Tropical Cyclone Cheneso weakened west of Madagascar on Wednesday night. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Cheneso was located at latitude 20.4°S and longitude 42.6°E which put it about 110 miles (175 km) west-southwest of Morondava, Madagascar. Cheneso was moving toward the south-southwest at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso was nearly stationary over the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar for 36 hours. The winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere mixed cooler water to the surface of the Mozambique Channel. Cheneso extracted less energy from the cooler water and it weakened slightly. A ring of thunderstorms around the center of Tropical Cyclone Cheneso weakened. The strongest thunderstorms were occurring in the southern part of the ring around the center. Other bands of thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Cheneso’s circulation. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Cheneso. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of circulation.

A surface high pressure system over the Southwest Indian Ocean will move southeast during the next several days. Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move around the northwestern side of the high pressure system during the next 24 hours. The high pressure system will steer Cheneso toward the southwest during the next day or so. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move parallel to the coast of southwestern Madagascar during the next 24 hours. Bands in the eastern side of Cheneso’s circulation will drop locally heavy rain over western Madagascar. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move into an environment favorable for intensification after it moves southwest of the cooler water it mixed to the surface. Cheneso will move over over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will be under the axis of an upper level ridge that stretches from Madagascar westward across southern Africa. The upper level winds are weak near the axis of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Cheneso is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso strengthened to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon over the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar on Tuesday. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Cheneso was located at latitude 20.1°S and longitude 43.0°E which put it about 75 miles (120 km) west of Morondava, Madagascar. Cheneso was nearly stationary. 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 977 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso rapidly intensified to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon over the warm water in the Mozambique Channel west of Madagascar on Tuesday. The inner end of a rainband wrapped most of the way around Cheneso’s circulation. A circular eye appeared to be developing at the center of circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Tropical Cyclone Cheneso. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Cheneso. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will be in an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Cheneso will be over over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will be under the axis of an upper level ridge that stretches from Madagascar westward across southern Africa. The upper level winds are weak near the axis of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will intensify during the next 36 hours. Cheneso could intensify rapidly at times. Tropical Cyclone Cheneso could strengthen to the equivalent of a major hurricane in two or three days.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will be in a region where the steering winds are weak during the next 24 hours. Cheneso could be nearly stationary during much of Wednesday. The northwestern part of a high pressure system over the Southwest Indian Ocean will start to steer Tropical Cyclone Cheneso toward the southwest in 24 to 36 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will remain near the west coast of Madagascar during the next 24 hours. Bands of showers and thunderstorms in the eastern side of Cheneso’s circulation could continue to drop locally heavy rain over parts of the west coast of Madagascar. Heavy rain falling on saturated ground is likely to cause flooding in some locations.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso moved over the Mozambique Channel on Monday night. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Cheneso was located at latitude 20.2°S and longitude 42.5°E which put it about 100 miles (160 km) west of Morondava, Madagascar. Cheneso was moving toward the west at 11 m.p.h. (17 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.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso emerged over the Mozambique Channel after moving slowly toward the southwest across northern Madagascar during the past 4 days. Bands of thunderstorms were developing quickly over the warm water in the Mozambique Channel. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the southern and western sides of the center of Cheneso’s circulation. Storms near the center began to generate upper level divergence again that pumped mass way from the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Cheneso will move over over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under an upper level ridge that stretches from the South Indian Ocean westward across southern Africa. The upper level winds are weak near the axis of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will intensify during the next 36 hours. Cheneso could intensify rapidly at times and it is likely to strengthen to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon.

Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move around the northwestern part of a high pressure system over the Southwest Indian Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Cheneso slowly toward the west during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Cheneso will move gradually farther to the west of Madagascar. Bands of showers and thunderstorms in the eastern side of Cheneso’s circulation could continue to drop locally heavy rain over parts of the west coast of Madagascar.