Cyclone Batsirai in the southern Indian Ocean
![](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/02/Batsirai_24h_ending_2000UTC_1Feb20222.gif)
MIMIC Total Precipitable Water esimates over the Indian Ocean for the 24 hours ending at 2000 UTC on 1 February 2022, above, show the strong cyclonic circulation associated with Cyclone Basirai. Its forecast motion is westward towards Madagascar, as shown in the toggle below that also includes sea-surface temperatures and Window Channel (showing a well-structured storm; all images are from the SSEC/CIMSS Tropical Website). A wind shear analysis (also from the SSEC Tropical Website and valid at 1800 UTC on 1 February) for the Indian Ocean shows low shear values over the storm, but relatively high shear between the storm and the island of Madagascar.
![](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/02/Batsirai_ForecastPath_SSTs_IRWindow_1900UTC_1Feb20222.gif)
Batsirai’s path moves it close to Mozambique/Malawi, two countries that are still being flooded as a result of rains from Tropical Storm Ana a week ago. A VIIRS flood analysis (from this website), below, diagnoses active flooding occurring along the Shire River (south of Lake Malawi) and along the Zambezi River on 31 January 2022.
![](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/02/VIIRSComposite_5Day_31January2022.png)
For more information on Batsirai, consult the RSMC at La RĂ©union (click ici) or the SSEC Tropical Website.