Storm history › South Indian Ocean › 1988 season
Cyclone Filao (1988)
Filao was a Category 2 cyclone of the 1988 South Indian Ocean season. It was tracked from February 23, 1988 to March 2, 1988, about 8 days, and covered 1,309 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 954 mb.
Its closest pass to a major city was 148 miles from Blantyre, Malawi.
- Peak wind
- 100 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 954 mb
- Strongest
- Category 2 cyclone
- Duration
- 8 days
- Track length
- 1,309 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 6.9
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Blantyre, Malawi | 148 mi (238 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 276th highest of 951 South Indian Ocean storms on record, tied with Cyclone Gamane (2024), Cyclone Dingani (2023), Cyclone Claudia (2020) and 16 more.
- Lowest pressure: 251st lowest of 1,029 South Indian Ocean storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Tropical Storm Ancha (2025), Cyclone Willy (2005), Cyclone Crystal (2003) and 15 more.
- Energy: 10% of the 1988 South Indian Ocean season's ACE.