| Tropical depression (SWIO scale) | |
|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
 The storm while over Lake Malawi on 25 February. | |
| Formed | 25 February 2044 |
| Dissipated | 26 February 2044 |
| Highest winds | 10-minute sustained: 55 km/h (35 mph) 1-minute sustained: 65 km/h (40 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 999 hPa (mbar); 29.5 inHg |
| Fatalities | None |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Malawi, Zambia |
| Part of the 2043-44 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
The 2044 Lake Malawi tropical storm was the only tropical cyclone on record to develop on Lake Malawi. Additionally, it was the second smallest tropical cyclone on record, with an estimated gale-force wind diameter of just 16 kilometers (10 miles), only behind Tropical Storm Valerie of the 2036 Atlantic hurricane season, and was the only tropical cyclone on record to make landfall in Malawi. Though it was operationally assessed as non-tropical by every major meteorological agency, it was later identified as a tropical depression by Météo-France Réunion (MFR) in reanalysis, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center later unofficially identified the system as a tropical storm with winds to 65 km/h (40 mph).
The origins of the storm can be traced to an area of showers and thunderstorms which developed over northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania on 22 February. Slowly moving westward, the disturbance gradually organized as it moved over Lake Malawi, eventually developing into a compact tropical storm on 25 February. It made landfall in a sparsely populated area of the Central Region of Malawi shortly after forming, and quickly dissipated thereafter. The storm produced heavy rains and gusty winds throughout the Central Region, washing out some roads and reportedly destroying at least one home, though no fatalities were reported and damage was minimal.
Meteorological synopsis[]
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Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
The origins of the storm can be traced to an area of tropical showers and thunderstorms that developed over northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania on 22 February 2044. As the area of convection slowly moved southwestward over the next couple days, it would gradually increase in organization and intensity, eventually exiting over Lake Malawi on 24 February. While over Lake Malawi, the disturbance would develop a compact low-level circulation, eventually developing into a tropical storm early on 25 February. The newly-developed tropical storm would continue southwestward, making landfall in Malawi a few hours after forming. Once inland, the small storm quickly weakened, and dissipated over eastern Zambia the following day.
Operationally, the system was considered non-tropical by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and Météo-France Réunion (MFR), though several seasoned meteorologists did operationally make note of the storm as a possible tropical cyclone. In August of 2045, Météo-France meteorologist Jean-Pascal Beaumont published a report of the storm, noting that the system had "all the defining characteristics of a tropical cyclone" and retroactively declaring it a tropical depression. The JTWC later added best track data for the system in reanalysis, designating it as a minimal tropical storm.
Impacts[]
Widespread heavy rains and gusty winds were reported throughout central Malawi in association with the storm, resulting in flooding at Kamphambale. A road north of the town of Nkhotakota was closed after it was washed out by heavy rains, while at least one home in the village of Chiluvya was destroyed by a combination of heavy rain and strong winds. No injuries or fatalities were reported, though some farmers did report crop losses due to the heavy rains.
Records[]
The 2044 Lake Malawi tropical storm was highly unusual in that it developed over Lake Malawi, a lake only roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) across from west to east at its widest point, and was the only tropical cyclone on record to develop on Lake Malawi, making the lake the smallest known body of water to have supported tropical cyclone development. The storm was also the only tropical cyclone on record to make landfall in Malawi, and one of only a few tropical cyclones on record to make landfall in a landlocked state. Though the storm was counted towards the totals for the 2043-44 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, it developed more than 560 kilometers (350 miles) from the ocean.
See also[]
- Unusual areas of tropical cyclone formation
- Great Lakes tropical-like cyclone
- 2029 Caspian Sea tropical storm
- Subtropical Storm Josephine (2038), the only tropical or subtropical cyclone on record to develop in the Bay of Biscay