News

TC Winston approaches Fiji

February 18, 2016 7:10 pm

TC Winston continues to intensify as it moves away from Tonga and heads towards the Fiji waters.

Fiji Meteorology Officer Weather forecaster Misaele Funaki says they’re closely monitoring the movement of TC Winston.

As of 6am this morning TC Winston was located approximately 590km due East of Lakeba and trekking West towards Fiji.

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Funaki says tropical cyclone alerts have been issued for the Lau group but as TC Winston approaches, they’re anticipating it will affect other parts of Fiji.

“We’ve also issued a TC warnings for the areas that’s gonna be affected initially. Theres a Tropical Cyclone gale wind warning in force for the Lau group and a Tropical Cyclone alert for Lomaiviti, Taveuni and the Eastern half of Viti Levu, Kadavu and the nearby smaller islands.”

“Towards the center of it, TC Winston is a very intense system, it’s a category 4 system and has sustained winds of 100 knots close to the center and as it comes in closer we should expect changes in the weather.”

“From later today, we can expect to see increase in winds in the Lau group from strong wind warning to damaging gale force winds.”

“Winds of average speeds of 75km per hour and can be casting all up to 100km per hour today.”

“When the system comes in it will bring with it heavy rain and squally thunderstorms and we will soon issue a heavy rain warning for areas that will be affected initially.”

“People to be prepared and take every precautionary measure you can take with anticipation of Tropical Cyclone Winston coming and approaching us over the next 24 hours.”