Cyclone Freddy could be the longest on record – 07/03/2023 – Environment

Active for a month, Tropical Cyclone Freddy could become the longest lasting on record, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday (7).

The storm developed hundreds of kilometers off the northwest coast of Australia and was given a name on February 6. From there, it crossed the entire Indian Ocean and reached land in Madagascar, on the 21st, and, three days later, in Mozambique.

According to the WMO, this type of long journey is very rare. The most recent similar cases happened in 2000 (which, like 2023, was also a La Niña year) with tropical cyclones Leon-Eline and Hudah.

The agency is monitoring whether Freddy will set a new record as the longest-lasting tropical cyclone. The current record is held by Hurricane John, which lasted 31 days in 1994.

According to NASA, the storm has already recorded the highest accumulated cyclone energy index (ECA) in the history of the southern hemisphere. This measure is used to quantify the total wind energy associated with a tropical cyclone over its lifetime.

Cyclone Freddy spent several days over Mozambique and Zimbabwe, bringing heavy rain and flooding. It then headed back out to sea, gained strength again from the energy of the warm waters, and moved towards the southwest coast of Madagascar.

According to the UN (United Nations), the rains have already killed at least 21 people (10 in Mozambique and 11 in Madagascar).

In Madagascar, more than 3,100 people were displaced and more than 3,300 homes were flooded or destroyed, while in Mozambique, which had already been suffering from seasonal storms before the cyclone, more than 8,000 were displaced.

OMM reports that Freddy is currently moving away from Madagascar and is likely to intensify as it heads back towards Mozambique. A warning of heavy rains for the next 36 hours has been issued in southern Madagascar.

Estimates by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States indicate that, in the last seven days, parts of southern Mozambique have had 500 mm of rain, and last month up to 700 mm, well above the annual average. . Madagascar has received more than 300 mm in the past seven days, or about three times the average for the month.

Meteorologist Johan Stander, Director of Services at WMO, points out that the death toll from the cyclone was limited by accurate forecasts, early warnings and coordinated actions to reduce the risk of disasters.