WeatherWatch.co.nz is forecasting floods for Fiji over the next 48 hours as a small but intense tropical depression passes by – or even over the top of Fiji.

It’s possible the tropical low may reach a Cyclone status, although it may just hover around the Tropical Depression/Tropical Cyclone threshold.

Forecaster Philip Duncan says at the moment wind is not a threat but rain will cause flooding.

“Yeah rain is actually our main concern with this Tropical Depression – it is hovering around the threshold of being a Depression or a Tropical Cyclone but the difference between the two is almost impossible to notice if you’re on the ground – so rather than getting hung-up on that – the main focus that we have, the weather-watch anyway, is with the rain. This load is going to tap into truly tropical northerlies that are gona come straight into Fiji’s main island especially towards Nadi and that could be producing rain over Friday and Saturday because that is an area of torrential rain which unlike NZ usually clears in an hour or two – this could last a day or two so it is quite concerning from the flood point of view that it could be some issues around Fiji and Nadi around the next day or two.”

WeatherWatch.co.nz says this is also tied in with La Nina.

Ritika/