Tropical storm Desmond batters Mozambique but no rain for South Africa as expected

The first storm of the 2018/2019 of cyclone season in Mozambique is named Desmond and hit the city of Beirra on Tuesday.

The South African Weather Service reported that the tropical storm had hit several parts of Mozambique with reports of torrential rain and flooding.

In the province of Sofala, there has been approximately 277mm of rain since the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Earlier reports suggested that the cyclone could bring some much-needed rain for South Africa, however, Storm Report SA said the anti-cyclonic circulation would prevent any rainfall.

The Facebook post read, “The overland high pressure cell ‘HD’ has appeared due to the low pressure in the Mozambique channel. The downdrafts required by the general circulation are no longer able to occur in the channel, so the sinking air has moved inland centered roughly over Botswana and North-West province. So no meaningful rain can develop inside or around ‘HD’.”

See the tweets here:

Tropical Storm #Desmond resulted in torrential rain over parts of Mozambique. The city of Beirra (which is in the Sofala Province) received 277mm of rain overnight into this morning.

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 22, 2019

Tropical storm Desmond also affected the northern parts of Madagascar, with reports of heavy rain and flooding.

Photos from Hasina Rakodrania#Flood in the northern part of Madagascar@SAWeatherServic @eNCAWeather @debeer_anika @WeatherAfrican @ pic.twitter.com/TtdXhvUKJV

— Weather Today Africa (@weathertodaysa) January 22, 2019

The latest reports are that Desmond is weakening over Mozambique.

#Desmond weakening over #Mozambique. Low strengthening over Mozambique Channel and likely becomes a depression and storm before swinging just south of #Madagascar on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/cgFlGEpSac

— Jason Nicholls 💙 (@jnmet) January 22, 2019

https://www.facebook.com/stormreportsaOFFICIAL/photos/a.776032682459401/2104893892906600/?type=3&theater