A tropical cyclone, named Chido, has developed over the southwestern Indian Ocean, approximately 1,332 kilometers off the coast of Madagascar. The cyclone has reached maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h (55 knots) with gusts of up to 130 km/h.
The SADC Climate Services Centre has indicated that there is a high possibility of Chido intensifying into a Category 3 cyclone within the next 24 hours. The storm is expected to make landfall in northern Madagascar, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and rough sea conditions. After its initial impact on Madagascar, the cyclone is forecasted to strengthen and affect the Comoros and Mozambique.
The SADC Climate Services Centre has advised residents in these regions to prepare for severe weather conditions.
In Zimbabwe, James Ngoma, head of forecasting at the Meteorological Services Department, stated that the cyclone’s distance and current trajectory pose no immediate threat to the country. He mentioned that Zimbabwe is expected to experience rain over the weekend, but this will be due to storms originating from Botswana, not Cyclone Chido. Ngoma added that the weather this week would be mostly sunny and hot, with potential storms arriving from the west.
Cyclone Chido is the third significant low-pressure system to threaten Southern Africa this year. It follows Cyclone Ancha, named by the Comoros, and Cyclone Bheki, named by Eswatini. The name Chido was provided by Zimbabwe. If another storm forms before the season ends, it will be named Dikeledi, a name designated by South Africa.
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Tropical cyclones in the region are named alphabetically, alternating between male and female names. These names are proposed by the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) members in the region and are approved by the relevant tropical cyclone regional bodies. Zimbabwe has also provided the name Yemurai for the 25th storm of the season.
