Cyclone Freddy in the southern Indian Ocean is expected to slam Madagascar with life-threatening flooding and damaging winds before threatening parts of southern Africa.
While these types of storms are called hurricanes in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans, they are called cyclones in the Indian Ocean.
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Cyclone Freddy was equivalent in strength to a Category 4 hurricane as of Monday morning (U.S. time), according to the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Freddy peaked at Category 5 intensity over the weekend as it tracked across the southern Indian Ocean.
On the forecast path, Cyclone Freddy is expected to track west-southwestward into Madagascar by Tuesday evening (U.S. time) as a Category 3-equivalent cyclone or stronger.
After crossing the island of Madagascar, Freddy will likely move westward into Mozambique later in the week. However, its strength will be dependent upon how much the cyclone is weakened by the interaction with Madagascar’s terrain.
Heavy rain will result in the potential for life-threatening flash flooding and landslides in Madagascar and portions of southern Africa, especially in areas with hilly or mountainous terrain.
Damaging winds and storm surge flooding will also be a significant threat near where the center of Freddy makes landfall in eastern Madagascar.
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The origins of Cyclone Freddy go all the way back to Feb. 6, when it developed off the coast of southern Indonesia. According to NOAA’s historical hurricane tracks database, there has only been one other Category 1-equivalent or stronger cyclone in the southern Indian Ocean to make the entire journey from near Indonesia to Madagascar. That was Eline/Leone in February 2000.