User blog:Supportstorm/Land Tropical Cyclones

Ok, so we know that tropical cyclones are associated with oceans, right? Well two weeks ago a monsoonal low formed in the prairie/ hill valleys of Zimbabwe in Southeast Africa and traveled west, into central Africa. Over the next day or so the organization of the low stayed constant, with well defined spiral band and moderate to severe convection. During the 16th of January however, the system developed into the appearance of a tropical cyclone over central Africa. This wasn't short lived either. The cyclone continued to intensify and by January 17th reached a peak intensity based on satellite appearance. A very rough eye wall was observed during this time. It maintained tropical cyclone intensity until the 19th as it turned back around to the east. Once it drifted out into the Mozambique Channel the NRL labeled it 94S with winds of 40 knts (despite the fact it was never labeled as a storm), there it would continue to intensify before hitting Madagascar. The behavior of the storm was very strange. After striking Madagascar it weaken like any other tropical cyclone would. Some storms that have similarly strengthen overland are Tropical Storm Fay (2008), TS Erin (2007), Land Depression 01 (2011). It is also understood that tropical lows like the one I'm talking about are commonplace in the mid-summer months in the similar area and in South America. So the questions are; what should it be have been classified as, why did it maintain the appearance of a tropical cyclone for so long over land, and what mechanisms were in place to support it? Any suggestions?

I've provided a track map, I created, to show the path it took and its intensity; interpreted by satellite imagery.