Tropical Cyclone

Fiji Meteorological Services Acting Director, Terry Atalifo confirmed that the Tropical Disturbance has intensified further into a Tropical Depression.

He further said at midday today, TD03F was located about 515 kilometres west of Nadi.

TD03F is moving very slowly and is expected to move east-southeast at about 10 kilometres per hour.

PNGNWS reported that PNG is well into the wet season and will experience strong winds throughout January and February.

PNGNWS assistant director Jimmy Gomoga said that for these two months, people should be wary of those warnings issued.

Gomoga said: “People must look out for our warnings every time and adhere to our warnings, and try to avoid being caught up in floods or storms.

“Those on land should not go out to the forest when these warnings are issued in case of trees falling on them or avoid going outdoors to avoid powerlines falling on them.

The PNG National Weather Service reported that January and February will see a higher number of strong wind and tropical cyclone warnings. 

PNGNWS assistant director Jimmy Gomoga said PNG could be affected by tropical cyclones, which in the South Pacific occur from November to mid-May.

Gomoga said although tropical cyclones are likely to occur around January to March this cyclone season.

The Fiji Met Service says Category four Winston has turned back towards Tonga after passing through the northern islands earlier this week.

On its current path the storm is moving away from Niue and back between Vava'u and Nuiatoputapu, with Fiji expecting to feel its brunt again in the weekend.

The storm's average wind speed is up to 165 kilometres an hour and gusting to 230.

Met director Ravind Kumar says Winston will be closest to Vava'u tonight and could possibly be a category five storm by then.

In the first week of January Cyclone Ula crossed the Lau group causing minor damage.

The Director of Meteorology said Cyclone Winston, lying to the south, was expected to turn towards Fiji waters after initially tracking southeast away from Vanuatu.

Ravind Kumar said within a couple of days the outer islands in Lau should feel the brunt of Cyclone Winston, which was packing winds gusting up to 220 kilometres an hour.

Cyclone Winston is moving in a south south-easterly direction and does not pose any threats to islands in the region at this point.

Winds close to its centre are expected to increase to over 110 kilometres an hour later today.

It is forecast to intensify as it moves further south south-east between Vanuatu and Fiji at nine kilometres per hour.

The system has brought heavy rain to Fiji's main island of Viti Levu, with a flood warning in place for the Rakiraki area.

Cyclone Winston is not posing any threats to islands in the region at this point, but winds near its centre are expected to reach about 83 kilometres an hour by midnight tonight.

It is forecast to intensify tomorrow as it moves further south east between Vanuatu and Fiji.

The system has brought heavy rain to Fiji's main island of Viti Levu, with a flood warning in place for the Rakiraki area.