Tropical Cyclone Anggrek strengthened to the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale over the South Indian Ocean on Thursday. At 4:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Anggrek was located at latitude 16.3°S and longitude 87.9°E which put it about 1225 miles (1975 km) southeast of Diego Garcia. Anggrek was moving toward the west-southwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (170 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 972 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek intensified more rapidly on Thursday. A circular eye with a diameter of 18 miles (29 km) formed at the center of Anggrek’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the core of Tropical Cyclone Anggrek. Storms near the core generated strong upper level divergence that pumped large quantities of mass away from the tropical cyclone. The removal of large amounts of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease more rapidly.

The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Anggrek was more symmetrical on Thursday. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Anggrek’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Tropical Cyclone Anggrek was 17.8. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 14.7 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 32.5.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek will move through an environment 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 weak near the axis of the ridge and there will be less vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Anggrek is likely to intensify to the equivalent of a major hurricane during the next 24 hours. Anggrek could intensify rapidly at times.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek will move around the northwestern part of a high pressure system over the South Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Anggrek toward the west-southwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Anggrek will remain far to the southeast of Diego Garcia.

Elsewhere over the South Indian Ocean, Tropical Cyclone Candice moved farther away from Mauritius. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Candice was located at latitude 24.1°S and longitude 60.6°E which put it about 315 miles (505 km) southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius. Candice was moving toward the southeast at 22 m.p.h. (35 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. (170 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 982 mb.