The Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe has assured citizens that they are safe for the entire week (11 to 17 December 2024) from a low-pressure system that has developed in the Indian Ocean.
In an advisory, the MSD said that Severe Tropical Storm Chido, which hasn’t gained enough strength to be classified as a Tropical Cyclone, is currently more than 3,000 kilometres away from Zimbabwe. The MSD said:
The third tropical system of the 2024/2025 cyclone season (Severe Tropical Storm Chido) has developed in the Indian Ocean and is travelling Westwards at a speed of 13km/h towards Madagascar where it is expected to arrive on the 13th of December 2024.
The system has not yet reached the cyclone stage but it is strengthening. It is expected to reach Mozambique on the 17th of December if it maintains its trajectory. The MSD will continue to monitor its progress and update the nation accordingly.
According to a report by Crisis24, Chido is tracking westward across the Indian Ocean toward Agalega, Mauritius, on December 11. As of 11 AM CAT, the system was around 1,072 km north of Port Louis, Mauritius. The report reads in part:
Forecast models indicate that the storm will strengthen as it continues westward and passes just south of Agalega, Mauritius, late Dec. 11.
Chido is expected to briefly strengthen into an intense tropical cyclone as it tracks westward and then west-southwestward away from Agalega on Dec. 12, before weakening back into a tropical cyclone and making landfall over the northern Diana Region in Madagascar late Dec. 13-early Dec. 14.
The system is likely to weaken into a severe tropical storm as it tracks southwestward across the Mozambique Channel Dec. 14-15, passing south of Mayotte late Dec. 14 or early Dec. 15.
The storm will continue to weaken before making another landfall over Nampula Province in Mozambique late Dec. 15 or early Dec. 16.
After landfall, Chido is expected to weaken rapidly into a zone of disturbed weather and dissipate as it tracks southwestward inland over southern Nampula during the morning of Dec. 16.
Some uncertainty remains in the track and intensity forecast; changes could occur in the coming hours and days.
More: Pindula News