The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has said Tropical Cyclone Freddy is strengthening near the west coast of Madagascar.

In its weather report and forecast, MSD said winds are slowly strengthening over the south coast of Southern Africa.

“The fringes of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, now retreating northward towards Zambia, resulting in odd downpours in parts of Mashonaland Central Provinces, namely Shoni Village (100mm) in Madziwa [pronounced Madziva (near Bindura, Mashonaland Central)] and Mount Darwin (75mm). Bindura itself had 40mm.

“The rest of the atmosphere was generally sunny and hot today as the distant Tropical Storm Freddy (currently strengthening near the west coast of Madagascar, more than 1’000 km away) is drying out much of the atmosphere. Meanwhile, winds are slowly strengthening over the south coast of Southern Africa,” MSD noted.