Cyclone Funso

Intense Tropical Cyclone Funso

Intense tropical cyclone (SWIO scale)
Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS)
Cyclone Funso on January 23
Formed	January 19, 2012 (2012-01-19)
Dissipated	Still active
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 195 km/h (120 mph) 1-minute sustained: 220 km/h (140 mph)
Lowest pressure	936 hPa (mbar); 27.64 inHg
Fatalities	At least 40
Areas affected	Mozambique
Part of the 2011–12 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

Intense Tropical Cyclone Funso is an active tropical cyclone located offshore Mozambique.

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

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The origins of Cyclone Funso were from an area of convection that persisted in the Mozambique Channel on January 17. By that time, there was a developing low-level circulation and intense rainbands. An anticyclone aloft provided favorable conditions for development, along with weak wind shear and good outflow. In addition, the system encountered warm sea surface temperatures, and with the former Subtropical Depression Dando dissipating over southern Africa, inflow from the south was expected to increase. Late on January 18, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a tropical cyclone formation alert, meaning that there was a high chance of development with the system. At 0000 UTC the next day, Météo-France (MF) classified the system as Tropical Disturbance 8 about halfway between Mozambique and Madagascar in the northern Mozambique Channel. About six hours later, the agency upgraded the disturbance to a tropical depression, after convection became better organized. Concurrently, the JTWC began issuing advisories on the system, labeling it Tropical Cyclone 08S.

Upon becoming a tropical cyclone, the tropical depression was moving to the southwest, due to a ridge located to the south. Around that time, the system's low-level structure was disorganized, although gradually improving. At 1200 UTC on January 19, or about 12 hours after the system developed, MF upgraded the depression to Moderate Tropical Storm Funso. Around that time, there was a warm spot, or a precursor to an eye, in the middle of a circular area of convection. Funso rapidly intensified after the eye became better established, and the MF upgraded the storm to a tropical cyclone – the equivalent of a 120 km/h (75 mph) hurricane – early on January 20. By that time, the outflow had increased significantly, partly due to an upper-level trough providing ventilation to the southeast. Shortly after Funso intensified into a tropical cyclone, the eye disappeared on satellite imagery, although this was due to the small size of the eyewall. Further intensification was forecast to be limited by the cyclone's interaction with the coast of Mozambique, as well as upwelling from its slow movement.

On January 20, Funso turned to the west and slowed, due to its position between a ridge to the northwest of Madagascar and another ridge near the Mozambique-South Africa border. The convection to storm's west over land diminished while the center remained well-organized. Despite land interaction, Funso intensified further, and the JTWC assessed 1 minute winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) early on January 21, based on the appearance of a well-defined eye 15 km (9 mi) in diameter. Around the same time, MF estimated the storm attained 10 minute maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph), making Funso an intense tropical cyclone. At the time, the storm was located about 110 mi (70 mi) east of Quelimane, Mozambique, and its movement was nearly stationary. By late on January 21, however, Funso weakened due to land disrupting the convection. A building ridge to the north forced the cyclone to the southeast into an area favorable for re-intensification. As the storm moved away from the Mozambique coastline, the convection became better organized, and the eye gradually reformed. Minimal wind shear, excellent outflow, and water temperatures of at least 28 °C (82 °F) allowed for significant strengthening. Late on January 23, the JTWC estimated 1 minute sustained winds of 215 km/h (135 mph), and the agency forecast further strengthening to 260 km/h (160 mph). Early the next day, MF estimated 10 minute sustained winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) about 330 km (200 mi) southeast of Quelimane, Mozambique.

After reaching peak intensity, Funso turned toward the southwest due to a building ridge to its east. Late on January 24, the cyclone began an eyewall replacement cycle, which initiated a brief weakening trend. MF remarked that Funso weakened below intense tropical cyclone intensity early on January 25. At the same time, the JTWC estimated the cyclone intensified further to peak 1 minute sustained winds of 220 km/h (140 mph), based on estimates via the Dvorak technique. The agency noted that the eyewall replacement cycle finished and produced a well-defined eye 28 km (17 mi) in diameter. At 1200 UTC on January 25, MF again upgraded Funso to an intense tropical cyclone, and later that day the cyclone began another eyewall replacement cycle.

Impact

During the overnight hours of January 18, a ship carrying 54 people sank on its way from Anjouan to Mayotte amidst rough seas produced by Funso. At least 15 passengers drowned while dozens remain missing. The Mpumalanga and Limpopo regions of South Africa, which were hit by flooding from Dando, was at risk of further flooding and waterborne diseases by January 20. Six people had been killed in Mpumalanga in floods following Dando.

Although the core of the storm remained offshore of Mozambique, over three million people were affected by tropical storm-force winds. On January 23 national television in Mozambique announced 12 deaths in the northern Zambezia Province, following the intense cyclone's passage close to land. Seven of the fatalities occurred in the Maganja da Costa District and one was in the provincial capital Quelimane. More than 5000 people were displaced by the weather conditions and the only road connecting the capital Maputo to the north was reported to be seriously damaged when the Komati River flooded its banks, cutting off the capital city. At least 70,000 people were without a clean drinking water supply following the storm, and more than 56,000 were left homeless in Mozambique.

Authorities in Malawi were concerned about the fate of more than 450 families that lost their homes in the southern Nsanje District due to the effects of Funso, which mostly affected Bangula and Phokela, as three rivers overflowed. Heavy rains destroyed more than 320 houses and flooded 125 more and local crops were devastated, leaving whole communities at risk of starvation.

On January 24 the death toll in Mozambique jumped to at least 25 as government officials were trying to reach the hardest-hit areas in the northern Zambezia province. Authorities confirmed that they expected the numbers to rise even further.