juliette; a high-end Category 3 major hurricane. Tropical Storm Akoni was the first storm of the Central Pacific, as well as the second time the name has been used; the first usage was in 1982. Hurricane Kiko was the longest-lived Pacific hurricane of 2019 that tracked mostly over open waters. Lorena was the most serious hurricane of the season, but minor damage was reported. Tropical Storm Narda did make small impacts in Mexico, but they weren't too serious. Tropical Storm Ema was the second and last storm of the Central Pacific. Tropical Depression Twenty-One-E concluded the season when it dissipated on November 17. The total ACE in the basin is 97.9875 units, which is considered "near normal".
Western Pacific Ocean
The Western Pacific typhoon region was fairly above average. It was the costliest Pacific typhoon season on record, breaking the record set by the previous year. The 2019 Pacific typhoon season featured 51 tropical depressions, 29 tropical storms, 17 typhoons, and 5 (unofficial) super typhoons, with 4 attaining Category 5 status. Typhoon Wutip was a rare February Category 5 super typhoon. No other storms strengthened to typhoons until Typhoon Francisco formed in early August. Typhoon Lekima followed it, which later caused extensive damage in South China. Many more tropical storms and typhoons followed. Typhoon Hagibis was the costliest typhoon of the season and on record, inflicting US$15 billion after making landfall on Japan as a Category 1 typhoon. (unadjusted for 2020 inflation). Typhoon Halong became the most intense storm of the season, as well as the most intense of the whole year, peaking at 905 hPa. Typhoons Kammuri and Phanfone wreaked major havoc in the Philippines in December 2019; Kammuri with its Category 4 landfall, and Phanfone with its high death toll as a prolonged Category 2 typhoon. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index of this season amounted to 269 units, which is considered "near normal".
North Indian Ocean
The season was the most active North Indian Ocean cyclone season ever recorded in terms of cyclonic storms, though the 1992 season saw more tropical storms according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The season featured 12 depressions, 11 deep depressions, 8 cyclonic storms, a record 6 severe cyclonic storms, a record 6 very severe cyclonic storms, a record 3 extremely severe cyclonic storms, and 1 super cyclonic storm, Kyarr, the first since Cyclone Gonu in 2007. Additionally, it was also the third-costliest season recorded in the North Indian Ocean, only behind the 2020 and 2008 seasons.
Amid a weak El Niño event, the season's first named storm, Pabuk, entered the basin on January 4, becoming the earliest-forming cyclonic storm of the North Indian Ocean on record, tying with the 2014 season. The second cyclonic storm of the season, Fani, formed on April 26. Fani became an extremely severe cyclonic storm on April 30, reaching the equivalent of Category 5 status on the Saffir–Simpson scale, then made landfall in India killing 89 people between Odisha and Bangladesh; Fani caused $8.1 billion in damage.
In early June, a strong pulse of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) led to the development of the third cyclonic storm, Vayu, which formed June 10 in the Arabian Sea near the Maldives. The storm subsequently intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm on June 12, after moving northwestward towards northwestern India and Pakistan. No tropical cyclones formed in the month of July. Deep Depression BOB 03 formed on August 7 before impacting East India and Bangladesh. In late September, Deep Depression ARB 02 formed near Gujarat and intensified into the fourth cyclonic storm of the season, Hikaa. Cyclonic Storm Kyarr formed on October 24 and three days later became the first super cyclonic storm since Cyclone Gonu in 2007. The sixth cyclonic storm and a record-breaking fifth very severe cyclonic storm, Cyclone Maha, formed on October 30 after Kyarr dissipated on November 1. Soon afterward, on November 6, the remnants of Severe Tropical Storm Matmo crossed the Southeast Asia overland and again consolidated into a depression. It further rapidly intensified into Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Bulbul. Three more Deep Depressions formed in Arabian Sea in quick succession early in the month of December, of which one strengthened into the eighth cyclone of the season, Cyclone Pawan, which made landfall in Somalia on December 6.
The high amount of activity in the Arabian Sea was related to the strongest Indian Ocean Dipole in 60 years, in which the waters are warmer in the western Indian Ocean than the eastern.
Tropical cyclones have been recorded in the North Indian Ocean since 1891. The 2019 season was the first since 1902 that experienced the development of six severe cyclonic storms out of eight cyclonic storms; in 1902, five cyclonic storms formed and four of them became severe cyclonic storms. The season has also produced the most accumulated cyclone energy in this basin on record.
South-West Indian Ocean
January–June
The 2018–19 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was the costliest and the most active season ever recorded since reliable records began in 1967. Additionally, it is also the deadliest cyclone season recorded in the South-West Indian Ocean, surpassing the 1891–92 season, in which the 1892 Mauritius cyclone devastated the island of Mauritius. Two moderate tropical storms formed at the start of this year, Desmond and Eketsang. Five more intense tropical cyclones formed during February and March: Funani, Gelena, Haleh, Idai, and Joaninha. In addition, Savannah crossed into the basin from the Australian basin as an intense tropical cyclone in March. Of these storms, all of them but Haleh and Savannah produced impacts on land, with Idai causing at least 1,303 deaths and leaving at least 2,262 people missing, and causing US$2.2 billion in damages in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Madagascar. The season set a new record of nine intense tropical cyclones, the largest number since the start of reliable satellite coverage in 1967, surpassing the 2006–07 season.
July–December