Tropical Cyclone Joshua developed over the South Indian Ocean southwest of Cocos Island on Saturday. At 7:00 a.m. EST on Saturday the center of Tropical Cyclone Joshua was located at latitude 17.1°S and longitude 92.0°E which put it about 465 miles (750 km) southwest of Cocos Island. Joshua was moving toward the west-southwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 992 mb.

The circulation around a tropical low southwest of Cocos Island strengthened on Saturday and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology designated the system as Tropical Cyclone Joshua. The circulation around Joshua exhibited much more organization on Saturday morning. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Tropical Cyclone Joshua. Microwave satellite imagery indicated that an eye could be forming at the center of Joshua. Storms around the center generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 85 miles (135 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Joshua will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Joshua will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C. It will move under the northern side of an upper level ridge over the South Indian Ocean. The ridge will produce easterly winds which will blow toward the top of the tropical cyclone. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Cyclone Joshua is likely to strengthen during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Joshua will move north of a high pressure system over the South Indian Ocean. The high will steer Joshua toward the west-southwest. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Joshua will move farther away from Cocos Island. Joshua will pass far to the south of Diego Garcia.

Elsewhere over the South Indian Ocean, a tropical depression formed north-northeast of Rodrigues. At 7:00 a.m. EST on Saturday the center of the tropical depression was was located at latitude 12.6°S and longitude 65.2°E which put it about 490 miles (790 km) north-northeast of Rodrigues. The depression was moving toward the west at 11 m.p.h. (17 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. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 998 mb. The depression is forecast to move toward the west and to strengthen.