TC

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 - 14 Feb 2018

Tropical Cyclone Gita

By MetService Senior Meteorologist, Lisa Murray, 14 February 2018

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

History

Tropical Cyclone Gita (TC Gita) was named by RSMC Nadi at 5pm on Friday 9th February, located to the west of American Samoa and initially a Category 1 tropical cyclone. Since then, TC Gita has tracked to the south of American Samoa before curving to pass near Niue and then westward directly over Nuku’alofa (southern Tonga), as a Category 4 tropical cyclone. 

Cooking Up a Storm

by Meteorologist Sarah Sparks

The days are getting shorter and winter is indeed coming, but a burst of air from the tropics is set to affect New Zealand in the coming days. A combo of a Low in the Tasman Sea dragging a lot of humid, sub-tropical air down across New Zealand and the remains of Tropical Cyclone Cook tracking southwards are expected to bring heavy rain, heavy swells and possibly strong winds.

TC Amos forecast to hit Samoa south coast on Sunday

By Meteorologist Emma Blades    All times are in NZST

Current situation

Infrared satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Amos at midday 23 April 2016

TC Amos midday 23 April 2016

TC Amos was located about 95km north-northeast of Wallis Island, or 450km northwest of Apia, Samoa, at 6am 23 April 2016. At that time the central pressure was 965hPa and the sustained winds close to the centre were 148km/h; a category three tropical cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Winston loses an eye!

24 Feb 2016 update

By MetService Communications Meteorologist Lisa Murray

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

Infrared satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Winston at 11.00am today (Wednesday 24thFebruary). Note that the “eye” of the TC can no longer be seen as it is covered by cloud, this happens as the TC becomes less intense.