Tropical Cyclone Freddy moved east-northeast of Rodrigues on Saturday morning. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Saturday the center of Tropical Cyclone Freddy was located at latitude 16.3°S and longitude 68.8°E which put it about 430 miles (690 km) east-northeast of Rodrigues. Freddy was moving toward the west at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 947 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy was still the equivalent of a major hurricane. The circulation around Freddy was very close to being in equilibrium with the environment around it. A circular eye with a diameter of 25 miles (40 km) was at the center of Tropical Cyclone Freddy. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Freddy’s circulation. Storms near the core generated strong upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone in all directions.

The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Freddy was very symmetrical. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 40 miles (65 km) from the center of Freddy’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 100 miles (160 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Freddy was 23.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 14.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 37.7. Tropical Cyclone Freddy was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Harvey, when Harvey hit the coast of Texas in 2017. Freddy was capable of causing regional major damage.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy will continue to move through an environment that will be favorable for a strong tropical cyclone during the next 24 hours. Freddy will move over over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. An upper level ridge over the South Indian Ocean will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Freddy’s circulation. The winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere will also blow from the east. So, there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Freddy has a structure similar to an annular hurricane. Tropical cyclones with a structure like an annular hurricane tend to maintain nearly a steady intensity.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy will move around the northern part of a high pressure system over the South Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Freddy toward the west during the next24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Freddy will be north of Rodrigues in 24 hours. Freddy could bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Rodrigues. Tropical Cyclone Freddy could eventually threaten Mauritius, La Reunion and Madagascar. Freddy could be north of Mauritius in 48 hours and it could be near the east coast of Madagascar in three days.