Tropical Cyclone Freddy strengthened near the coast of Mozambique on Thursday night. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Freddy was located at latitude 22.8°S and longitude 37.1°E which put it about 130 miles (210 km) east-southeast of Vilankulo, Mozambique. Freddy was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 983 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy continued to intensify on Thursday evening as it moved closer to the coast of Mozambique. The inner end of a rainband wrapped most of the way around the center of Freddy’s circulation. An eye appeared to be forming again at the center of circulation. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Tropical Cyclone Freddy. Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 120 miles (195 km) from the center of Freddy.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 10 hours. Freddy will move over over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the northern part of an upper level ridge over southern Africa. The ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Freddy’s circulation. The winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere will also blow from the east. So, there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Freddy will intensify to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon during the next 10 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy will move around the northern side of a high pressure system over southern Africa. The high pressure system will steer Freddy toward the west during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Freddy will reach the coast of Mozambique in 10 hours. The center of Freddy will make landfall between Vilankulo and Pomene. Tropical Cyclone Freddy will be the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon when it makes landfall. Freddy will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to parts of southern Mozambique. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Tropical Cyclone Freddy will cause a storm surge of up to 7 feet (2 meters) along the coast between Vilankulo and Pomene.

Elsewhere over the South Indian Ocean, Tropical Cyclone Enala intensified to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon as it moved farther away from Diego Garcia. At 4:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Enala was located at latitude 20.3°S and longitude 70.9°E which put it about 870 miles (1405 km) south of Diego Garcia. Enala was moving toward the south-southwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 975 mb.