Tropical Cyclone Grant moved northeast of Mauritius on Saturday.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Saturday the center of Tropical Cyclone Grant was located at latitude 15.6°S and longitude 62.3°E which put the center about 480 miles (775 km) northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius.  Grant was moving toward the west-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 1002 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Grant weakened slightly earlier on Saturday.  However, more thunderstorms developed in Grant’s circulation on Saturday evening.  Numerous thunderstorms formed in the bands in the western half of Tropical Cyclone Grant.  New thunderstorms also started to develop in bands east of the center of Grant’s circulation.  Thunderstorms near the center of Grant began to generate more upper level divergence that pumped more mass away from the tropical cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Grant will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Grant will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move under the northern part of an upper level ridge over the South Indian Ocean.  The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Grant’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. The moderate wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear will be less than it has been during the past few days. Tropical Cyclone Grant could intensity during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Grant will move around the northern side of a high pressure system over the South Indian Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Grant toward the west-southwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Grant will pass north of Mauritius and La Reunion on Monday.  Grant could approach the east coast of Madagascar on Tuesday.