Image of tropical cyclone Freddy acquired on February 21, 2023, by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite.
The tropical cyclone made landfall on February 21, 2023, after traveling for more than two weeks across the Indian Ocean.
After traveling for 15 days across the Indian Ocean, Tropical Cyclone Freddy made landfall on the east coast of Madagascar on the evening of February 21, 2023.
This image shows Freddy just east of Madagascar at 1:50 p.m. local time (10:50 Universal Time) on February 21. It was acquired by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAAThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States government that is focused on understanding and predicting changes in Earth's oceans, atmosphere, and climate. It is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland and is a part of the Department of Commerce. NOAA conducts research and provides information, products, and services that are used to protect life and property, and to support economic growth and development. It also works to conserve and manage natural resources, including fisheries, wildlife, and habitats. Some of the specific activities that NOAA is involved in include weather forecasting, climate monitoring, marine biology and fisheries research, and satellite and remote sensing.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>NOAA-20 satellite.
As Freddy made landfall north of Mananjary around 7:20 p.m. local time, its winds measured about 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour, but precise wind speeds at landfall were yet to be confirmed. The coastal town of Mananjary, home to 25,000 people, was previously hit hard in February 2022 by the deadly Cyclone Batsirai.
Forecasts called for Freddy to bring damaging winds, storm surge, and heavy rains as the storm moves inland. Rainfall may be especially damaging in places still recovering from Cyclone Cheneso, which killed dozens of people and left thousands homeless in the island nation in January 2023.
Since forming near Indonesia on February 6, Freddy has traveled about 7,200 kilometers across the Indian Ocean, according to the UK Met Office. The 15-day lifespan of the cyclone is unusual; few cyclones travel so far and are sustained for so long. The longest-lived tropical cyclone in the southern hemisphere was Leon-Eline in 2000, which was sustained for 18.5 days and traveled a similar path to Freddy.
Freddy was forecasted to continue moving westward and cross into the Mozambique Channel before strengthening and landing on Mozambique later in the week. Freddy was the second cyclone to hit Madagascar during the 2022–2023 season, which runs from around late October to May in the southwest Indian Ocean.
NASAEstablished in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government that succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). It is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Its vision is "To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity." Its core values are "safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion." NASA conducts research, develops technology and launches missions to explore and study Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. It also works to advance the state of knowledge in a wide range of scientific fields, including Earth and space science, planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics, and it collaborates with private companies and international partners to achieve its goals.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS).
Source: SciTechDaily
