Those of us with a keen interest in the weather are currently focusing our attention on the Indian Ocean. Over the past few days, we've seen a tropical storm develop - tropical cyclone 'Gafilo'. At 0900 GMT this morning, it was located around 400 miles north-west of Mauritius, and heading steadily westwards in the direction of northern Madagascar.

With it expected to hit land later on this afternoon, Gafilo is certainly shaping up to be a very beefy storm. Satellite imagery has shown a distinct eye form in its centre, a sure indication of intensification. Winds inside the storm are estimated at around 160mph, with gusts to 195mph also forecast.

While Madagascar is usually exposed to cyclones at this time of the year - their cyclone season runs from December through to March - the sheer scale of the winds, has meant that much of the north-west of the country is on high alert.

I'm sure that there will be more on Gafilo in this section over the coming days, but it's in eastern Australia where cyclone-force winds have actually struck. Yesterday, heavy rain and winds of up to 80 mph hit parts of Queensland and the north of New South Wales.

Flooded roads were a widespread problem, and over 70,000 homes were left without power. The strong winds also whipped up rough seas. Waves of up to 5 metres (over 16 feet) in height crashed onto the region's beaches, forcing the cancellation of a world tour surfing competition.

From stormy seas to snowy skies, the winter storm that has been plaguing parts of South Korea continues. We've already seen record amounts of snow fall here since Thursday creating havoc across much of the country.

The city of Daejon, in the central part of the country, had received 49 cm (over 19 inches) by midnight last night with more forecast. The snow also stranded over 10,000 people on roads to the south of Seoul, with authorities having to drop them essential food, water, and blankets by helicopter.

Related Links :
Hurricanes, Typhoons & Tropical Cyclones Worldwide
Storm names

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