 Gombe making landfall in Mozambique at peak intensity on 10 March | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 5 March 2022 |
| Dissipated | 17 March 2022 |
| Tropical cyclone | |
| 10-minute sustained (MFR) | |
| Highest winds | 155 km/h (100 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 955 hPa (mbar); 28.20 inHg |
| Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 185 km/h (115 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 960 hPa (mbar); 28.35 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 72 |
| Damage | $95 million (2022 USD) |
| Areas affected | Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi |
Part of the 2021–22 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Tropical Cyclone Gombe was a strong tropical cyclone that affected Mozambique. It became the first storm to make a major landfall in Nampula Province in Mozambique since Cyclone Jokwe in 2008. The eighth tropical storm, fourth tropical cyclone and fourth intense tropical cyclone of the 2021–22 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Gombe originated from a tropical disturbance located off the coast of Madagascar. This area of convection was designated by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center as Invest 97S on 6 March. The next day, it began to slowly move westward and executed a loop as it became more organized, which prompted Météo-France Reunion (MFR) to note the system as Zone of Disturbed Weather 09. The system became a depression on 9 March, and became a moderate tropical storm the same day. Soon after being named, Gombe made landfall in Madagascar, and entered in the Mozambique Channel the next day. The storm continued its westward motion while slowly intensifying, and was upgraded to a Tropical Cyclone by the MFR on 10 March. Closing in on Nampula Province, the storm underwent rapid intensification, and was upgraded to the fourth Intense Tropical Cyclone of the year and reached its peak intensity on 11 march, with maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph), maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph), and a minimum central pressure of 960 hectopascals (28 inHg). The storm proceeded to make landfall, and quickly lost its convection over land. On 12 March, Gombe degenerated into a remnant low overland. However, the system subsequently turned southeastward and reemerged over water, before briefly regenerating into a tropical depression on 17 March. Gombe dissipated later that day.
Cyclone Gombe killed 72 people across three countries: 63 in Mozambique, 7 in Malawi, and 2 in Madagascar. Tens of thousands of homes were heavily damaged by the storm in Mozambique, and left hundreds of thousands of families without power across Nampula. Gombe affected thousands of hectares of crops, dropped 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain in 24 hours. The Island of Mozambique also experienced some damage from the storm.