Tropical Cyclone Freddy developed rapidly over the South Indian Ocean north of Western Australia on Monday morning. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Freddy was located at latitude 12.8°S and longitude 118.4°E which put it about 440 miles (710 km) northwest of Broome, Australia. Freddy was moving toward the southwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 992 mb.

The circulation around a low pressure system over the South Indian Ocean north of Western Australia strengthened rapidly on Monday morning and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology designated the system as Tropical Cyclone Freddy. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the southern and western sides of the center of Freddy’s circulation. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Tropical Cyclone Freddy. Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Freddy was small. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Freddy.

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

Tropical Cyclone Freddy will move around the northwestern part of a high pressure system over Western Australia. The high pressure system will steer Freddy toward the west-southwest during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Freddy will stay north of Western Australia.

Elsewhere over the South Indian Ocean, a Tropical Low (also designated as Invest 94S) was east of Cocos Islands. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of the Tropical Low was located at latitude 12.5°S and longitude 99.9°E which put it about 210 miles (335 km) east of Cocos Islands. The Tropical Low was moving toward the southeast at 10 m.p.h. (16 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 Tropical Low is forecast to turn toward the southwest and to strengthen to a tropical cyclone later this week.