LAUSR

During summer 2018/2019, Mozambique was devastated by Idai and Kenneth, the first time two Intense Status tropical cyclones have ever made landfall here. The season broke numerous records for the Southwest Indian Ocean (the greatest deaths, the largest damage, and numbers of Intense Status cyclones and tropical storms). Kenneth, which is the strongest cyclone ever to make landfall in Mozambique, did so unusually late in the season, had an unusual due westward track and struck the coast far further north than previously, is examined. Changes in Kenneth's strength (21–25 April 2019) across the extreme northern Mozambique Channel are shown to be related to two cyclonic/anticyclonic eddy pairs in the ocean. These eddies led to changes in SST, enthalpy fluxes, tropical cyclone heat potential, and upper ocean heat content that influenced its rapid strengthening from moderate tropical storm to Very Intense tropical cyclone status and then back to Intense Status just before landfall.