Tropical Cyclone Ialy continued to spin over the South Indian Ocean north of Madagascar on Saturday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ialy was located at latitude 7.7°S and longitude 47.7°E which put it about 305 miles (490 km) north-northwest of Antsiranana, Madagascar. Ialy was moving toward the west-northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 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 1000 mb.

The vertical wind shear decreased during Friday night and Saturday morning, and Tropical Cyclone Ialy intensified a little more. Drier air was pulled around the eastern side of Ialy’s circulation and the distribution of thunderstorms remained asymmetrical. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the western half of Tropical Cyclone Ialy. Thunderstorms were also occurring near the center of Ialy’s circulation. Bands in the eastern part of Tropical Cyclone Ialy consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Thunderstorms near the center of Ialy generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone.

Winds to tropical storm force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Ialy.

Tropical Cyclone Ialy will move into an environment that will become less favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Ialy will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. However, an upper level ridge over the South Indian Ocean will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ialy’s circulation. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. In addition, the drier air in the eastern side of Ialy’s circulation will inhibit formation of thunderstorms in that region. Tropical Cyclone Ialy is likely to start to weaken slowly during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Ialy will move north of a high pressure system over the Southwest Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Ialy slowly toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Ialy will remain move farther north of Madagascar. Ialy is likely to remain northeast of the Aldabra Islands.