WMO: Tropical Cyclone Freddy becomes world’s longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record
(MENAFN) The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on Tuesday that Tropical Cyclone Freddy has set a new world record as the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record, lasting an astonishing 36 days. This cyclone formed in the Indian Ocean basin, initially near Northwest Australia, and traversed an extraordinary distance, ultimately impacting southern Africa in February and March 2023. Throughout its journey, Freddy caused severe human and economic losses in the regions it affected the most.
An international committee of experts convened by the WMO acknowledged Freddy's remarkable endurance, maintaining tropical storm status or higher for the unprecedented duration of 36.0 days. This surpasses the previous record held by Tropical Cyclone John, which persisted for 29.75 days in the North Pacific Ocean in 1994.
Not only did Freddy break the duration record, but it also traveled a significant distance of 12,785 kilometers (7,945 miles) ± 10 km (6,905 nautical miles) at tropical storm status or above. This accomplishment places Freddy as the second longest-traveled cyclone in terms of distance, closely behind Tropical Cyclone John, which covered 13,159 kilometers (8,177 miles) ± 10 km (7,105 nautical miles).
According to the WMO, Freddy's path spanned nearly 33 percent of the Earth's circumference, highlighting its immense geographical impact. Chris Velden, a committee member and tropical cyclone/satellite expert from the University of Wisconsin, emphasized Freddy's exceptional characteristics, particularly its ability to survive multiple land interactions, which unfortunately led to significant consequences for populations in southeast Africa.
The cyclone's prolonged presence near and over land contributed to its heightened destructiveness, particularly affecting countries such as Madagascar, Malawi, and Mozambique. The WMO's recognition of Freddy's record-breaking feats underscores the challenges and impacts of extreme weather events on vulnerable communities across the globe.
MENAFN02072024000045015839ID1108398435
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.