Tropical Cyclone Gezani hit Madagascar near Toamasina with strong winds and heavy rain on Tuesday afternoon. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Gezani was located at latitude 18.4°S and longitude 47.6°E which put the center about 75 miles (120 km) northeast of Antananarivo, Madagascar. Gezani was moving toward the west at 11 m.p.h. (17 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 985 mb.
Tropical Cyclone Gezani hit Madagascar near Toamasina on Tuesday afternoon. A weather station at the airport in Toamasina (FMMT) reported a reported a sustained wind speed of 54 m.p.h. (87 km/h) and a wind gust of 84 m.p.h. (135 km/h) at 10:00 a.m. EST on Tuesday. That observation was made while Gezani was approaching Toamasina. There have not been any additional reports from that weather station since that time.
Tropical Cyclone Gezani was the equivalent of a major hurricane when it hit Madagascar. The maximum sustained wind speed was 125 m.p.h. (200 km) at the time of landfall. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Gezani’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Gezani.
The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Tropical Cyclone Gezani at the time of landfall was 23.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 11.0 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 34.6. Tropical Cyclone Gezani was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Dennis when Dennis hit Northwest Florida in 2005.
Tropical Cyclone Gezani will move around the northern side of a high pressure system that is over the South Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Gezani toward the west-southwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Gezani will continue to move across central Madagascar on Wednesday. Gezani will reach the Mozambique Channel on Wednesday night.
Tropical Cyclone Gezani will continue to bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to central Madagascar. Heavy rain will cause flash floods in some locations. Tropical Cyclone Gezani will be capable of causing serious damage to central Madagascar. Widespread outages of electricity are likely.
Tropical Cyclone Gezani will continue to weaken as it moves across central Madagascar. Gezani is likely to be the equivalent of a tropical storm when it reaches the Mozambique Channel. Tropical Cyclone Gezani will move into an environment favorable for intensification after it moves over the Mozambique Channel.