The final storm of the season was Cyclone Karla, which remained in the eastern periphery of the basin while reaching winds of 170 km/h (105 mph).

At the time, the MFR area of warning responsibility was from the coast of Africa to 80° E, and the agency primarily used the Dvorak technique to estimate the intensities of tropical cyclones.

[2] The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), which is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force that issues tropical cyclone warnings for the region,[3] also issued advisories for storms in the year.

[1] Four storms struck Madagascar in the season between December and March,[5] collectively killing 100 people and causing $250 million (1982 United States dollars) in damage.

The storms closed down many roads and destroyed widespread crops, forcing the government to import 400,000 metric tons of rice.

However, the ongoing floods strained the Madagascar's resources, and the government appealed for aid to the international community on February 4.

The United States Agency for International Development provided nearly $9 million in aid, mostly for rice and rebuilding roads.

Other countries donated about $7.5 million in money or relief goods, such as building materials, food, clothing, and medicine.

[9] Late on October 21, Alex attained peak winds of 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph), or above tropical cyclone status.

[8][9] The storm developed east of 80° E but west of 90° E, which at the time was part of the warning responsibility for the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).

On November 18, Armell deteriorated to tropical depression status, dissipating two days later between Tromelin Island and the Seychelles.

On December 19, the system intensified into a moderate tropical storm while passing 75 km (45 mi) north of Madagascar.

Convection increased as the storm progressed through the Mozambique Channel, and the Madagascar Meteorological Service named it Benedicte on December 20.

Benedicte made landfall on central Mozambique on December 24 and turned northward, straddling the border with Malawi.

Moving westward due to a large anticyclone to the south, it gradually intensified and was named Chris by the BoM.

[16] On the next day, the Dvorak rating reached 6.0 for the storm,[5] and the MFR estimated peak 10 minute winds of 215 km/h (135 mph), making it an intense tropical cyclone.

[17] Around that time, the storm passed about 20 km (12 mi) north of Rodrigues and later approached Mauritius before curving to the south.

The storm damaged or destroyed 70 houses, forcing 500 people to shelters, while 100 km (60 mi) of unpaved roads were wrecked.

Two days later, the storm moved ashore eastern Madagascar between Toamasina and Mahanoro with peak winds of 80 km/h (50 mph).

On February 5, Electre made its final landfall on central Mozambique between Lumbo and Quelimane, dissipating soon thereafter.

[19][20] Striking the country just two days after Tropical Storm Frida affected the region, Electre brought additional rainfall,[7] with a peak 24‑hour total of 151.1 mm (5.95 in) at Mahanoro.

On February 1, the storm intensified to peak winds of 65 km/h (40 mph) before turning westward and moving back ashore,[21] steered by a ridge.

On February 6, Gabrielle passed northwest of Mauritius and Réunion; on the latter island, the mountainous peak Plaine des Cafres recorded gusts of 158 km/h (98 mph).

It continued southwestward and weakened over the island, emerging into the Mozambique Channel near Besalampy as a tropical storm.

It re-intensified into a tropical cyclone over waters, reaching peak winds of 150 km/h (95 mph) on March 22 only 20 km (12 mi) offshore Mozambique.

Justine damaged houses, crops, and roads, while destroying a vanilla storage shed in Sambava.

A ridge to the south steered Karla to the east on April 27, although an approaching trough turned it to the southeast on the following day.

[25][26] Increased wind shear and progressively cooler waters weakened the cyclone as it turned more to the south.

On February 24, the system passed south of the island while moving southeastward, bringing wind gusts of 79 km/h (49 mph) at Tôlanaro.