Cyclone Gita - By the numbers

by MetService Meteorologist Claire Flynn and the forecast team

Tropical Cyclone Gita was named by RSMC Nadi at 5pm on Friday the 9th of February 2018. Initially a Cateogory 1 Tropical Cyclone located west of American Samos, TC Gita curved to pass Niue and then moved westwards directly over Nuku’alofa (southern Tonga) as a Category 4 Tropical Cyclone. It reached Category 5 on 14/02/18, with maximum wind gusts of 205 km/h near the centre. It passed south of Fiji, heading towards New Caledonia, before curving southwards and heading into the Tasman Sea.

Tropical Cyclone Gita Update – 17th February 2018

By MetService Meteorologist Claire Flynn

Please note: all times listed below are in New Zealand local time.

As of 1pm today, TC Gita was a Category 3 Tropical Cyclone, with estimated wind speeds of 117 km/hr near the centre, and a central pressure of 970 hPa. It was located over the waters south of New Caledonia at 24.5S, 166.6E, as shown in the latest forecast track map issued by RSMC Nadi in the map below:

Tropical Cyclone Gita Update – 17th February 2018

By MetService Meteorologist Claire Flynn

Please note: all times listed below are in New Zealand local time.

As of 1pm today, TC Gita was a Category 3 Tropical Cyclone, with estimated wind speeds of 117 km/hr near the centre, and a central pressure of 970 hPa. It was located over the waters south of New Caledonia at 24.5S, 166.6E, as shown in the latest forecast track map issued by RSMC Nadi in the map below:

Tropical Cyclone Gita Update - 16 Feb 2018

Tropical Cyclone Gita Update - Issued 16th February 2018

By MetService Meteorologists Lisa Murray and Chris Noble.

Please note: all times listed below are New Zealand local time

At 1pm today, TC Gita was a Category 3 Cyclone (having further weakened since yesterday) with estimated winds of 80kt (~150km/h) and a central pressure of 956hPa, located over waters 300km south of Aneityum, Vanuatu, and moving west.

Tropical Cyclone Gita Update - 15 Feb 2018

Tropical Cyclone Gita Update 15th February 2018

By MetService Senior Meteorologist Lisa Murray

Please note: all times listed below are New Zealand local time

At 3pm today, TC Gita was a Category 4 Cyclone (having weakened since yesterday and overnight) with estimated winds of 167km/hr and a central pressure of 950hPa, located over waters about SW of Kadavu, Fiji, (21.5S 175.2E) and moving west at about 15km/hr.