Tropical Cyclone Ialy strengthened to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon near the coast of Kenya and southern Somalia on Tuesday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ialy was located at latitude 4.3°S and longitude 42.9°E which put it about 150 miles (240 km) east of Mombasa, Kenya. Ialy was moving toward the northwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 986 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Ialy strengthened on Tuesday morning and Meteo France La Reunion indicated that Ialy had intensified to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon. The center of Ialy’s circulation was at latitude 4.3°S, which demonstrates again that it is possible for a strong tropical cyclone to occur near the Equator if the environment is favorable. There is no record of another tropical cyclone occurring where Ialy is located in databases going back to 1945.

A band of thunderstorms wrapped around the center of Tropical Cyclone Ialy. Some satellite images showed evidence of a small eye at the center of Ialy’s circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the center of Tropical Cyclone Ialy. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Ialy was small. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Ialy.

Tropical Cyclone Ialy will move into an environment that will be more unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Ialy 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 little vertical wind shear. However, Tropical Cyclone Ialy is likely to pull drier air from east Africa toward its circulation. So far, the drier air has remained outside of Ialy’s circulation, but the drier air could start to inhibit formation of thunderstorms in the northern part of Ialy. Tropical Cyclone Ialy is likely to weaken during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Ialy will move around the western side of a high pressure system over the equatorial Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Ialy toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Ialy will move toward the coast of northern Kenya and southern Somalia.

Tropical Cyclone Ialy could bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to the coastal sections of northern Kenya and southern Somalia. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Tropical Cyclone Ialy could also cause a storm surge of up to seven feet (two meters) along the coast of northern Kenya and southern Somalia.