Tropical Cyclone Chalane Makes Landfall in Mozambique

Tropical Cyclone Chalane made landfall in Mozambique on Tuesday night. At 9:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Chalane was located at latitude 19.5°S and longitude 35.3°E which put it about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Beira, Mozambique. Chalane was moving toward the west at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 981 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Chalane made landfall just to the north of Beira, Mozambique on Tuesday night. Chalane intensified until it made landfall. Tropical Cyclone Chalane was almost the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon at the time of landfall. An elliptical eye was at the center of Chalane. The eye was surround by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Chalane.

Tropical Storm Chalane will move north of a high pressure system over southern Africa and the Southwest Indian Ocean. The high will steer Chalane toward the west during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Chalane will move across central Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Chalane will weaken steadily as it moves farther inland. It will drop heavy rain over parts of central Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.