 Guambe near peak intensity east of the coast of Mozambique on 19 February | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 11 February 2021 |
| Post-tropical | 21 February 2021 |
| Dissipated | 22 February 2021 |
| Tropical cyclone | |
| 10-minute sustained (MFR) | |
| Highest winds | 155 km/h (100 mph) |
| Highest gusts | 220 km/h (140 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 953 hPa (mbar); 28.14 inHg |
| Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 165 km/h (105 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 960 hPa (mbar); 28.35 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | None reported |
| Damage | >$1 million (2021 USD) |
| Areas affected | Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini |
| IBTrACS / [1] | |
Part of the 2020–21 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Tropical Cyclone Guambe was the third tropical cyclone to make landfall in the country of Mozambique since December 2020, following Cyclone Eloise and Tropical Storm Chalane. The eleventh tropical depression, eighth named storm, and the fourth tropical cyclone of the 2020–21 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Guambe originated from a tropical disturbance in the Mozambique Channel on 10 February. Two days later, the system developed into a subtropical depression that made landfall in Mozambique. The storm proceeded to make a clockwise loop over the country for the next several days, while dumping prolific amounts of rainfall in the region, before re-emerging into the Mozambique Channel on 16 February. Soon afterward, the system strengthened into a moderate tropical storm and was named Guambe. A couple of days later, Guambe underwent rapid intensification, reaching tropical cyclone status on 19 February, and peaking as a Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone shortly afterward. Afterward, Guambe underwent an eyewall replacement cycle and weakened back into a severe tropical storm on 20 February. Afterward, Guambe transitioned into an extratropical storm on 22 February. On the next day, Guambe was absorbed into another extratropical cyclone.
After making landfall in Mozambique on 12 February as a subtropical low, Guambe's precursor disturbance caused widespread flooding across Mozambique, which destroyed homes and crops, and also displaced thousands of people weeks after Cyclone Eloise made landfall near the same location. Guambe was estimated to have caused millions of dollars (2021 USD) in damages.[2] No deaths were reported from the storm.
- ^ "GUAMBE : 2021-02-10 TO 2021-02-22". Météo-France La Réunion. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Global Catastrophe Recap – February 2021" (PDF). Aon Benfield. 10 March 2021. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.