Tropical Cyclone Cheneso moved over the Mozambique Channel on Monday night. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Cheneso was located at latitude 20.2°S and longitude 42.5°E which put it about 100 miles (160 km) west of Morondava, Madagascar. Cheneso was moving toward the west at 11 m.p.h. (17 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 999 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso emerged over the Mozambique Channel after moving slowly toward the southwest across northern Madagascar during the past 4 days. Bands of thunderstorms were developing quickly over the warm water in the Mozambique Channel. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the southern and western sides of the center of Cheneso’s circulation. Storms near the center began to generate upper level divergence again that pumped mass way from the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Cheneso will move over over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under an upper level ridge that stretches from the South Indian Ocean westward across southern Africa. The upper level winds are weak near the axis of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will intensify during the next 36 hours. Cheneso could intensify rapidly at times and it is likely to strengthen to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move around the northwestern part of a high pressure system over the Southwest Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Cheneso slowly toward the west during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move gradually farther to the west of Madagascar. Bands of showers and thunderstorms in the eastern side of Cheneso’s circulation could continue to drop locally heavy rain over parts of the west coast of Madagascar.