Intense Tropical Cyclone Batsirai to threaten Madagascar

Intense Tropical Cyclone Batsirai is passing north of Mauritius as the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Batsirai should maintain intensity as it tracks west-southwest during the next few days. Although the storm is passing north of Mauritius and Reunion Island, it will continue to batter the island with heavy rain, risk of flooding and damaging wind gusts through Thursday, local time.

Batsirai is expected to strike east-central Madagascar on Saturday with heavy rain, damaging winds and renewed flooding across central and southern Madagascar later Friday into Sunday, local time. Rough surf and coastal flooding are expected along the east coast of Madagascar later Friday into Saturday, local time. Rainfall across east-central and southeast Madagascar will total 5-10 inches (125-250 mm) with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 14 inches (350 mm) with rainfall of 2-5 inches (50-125 mm) farther west.

The heavy rain and damaging winds will slow recovery efforts from recent flooding rains in Madagascar. https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/a-months-worth-of-rain-triggers-deadly-flooding-in-madagascar-capital/1128835

Land interaction will likely cause Batsirai to lose wind intensity by the time it enters the Mozambique Channel on Sunday, local time. It can restrengthen to a tropical storm over open water late Sunday or Monday and can eventually bring heavy rain, gusty winds and areas of flooding to southern Mozambique around Tuesday into Wednesday, local time.

Meanwhile, a tropical rainstorm has developed well southwest of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands with gradual strengthening expected over the next few days. Movement will remain slow and erratic before starting to track toward the south-southwest this weekend. The rainstorm can become a named tropical cyclone by Monday, local time, but it appears to be no threat to land.