Tropical Cyclone Taliah strengthened to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon over the South Indian Ocean northwest of Australia on Monday. At 4:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Taliah was located at latitude 15.2°S and longitude 113.9°E which put the center about 500 miles (800 km) north of Exmouth, Australia. Taliah was moving toward the west at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 975 mb.
Tropical Cyclone Taliah strengthened to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon on Monday. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the western and northern sides of the center of Taliah’s circulation. Even though Tropical Cyclone Taliah strengthened, the distribution of thunderstorms was asymmetrical. Most thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the western and northern parts of Taliah’s circulation. Bands in the eastern and southern parts of Tropical Cyclone Taliah consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Taliah generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the west of the tropical cyclone. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.
Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 60 miles (95 km/h) in the northern side of Tropical Cyclone Taliah. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 30 miles (50 km) in the southern part of Taliah’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Taliah.
Tropical Cyclone Taliah will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Taliah will move over water where where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move under the northern part of an upper level ridge west of Australia. The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Taliah’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Cyclone Taliah is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.
Tropical Cyclone Taliah will move around the northern side of a high pressure system that extends from Australia to the South Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Talia toward the west during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Taliah will move farther away from Western Australia.
Elsewhere, Tropical Cyclone Vince intensified south of the Cocos Islands. 4:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Vince was located at latitude 16.7°S and longitude 94.3°E which put the center about 355 miles (525 km) south-southwest of the Cocos Islands. Vince was moving toward the west-southwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 983 mb.