Brilliant Mukaro

MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO – The clear skies currently over most of Zimbabwe is like calm before a storm therefore people must remain vigilant as Tropical Cyclone Freddy has delayed but is coming.

The Met Office has told The Mirror that it revised its focus of last night, and the Cyclone has delayed by about 12 hours and instead of it reaching Chipinge at 3 am as has been focused, it is now expected to hit Chipinge this afternoon.

The delay is going to see the Cyclone strengthening its speed from 110km/hr in Mozambique to 120km/hr, said the Met Office.

Met Department spokesperson James Ngoma said though many parts of the areas that had been warned to be alert of the Cyclone woke up sunny today, the Cyclone is still looming and is now in Mozambique.

In a statement Ngoma said Tropical Cyclone Freddy is currently in the Severe Tropical Storm stage with wind speed of rotation of approximately 110km/hr.

 It has slightly delayed landfall by 12 hours. This delay will result in it strengthening to 120km/hr (65 knots) rotational winds by the time it makes landfall over southern Mozambique (near Inhambe) later this afternoon.

Ngoma warned that in this current position, Severe Tropical Storm Freddy creates a calm before the storm.

“In a few hours, Freddy’s spinning cloud-bands (spanning more a +500km radius) would cause strong winds, reduced to less than 40 knots (typical strong winds are usually 20 knots), increased cloudiness and localized heavy rains (above 65mm) from Saturday 25 till Tuesday 28 February 2023 in districts such as Chimanimani, Chipinge, Chiredzi, Mwenezi, Chivi, Masvingo Rural, Zaka, Bikita, Gutu and Buhera,” said Ngoma.