tropical cyclone

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:

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.