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Cyclone Funso

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{{Infobox Hurricane | Name=Intense Tropical Cyclone Funso | Type=tropical cyclone | Ye in Mozambique and Malawi in January 2012. It was the eighth tropical cyclone, the sixth named storm and the second tropical cyclone to form during the 2011–12 season. Funso was also the first intense tropical cyclone since Bingiza in 2011 and the first storm to affect Mozambique since Jokwe in 2008.

Meteorological history

[[File:FunsoJanuary 18, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a tropical cyclone formation alert, indicating a high chance of the system becoming a tropical cyclone.[1] At 0000 UTC the next day, Météo-France (MF) classified it as Tropical Disturbance 8 about halfway between Mozambique and Madagascar in the northern Mozambique Channel.[2] About six hours later, the agency upgraded the disturbance to a tropical depression, after the convection became better organized.[3] The JTWC had also begun issuing advisories on the system by that time, labeling it Tropical Cyclone 08S.[4]

Upon forming on January 19, the depression was moving to the southwest along the northern edge of a ridge.[3] Though the system's low-level structure was disorganized, it gradually improved over the course of the day;[4] MF upgraded the system to Moderate Tropical Storm Funso at 1200 UTC on January 19, or about 12 hours after its formation. Around that time, there was a warm spot, or a precursor to an eye, in the middle of a circular area of convection.[5] Funso rapidly intensified after the eye became better established, and the MF upgraded the storm to a tropi the equivalent of a 120 km/h (75 mph) hurricane – early on January 2/www.webcitation.org/64pYMvPUz|thumb|left|275px|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

]]</ref> 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.[6]

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.[7] The convection to storm's west over land diminished while the center remained well-organized.[8] Despite land interaction, Funso intensified further, and the JTWC assessed 1 minute winds of 185 km/h (115&nbrning Center|date=2012-01-21|accessdate=2012-01-25|title=Tropical Cyclone 08S (Funso) Warning NR 006|url=http://www.webcitmi) east of [[{cite web|publisher=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|date=2012-01-21|accessdate=2012-01-25|title=Tropical Cyclone 08S (Funso) Warning NR 007|url=http://www.webcitation.org/64sn4HPgh}}</ref> As the storm moved away from the Mozambique coastline, the convection became better organized,[9] and the eye gradually reformed.[10] Minimal wind shear, excellent outflow, and water temperatures of at least 28 °C (82 °F) allowed for significant strengthening.[11] 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).[12] Early the next day, MF eance|date=2012-01-24|title=Intense Tropical Cyclone 8 (Funso) Warning Number 25|accessdate=2012-01-25|url=http://www.webcitation.org/64vasM267}}</ref>

[[File:Funso 26 Jan 2 southwest due to a building ridge to its east.[13] Late on January 24, the cyclone began an eyewall replacement cycle, which initiated a brief weakening trend.[14] MF remarked that Funso weakened below intense tropical cyclone intensity early on January 25.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). At 1200 UTC on January 25, MF again upgraded Funso to an intense tropical cyclone,[15] and later that day the cyclone began another eyewall replacement cycle, and developed a larger eye measuring 55 kilometers across. Funso underwent another eyewall replacement cycle on January 27 as it started weakening.[16] On January 27, the government of Mozambique formally announced that the cyclone had begun to gradually weaken in the early-morning hours. Cyclone Funso is slated to pose no imminent threat to the northeastern coast of South Africa. On January 28, Funso weakened rapidly and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone, due to strong vertical wind shear, and colder sea surface temperatures below 25°C.

Impact and preparations

During the overnight hodfall in Mozambique, over three million people there were affected by tropical storm-force winds.[17] The most affected area was Zambezia Province, where twelve peopleCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). ane Province]] in the south with rains and winds of 70 km/h (40 mph). 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.[18] The cyclone hit the country about a week after Subtropical Depression Dando struck southern Mozambique, causing flooding and deaths.[19]

Initial forecasts suggested that the cyclone would impact South Africa[20] or make landfall in southern Mozambique, but this became less likely as the storm continued tracking south. Nevertheless, some local tourists voluntarily evacuated the coastal city of Inhambane in Mozambique in anticipation of the storm.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[21] At least 30 villages became isolated after flooding destroyed roads and bridges between Blantyre and Nsanje. The flooding alsoected maize fields,[22] leaving whole communities at risk of starvation.[23]

As the cyclone retreate </ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Death toll 25, thousands homeless in {{Reflis

  1. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  2. ^ "Tropical Disturbance 8 Warning Number 1". Météo-France. 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  3. ^ a b "Tropical Depression 8 Warning Number 2". Météo-France. 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  4. ^ a b "Tropical Cyclone 08S (Eight) Warning NR 001". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  5. ^ "Moderate Tropical Storm 8 (Funso) Warning Number 3". Météo France. 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  6. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 8 (Funso) Warning Number 7". Météo-France. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  7. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 08S (Funso) Warning NR 004". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  8. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 08S (Funso) Warning NR 005". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  9. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 8 (Funso) Warning Number 17". Météo-France. 2012-01-22. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  10. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 08S (Funso) Warning NR 009". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2012-01-22. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  11. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 08S (Funso) Warning NR 010". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  12. ^ "Tropical Cyclone 08S (Funso) Warning NR 011". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  13. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 8 (Funso) Warning Number 27". Météo-France. 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  14. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 8 (Funso) Warning Number 28". Météo-France. 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  15. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 8 (Funso) Warning Number 31". Météo-France. 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  16. ^ "Intense Tropical Cyclone 8 (Funso) Warning Number 32". Météo-France. 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  17. ^ Feeds, Newsroom America (2012-01-24). "Automatic impact report (JRC) FUNSO-12 in SWIndian". Newsroom America GDACS Daily Newsletter. Retrieved 2012-01-25. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ a b Desk, News (2012-01-23). "Mozambique: Floods, storms kill 22 and cut off Maputo". Global Post. Retrieved 2012-01-26. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ a b "Simultaneous storms leave 25 dead". ReliefWeb. Integrated Regional Information Networks. 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  20. ^ a b Hlube, Phakamile (2012-01-20). "Possible waterborne diseases in Mpumalanga". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  21. ^ AFP, Google (2012-01-25). "Floods displace 5,000 in southern Malawi". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 2012-01-26. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  22. ^ "Floods displace 5,000 in southern Malawi". ReliefWeb. Agence France-Presse. 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  23. ^ "Malawi faces Cyclone Funso as floods displace 450 families". Nyasa Times. 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
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