Tropical Cyclone Dahlia formed southwest of Indonesia on Wednesday.  At 10:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Dahlia was located at latitude 8.4°S and longitude 101.5°E which put it about 320 miles (520 km) west-northwest of Christmas Island.  Dahlia was moving toward the east at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 999 mb.

A center of circulation developed in a cluster of thunderstorms previously designated as Invest 96S and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology named the system Tropical Cyclone Dahlia.  The circulation of Dahlia is still organizing.  A primary rainband wrapped around the southern and western sides of the center.  Additional bands of showers and thunderstorms formed in the western half of the circulation.  Fewer thunderstorms formed in the eastern half of Dahlia.  The thunderstorms near and to the west of the center were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away to the west of the tropical cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Dahlia will be moving through an environment favorable for intensification during the next several days.  Dahlia will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  Dahlia is underneath the northern part of an upper level ridge.  The ridge is producing easterly winds which are blowing toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds are causing moderate vertical wind shear, which may be the reason why most of the thunderstorms are west of the center of circulation.  The shear is strong enough to slow the intensification of Dahlia, but it is not strong enough to prevent the tropical cyclone from strengthening.  Tropical Cyclone Dahlia is likely to likely to intensify during the next 24 to 48 hours.

The steering winds around Dahlia are relatively weak and the tropical cyclone is moving slowly toward the east.  The upper level ridge is forecast to shift north and stronger westerly winds are likely to steer Tropical Cyclone Dahlia toward the east at a faster speed.  When Dahlia reaches the southern portion of the upper level ridge in a couple of days, northerly winds diverging from the ridge are likely to steer the tropical cyclone toward the south.