North Indian Ocean tropical cyclones develop in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea during the spring and fall. Tropical Cyclones in this area form between latitudes 8КN and 15КN,except from June through September, when the little activity that does occur is confined north of about 15КN. These storms are usually short-lived and weak; however winds of 130 knots(150 mph) have been encountered. They often develop as perturbations along the Inter tropical Convergence Zone (ITZC); this inhibits summertime development since the ITCZ is usually over land during the monsoon season. However, it is sometimes displaced southward, and when this occurs, storms will form over the monsoon-flooded plains of Bengal. On the average, six cyclonic storms form each year. These include two storms that generate winds of 48 knots(55 mph) or greater. Another 10 tropical cyclones near develop beyond tropical depressions. The Bay of Bengal is the area of highest incidence. However, it is not unusual for a storm to move across southern India and re intensify in the Arabian Sea. This is particularly true during October--the month of highest incidence during the tropical cyclone season. It is also during this period torrential rains from these storms dumped over already rain-soaked areas cause disastrous floods