Tropical Cyclone Landfall in Madagascar

Jan 8, 2012; 1:42 PM ET

TROPICAL CYCLONE CHANDA

Tropical Cyclone Chandra (05S), located over the Mozambique Channel, nears the western Madagascar coast on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012. (Navy Research Lab Monterey)

Tropical Cyclone Chanda (05S) is landing in western Madagascar as a moderate tropical storm Sunday evening, local time.

The landfall is taking place near Morondava, the Tropical Cyclone Center of La Reunion said as of 1800 UTC Sunday.

Highest sustained winds (10 minute average) are reckoned to be 35 knots, or 65 km/h. Movement is towards the southeast at 9 knots (17 km.h), making landfall immanent.

Earlier, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) forecast 40-knot sustained winds (I believe this to be a 1-minute average) for 1800 UTC Sunday. Landfall was forecast for Monday morning, local time.

FLOODING RAIN

Heavy rain began falling two or three days ago in parts of Madagascar. As of this writing, rainfall was 29 cm (11.5 inches) within about 48 hours in Maintirano, on the west coast north of the storm track. Rainfall was more than 14 cm at Morondava within 30 hours.

Available weather data suggest that the storm has be sparking flash flooding. Moreover, the threat of flooding will linger over northwestern and southern Madagascar until the center of Chanda, weakened after its interaction with land, leaves towards the south and east.