What you need to know about Tropical Storm Chalane

Tropical Storm Chalane is expected to build over the next few days and hit Madagascar around Christmas Day.

As it stands, it is likely to be named Chalane, a name given it by Lesotho and would be the third tropical system of the season. It will be the first one to make landfall.

At this stage it has not strengthened into a tropical storm but is expected to from Thursday.

As to its strength, it can achieve anything from moderate to severe as it remains unclear at present. Over Madagascar it is expected to moderate, hitting the capital Antananarivo mostly. Rains of between 100m and 200m are forecast.

Weather forecasters say it may eventually emerge over the Mozambique Channel early next week. The Mozambique channel is that area between the African mainland and Madagascar.

Zone of disturbed weather will strengthen as it tracks westward and is expected to become Moderate TS #Chalane by #Christmas. Storm can strike northern #Madagascar late Saturday or Sunday before entering the Mozambique Channel early next week. pic.twitter.com/ILeDGoCuVp
— Jason Nicholls 💙 (@jnmet) December 22, 2020

There has been speculation that will result in the storm hitting Zimbabwe as well but as it stands no experts have provided any conclusive information on the matter.