Tropical Cyclone Filipo moved away from Mozambique on Wednesday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Filipo was located at latitude 28.9°S and longitude 36.6°E which put it about 245 miles (390 km) southeast of Maputo, Mozambique. Filipo was moving toward the southeast at 23 m.p.h. (37 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.
Tropical Cyclone Filipo started to make a transition to an extratropical cyclone as it moved away from Mozambique on Wednesday. An upper level trough over southern Africa produced strong northwesterly winds that blew toward the top of Filipo’s circulation. Those winds also caused strong vertical wind shear and the wind shear started the transition to an extratropical cyclone. Thunderstorms were still occurring in bands in the southern part of Tropical Cyclone Filipo. Bands in the northern part of Filipo’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 100 miles (160 km) in the eastern side of Tropical Cyclone Filipo. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) in the western side of Filipo.
Tropical Cyclone Filipo will move through an environment unfavorable for a tropical cyclone during the next 36 hours. Filipo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26°C. However, the upper level trough over southern Africa will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear. The combination of strong vertical wind shear and cooler water will cause Tropical Cyclone Filipo to complete a transition to an extratropical cyclone during the next 36 hours.
The upper level trough over southern Africa will steer Tropical Cyclone Filipo toward the southeast during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Filipo will pass south of Madagascar in 24 hours. Filipo is likely to be an extratropical cyclone when it passes south of Madagascar.