Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo Forms Southeast of Diego Garcia

Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo formed over the South Indian Ocean southeast of Diego Garcia on Monday. At 4:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo was located at latitude 14.8°S and longitude 81.4°E which put it about 870 miles (1350 km) southeast of Diego Garcia. Bongoyo was moving toward the west-southwest at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.

More thunderstorms formed near the center of a low pressure system southeast of Diego Garcia on Monday and the system was designated as Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the southern and western sides of the center of Bongoyo. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms developed in the southern half of the circulation. Bands in the northern half of Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo consisted primarily of showers and low clouds. Storms near the center started to generate upper level divergence which pumped mass away to the west of the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 100 miles (160 km) in the southern half of Bongoyo. Winds to tropical storm force only extended out 35 miles in the northern half of the tropical cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next several days. Bongoyo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 27°C. It will move under the northwestern part of an upper level ridge over the Southeast Indian Ocean. The ridge will produce northeasterly winds which will blow toward the top of the circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent Bongoyo from intensifying. Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo will intensify during the next 48 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo will move around the northwestern part of a high pressure system over the Southeast Indian Ocean. The high will steer Boyongo toward the west-southwest during the next several days. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Bongoyo will pass well south of Diego Garcia. Bongoyo could approach Rodrigues in five days.