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Cyclone Enawo

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Intense Tropical Cyclone Enawo
Intense tropical cyclone (SWIO scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Enawo at peak intensity just before landfall in Madagascar on 7 March
Formed2 March 2017
DissipatedCurrently active
(Post-tropical after 10 March)
Highest winds10-minute sustained: 205 km/h (125 mph)
1-minute sustained: 230 km/h (145 mph)
Lowest pressure925 hPa (mbar); 27.32 inHg
Fatalities38 total
DamageUnknown
Areas affectedMadagascar, Réunion
Part of the 2016–17 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

Intense Tropical Cyclone Enawo was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Madagascar since Gafilo in 2004.[1] Forming as a moderate tropical storm on 3 March, Enawo initially drifted and intensified slowly. It strengthened into a tropical cyclone on 5 March and further an intense tropical cyclone on 6 March. Enawo made landfall over Sava Region on 7 March just after reaching peak intensity.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

A monsoon trough started to persist west of Diego Garcia in late February 2017 as the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) over the Indian Ocean grew more noticeable.[2] On 2 March, a zone of disturbed weather formed within the area, although it was initially difficult to define a clear centre;[3] later, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert for the improving low-level structure and favourable environmental conditions.[4] Only six hours after the system about 820 km (510 mi) north of Mauritius intensifying to a tropical disturbance, Météo-France upgraded it to a moderate tropical storm at 06:00 UTC on 3 March with the name Enawo from the Mauritius Meteorological Services, because of the recent ASCAT-B data suggesting gale-force winds.[5][6] The JTWC also began to issue tropical cyclone warnings on Enawo.[7] Since the afternoon, Enawo started to significantly slow down with the weakening of the tropical ridge that drove the track southwards. Due to easterly vertical wind shear, the centre was located in the eastern part of deep convection.[8]

Enawo developed into a severe tropical storm at around 18:00 UTC on 4 March, for showing an impressive embedded centre pattern associated with extremely cold cloud tops.[9] The JTWC indicated a system equivalent to Category 1 on the Saffir–Simpson scale at the same time.[10] Météo-France upgraded Enawo to a tropical cyclone at 06:00 UTC on 5 March, after it resumed a west to west-southwest track steered by the mid-troposphere ridge south of Madagascar.[11] Enawo formed a ragged eye soon thanks to favourable conditions of excellent outflow, weaker vertical wind shear, and warm sea surface temperature;[12] however, the strengthening phase was halted for a half of day owing to a possible eyewall replacement cycle.[13] Enawo started to intensify again and developed a well-defined eye indicated by both of satellite and microwave imageries, prompting Météo-France upgrading the system to an intense tropical cyclone at 12:00 UTC based on the structural improvements.[14] The JTWC reported that Enawo had become a Category 4-equivalent cyclone at 18:00 UTC, with one-minute maximum sustained winds at 230 km/h (145 mph).[15]

Early on 7 March, cloud tops cooled again around the eye, despite the fluctuating eye definition. Enawo reached its peak intensity at 06:00 UTC on 7 March, with ten-minute maximum sustained winds at 205 km/h (125 mph) and the central pressure at 925 hPa (27.32 inHg).[16] Soon after that, Enawo made landfall over the area between Antalaha and Sambava in Sava Region, Madagascar at around 09:30 UTC (12:30 EAT), becoming the strongest landfall to the country since Gafilo in 2004.[1] The cyclone started to rapidly weaken due to land interaction with a cloud-filled eye and the warming cloud tops;[17] the JTWC also issued a final warning later for the inland movement.[18] After classified as an overland depression early on 8 March and moving further inland, it started to accelerated southwards the next day along the weakening mid-troposphere ridge on Madagascar, with deep convection rather far away from the ill-defined centre.[19] Meanwhile, gale-force winds still maintained over the eastern coast throughout the inland period.[20] Enawo emerged into the Indian Ocean late on 9 March and was considered as a post-tropical depression by Météo-France because of the asymmetric and shallow core.[21] However, the JTWC started to issue a tropical cyclone warning on Enawo again due to a 2.0 ºC warm anomaly at 10 km altitude.[22]

Preparations and impact

Madagascar

When Enawo attained intense tropical cyclone status, MFR warned of a significant storm surge of up to 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft.), declaring the storm to have become "very dangerous".[23] Accordingly, Meteo Madagascar issued a red alert for several regions expected to be impacted by the storm.[24] The National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management has advised the evacuation of low-lying areas and the acquisition of supplies in advance of the storm.[25] The Piroi regional center of the International Red Cross has prepared to intervene should the government demand it.[26]

Enawo made landfall halfway between the towns of Sambava and Antalaha as an Intense Tropical Cyclone at approximately 08:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. local time) on 7 March. In the district of Maroantsetra, landslides and strong winds caused widespread infrastructural damage, which also rendered 500 people homeless[27]. As of 8 March, 2017 three deaths have been reported across the country.[28] This includes one adult and two children who died in a landslide in Maroantsetra. In addition, at least six people have been injured.[29][30]

On 9 March, the number of victims raised to at least five casualties and seven injuries,[31] however an update the next day reported that 38 were dead and 53,000 had been displaced.[32]

Réunion

Although the cyclone is not expected to bring direct impacts to Réunion, a storm surge warning is in effect for the northern part of the island due to swells of 2.5 to 5 m (8.2 to 16 ft.) from the cyclone.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Saisons cycloniques archivées" (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Bulletin for Cyclonic Activity And Significant Tropical Weather in the Southwest Indian Ocean". Météo-France. 26 February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Zone of Disturbed Weather 6 Warning Number: 1/6/20162017". Météo-France. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Tropical Disturbance 6 Warning Number: 3/6/20162017". Météo-France. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Moderate Tropical Storm 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 4/6/20162017". Météo-France. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 09S (Nine) Warning Nr 001". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Moderate Tropical Storm 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 6/6/20162017". Météo-France. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  9. ^ "Severe Tropical Storm 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 10/6/20162017". Météo-France. 4 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 09S (Enawo) Warning Nr 004". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  11. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 12/6/20162017". Météo-France. 5 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  12. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 13/6/20162017". Météo-France. 5 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  13. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 16/6/20162017". Météo-France. 6 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  14. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 17/6/20162017". Météo-France. 6 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  15. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 09S (Enawo) Warning Nr 008". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 6 March 2017. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  16. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 20/6/20162017". Météo-France. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 6 (Enawo) Warning Number: 21/6/20162017". Météo-France. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  18. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 09S (Enawo) Warning Nr 010". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  19. ^ "Overland Depression 6 (Ex-Enawo) Warning Number: 23/6/20162017". Météo-France. 8 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  20. ^ "Overland Depression 6 (Ex-Enawo) Warning Number: 27/6/20162017". Météo-France. 9 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  21. ^ "Post-tropical Depression 6 (Ex-Enawo) Warning Number: 31/6/20162017". Météo-France. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  22. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 09S (Enawo) Warning Nr 011". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  23. ^ "BULLETIN D'ANALYSE ET DE PREVISION CYCLONIQUE (SUD-OUEST OCEAN INDIEN)" (PDF) (in French). March 6, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  24. ^ "Caractéristiques de la Perturbation Cyclonique" (in French). Meteo Madagascar. March 6, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  25. ^ "Madagascar braces for cyclone Enawo". GMA Network. March 6, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  26. ^ Hoair, Gilbert (March 6, 2017). "Enawo, cyclone tropical intense touchera Madagascar au Sud de la ville d'Antalaha à la mi journée ce mardi" (in French).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  27. ^ "Cyclone Enawo kills at least 3 in Madagascar; 500 homeless". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  28. ^ "Cyclone Enawo kills at least 3 in Madagascar; 500 homeless". The Washington Post. The Associated Press. March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  29. ^ "Three killed as cyclone Enawo batters Madagascar". The Citizen. Agence France-Presse. March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  30. ^ "Madagascar - Tropical Cyclone ENAWO UPDATE (GDACS, JTWC, Meteo Madagascar, Météo France La Réunion, COGIC, Local Media)". Relief Web. European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  31. ^ "Tropical Cyclone "Enawo" summary and damage report - Madagascar, March 2017". The Watchers - Daily news service | Watchers.NEWS. Retrieved 2017-03-10.
  32. ^ Agence France-Presse (March 10, 2017). "Madagascar: le cyclone Enawo fait 38 morts et 53 000 déplacés". La Presse (in French). Retrieved 2017-03-10.
  33. ^ Hoair, Gilbert (March 6, 2017). "Vigilance forte houle sur le Nord de La Réunion" (in French). Franceinfo.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
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