When October turns deadly; Odisha’s repeating pattern of cyclones from 1999 super cyclone to Montha

On Monday morning, as Cyclone ‘Montha’ swirls closer to the Andhra Pradesh coast and threatens to bring heavy rain to southern Odisha, the month of October once again revives memories of the state’s devastating encounters with nature’s fury.

From the 1999 Super Cyclone to Phailin (2013), Hudhud (2014), Titli (2018) and Dana (2024), meteorologists have long termed October as “Odisha’s cyclone month.”

The reason for this is straightforward, as October is a period when the Bay of Bengal’s atmospheric and oceanic conditions combine to create the perfect breeding ground for storms.

October: Odisha’s Cyclone-Breeding Month

According to weather expert Sarat Sahu, October to December is historically the most active phase for tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal because of the seasonal transi