Tropical Cyclone Vardah moved closer to Somalia on Saturday.  At 7:00 p.m. EST on Saturday  the center of Tropical Cyclone Vardah was located at latitude 9.3°N and longitude 56.9°E which put it about 465 miles (745 km) east of Eyl, Somalia.  Vardah was moving toward the west-southwest at 18 m.p.h. (28 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (70 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Vardah has a small but well defined circulation.  Several rainbands wrap close to the center.  However, the rainbands are thin and thunderstorms are scattered along them.  It appears that the circulation is pulling in drier air from the surrounding environment.  The thunderstorms near the core of the circulation are generating some upper level divergence.

Environmental conditions around Tropical Cyclone Vardah contain both positive and negative factors.  Vardah is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 27°C.  So, there is enough energy in the upper ocean to support intensification.  The winds in the upper levels are not very strong and there is little vertical wind shear.  Drier air seems to be the primary negative factor that is preventing intensification of Tropical Cyclone Vardah.  The drier air could prevent significant intensification of Vardah, but the low level circulation could be strong enough to persist for several more days.

A strong subtropical ridge north of Vardah is steering the tropical cyclone toward the west-southwest and that general motion is expected to continue for several more days.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Vardah could approach the coast of Somalia in a little over 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Vardah is small.  It could produce gusty winds when it reaches the coast.  Isolated areas could also receive locally heavy rain.