In contrast to a single maximum in cyclone activity over the north Atlantic and Western Pacific in August-September, the cyclonic storms in the Indian seas, particularly those over the Arabian Sea, show two maxima in May and November with minimum activity in August. This is shown to be closely related to the changes in sea temperature conditions over the Indian seas in association with the southwest monsoon. It is also pointed out that the temperature conditions over the Arabian Sea (except in the month of May) generally inhibit the intensification of westward moving storms, many of them actually dissipating over the sea.