Freddy expected to make landfall north of Vilanculos soon

According to a statement released by the South African Weather Service (Saws) on February 23, Tropical Cyclone Freddy is expected to reintensify after making landfall in Madagascar on Tuesday February 21, while on course for southern Mozambique, and then north-eastern South Africa.

On Thursday evening, February 23, Saws manager of communications, Hannelee Doubell, said the information in the statement still stands.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy made landfall along the eastern coastline of Madagascar, just north of Mananjary, at 19:30 on Tuesday evening.

The relatively compact storm was a low-end category 2 tropical cyclone just before making landfall, with winds of 150km/h and gusts up to 180km/h.

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Freddy weakened significantly due to the rugged terrain it encountered and was downgraded to an overland depression during the evening. The World Meteorological Organization’s designated Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre, located on La Reunion, forecasts that Freddy will continue in a west-south-westerly direction over the next few days, regaining its strength as it moves into the Mozambique Channel.

It may yet again reach near tropical cyclone status while heading to southern Mozambique, making landfall just north of Vilanculos during Friday morning.

It is expected that Freddy will affect the north-eastern parts of South Africa from early Saturday until Monday (February 25 to 27), especially the Lowveld and escarpment areas of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as the weather system will be semi-stationary along the north-eastern border for a few days.

Very heavy rainfall of 200 to 400mm is possible, and this may result in widespread, significant flooding.

The districts are Vhembe and Mopani in Limpopo, and to a slightly lesser extent, Ehlanzeni in Mpumalanga.