Map: Tracking Tropical Cyclone Chido
Chido was a tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean Friday morning Eastern Africa Time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory.
The tropical cyclone had sustained wind speeds of 121 miles per hour, which would make it a Category 3 hurricane if it were in the Atlantic Ocean.
All times on the map are Eastern Africa Time. By The New York Times
Only about a quarter of the Earth’s tropical cyclones form in the Southern Hemisphere. When these storms have sustained winds of 74 m.p.h. or greater, they would be called hurricanes in the Atlantic, but here, they are called cyclones. The only other difference is that, in the Southern Hemisphere, cyclones spin clockwise (hurricanes spin counterclockwise).
Cyclones can strike eastern Africa, primarily Madagascar, as well as the western, northern and eastern coasts of Australia and surrounding island nations.
The season here runs opposite the rest of the world, typically beginning in late October and running through May. Peaks in activity vary depending on the region, but normally, activity is highest in late February and early March.
Sources and notes
Tracking map Tracking data is from the National Hurricane Center and Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
