Update: 9:10PM Special Weather Bulletin Number TWENTY for Fiji ON TROPICAL CYCLONE
TOMAS
ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI at 8:09pm on Monday the 15th of March 2010
TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR CIKOBIA, EASTERN TIP OF
VANUA LEVU, RABI, KIOA, TAVEUNI, QAMEA, LAUCALA, NAITAUBA, YACATA,
KANACEA, MAGO, CICIA, BATIKI, MOALA, MATUKU,TOTOYA, AND NEARBY
SMALLER ISLANDS.
A STORM WARNING REMAINS FORCE FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF VANUA LEVU,
KORO, MAKOGAI, GAU, VANUA BALAVU, NAYAU, LAKEBA, KABARA AND NEARBY
SMALLER ISLANDS.
A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF VITI LEVU,
BEQA, KADAVU AND THE REST OF THE LAU AND LOMAIVITI GROUPS.
A STRONG WIND WARNING IS IN FORCE FOR THE REST OF THE FIJI GROUP.
SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE TOMAS CENTRE 930HPA CATEGORY 4 WAS LOCATED
NEAR 16 DECIMAL 3 SOUTH 179 DECIMAL 5 WEST OR ABOUT 125 KM EAST OF
TLABASAI OR 300 KM NORTHEAST OF SUVA AT 8.30PM TODAY. CLOSE TO ITS
CENTRE THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS OF 175 KM/HR
INCREASING TO 200 KM/HR WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS
UP TO 270 KM/HR . THE CYCLONE IS MOVING SOUTH AT 10 KM/HR.
ON THIS TRACK, THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO BE LOCATED ABOUT 210
KM EAST-NORTHEAST OF SUVA OR120 KM NORTHWEST OF LAKEBA 9 AM TOMORROW
MORNING AND ABOUT 150KM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF LAKEBA OR 260KM
EAST-SOUTHEAST OF SUVA AT 9 PM TOMORROW EVENING.
FOR CIKOBIA, EASTERN TIP OF VANUA LEVU, RABI, KIOA, TAVEUNI, QAMEA,
LAUCALA, NAITAUBA, YACATA, KANACEA, MAGO, CICIA, BATIKI, MOALA,
MATUKU,TOTOYA, AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS :
WINDS INCREASING TO VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE FORCE WITH AVERAGE
SPEEDS OF 175 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 230 KM/HR. FREQUENT HEAVY
RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. PHENOMINAL SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY
SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.
FOR EASTERN HALF OF VANUA LEVU, KORO, MAKOGAI, GAU, VANUA BALAVU,
NAYAU, LAKEBA, KABARA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS :
WINDS INCREASING TO DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 90
KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS 130 KM/HR. FREQUENT HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY
THUNDERSTORMS. VERY HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING
INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.
FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF VITI LEVU, BEQA, KADAVU AND THE REST OF THE
LAU AND LOMAIVITI GROUPS:
WINDS INCREASING TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS UP TO 75
KM/HR AND MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 110 KM/HR. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND
SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS.
VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING