Cyclone Indlala - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

Indlala's origins were from a large monsoonal low pressure system on March 3, 2007, near 14.9°N, 61.8°N. The low pressure system began to intensify, with deep convection developing around the center of circulation. The system began to track westward with an increasingly better-defined center. Lower-level inflow was favorable for tropical cyclone development, but upper-level divergence was weak. The system was then upgraded to Tropical Depression 12, with the increased convection and a well-defined center. However, within 12 hours, the storm entered an area of high wind shear which led to the northeastern section of the storm's circulation to be exposed. The system reorganized and was once again in a steady intensification period. On March 12, the system was upgraded to Moderate Tropical Storm Indlala.

The system continued to intensify and later that day on March 12, the storm was upgraded to Severe Tropical Storm Indlala. It remained in an area of favorable development and began to show an eye on satellite images. The next day, Indlala was upgraded to Tropical Cyclone Indlala. A well-defined eye persisted while the storm was still steadily intensifying. It continued moving west, then turned on a more west-southwestward track, around the northeastern periphery of a sub-tropical ridge, towards a weakness in the ridge located over Madagascar. Upper-level outflow remained good, and convection was banding around the center. This proved that the cyclone remained a healthy storm. On March 14, the storm was upgraded to Intense Tropical cyclone Indlala with all the features of a well-developed and healthy tropical cyclone. The storm turned on a southwestward track, and reached its peak intensity of 935 hPa on March 14. Indlala, now at its peak intensity, was just miles off the coast of Madagascar. On March 15, the system made landfall on the Masoala Peninsula, in Madagascar, as an intense tropical cyclone. No sooner had Indlala made landfall, when it was downgraded to Tropical Cyclone Indlala, with the northern section of the circulation exposed. The system turned to the south over land, dissipating on March 18.