Tropical Cyclone Anggrek turned southwest over the South Indian Ocean west of Cocos Island on Tuesday. At 4:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Anggrek was located at latitude 13.6°S and longitude 91.5°E which put it about 370 miles (600 km) west of Cocos Islands. Anggrek was moving toward the south-southwest at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek strengthened after it started to move toward the southwest on Tuesday. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the southern and western side of the center of Anggrek’s circulation. More thunderstorms formed in bands revolving around the center of circulation. Storms near the center of Anggrek generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 75 miles (120 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Anggrek.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Anggrek will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. It will move under the axis of an upper level ridge over the South Indian Ocean. The upper level winds are weaker near the axis of the ridge and there will be less vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Anggrek is likely to strengthen back to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek will move around the northwestern part of a high pressure system west of Australia. The high pressure system will steer Anggrek toward the southwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Anggrek will move far to the southeast of Diego Garcia later this week.

Elsewhere over the South Indian Ocean, a tropical depression formed east of Rodrigues. At 4:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of the tropical depression was located at latitude 19.8°S and longitude 57.9°E which put it about 265 miles (425 km) east of Rodrigues. The tropical depression was moving toward the south-southwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 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 997 mb.