She saw service in the early months of World War II before being scuttled in June 1940 to prevent her capture by advancing German forces during the Battle of France.

The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[1] The main armament of the Bourrasque-class ships consisted of four Canon de 130 mm (5.1 in) Modèle 1919 guns in shielded single mounts, one superfiring pair each fore and aft of the superstructure.

[4] After taking part in combined 1935 maneuvers by the Brest and Toulon squadrons, she was among the ships involved in a major naval review for French Minister of the Navy François Piétri in France′s Baie de Douarnenez on 27 June 1935.

On 17 October 1939, she and one of her sister ships, the destroyer Mistral, were on their way to reinforce the escort of a convoy when her crew thought they sighted the conning tower of a diving submarine.

While she was outbound from Dover, England, bound for Dunkirk during the predawn hours of 31 May 1940, the German Navy E-boat S24 hit her with a torpedo, blowing her bow off and leaving two members of her crew missing and presumed dead.

[7] At the request of Cyclone′s commanding officer, the Polish Navy destroyer ORP Błyskawica escorted Cyclone as she limped back toward Dover.