Tropical Cyclone Dudzai continued to churn westward over the South Indian Ocean on Friday. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of the Tropical Cyclone Dudzai was located at latitude 17.6°S and longitude 68.8°E which put the center about 750 miles (1210 km) south-southwest of Diego Garcia. Dudzai was moving toward the west-southwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 971 mb.
Tropical Cyclone Dudzai weakened as it churned westward over the South Indian Ocean on Friday. An eye was no longer visible on satellite imagery of Dudzai on Friday evening. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were still revolving around the center of Dudzai’s circulation. Storms near the center of Dudzai generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. However, the removal of mass in the upper levels was less than the convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere. So, the surface pressure increased on Friday.
The size of the circulation around Tropical Cyclone Dudzai increased on Friday even though Dudzai was weakening. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 75 miles (120 km) in the southwestern quadrant of Dudzai’s circulation. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 35 miles (55 km) in the other quadrants of Tropical Cyclone Dudzai. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 155 miles (250 km) in the southern half of Dudzai’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) in the northern half of Tropical Cyclone Dudzai.
The Hurricane Intensity Index (HHI) for Tropical Cyclone Dudzai was 17.8, The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 17.0 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 34.8.
Tropical Cyclone Duzai will move through an environment unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Dudzai will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. It will move under the western part of an upper level rdige that is over the South Indian Ocean. The upper level ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Dudzai’s circulation. Those winds will cause vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification. Tropical Cyclone Dudzai will continue to weaken on Saturday because of the vertical wind shear.
Tropical Cyclone Dudzai will move around the northern part of a high pressure system over the South Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Dudzai toward the west-southwest on during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Dudzai will approach Rodrigues in 36 hours.