FIJI METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE GOVERNMENT OF REPUBLIC OF FIJI MEDIA RELEASE No. 56 12pm, Friday, 17 January, 2020 TROPICAL CYCLONE TINO HEADING TOWARDS VANUA LEVU Tropical Depression TD04F intensified to a category one tropical cyclone at 3am today and named Tropical Cyclone(TC) Tino. TC Tino is anticipated to make landfall over Vanua Levu at 6pm today. At 11am today, TC Tino was located near 14.2 south latitude, 177.9 east longitude or about 210km south-southeast of Rotuma and about 300km northwest of Labasa at 9am today. Close to its centre the cyclone is expected to have average winds of up to 75km/hr with momentary gusts to 100km/hr. TC Tino is moving south-southeast at about 20km/hr. On this forecast track TC Tino is expected to be located about 70km east-southeast of Labasa or 130km west-northwest of Vanua Balavu at 9pm today and about 40km south of Lakeba or 170km north-northeast of Ono-i-Lau at 9am tomorrow. For Rotuma: Expect damaging gale force winds with average speeds of 65km/hr and momentary gusts to 95km/hr. periods of rain, heavy at times and squally thunderstorms. Sea flooding should be expected along coastal areas especially during high tides. For Lakeba, Cicia, Tuvuca, Nayau, Oneata, Moce, Komo, Kabara, Namuka-i-Lau, Fulaga and Ogea: Expect strong winds with average speeds of 45km/hr with momentary gusts to 65km/hr increasing to damaging gale force winds with average speeds of 65km/hr and momentary gusts to 95km/hr from midday and further increasing to destructive storm force winds with average speeds of 95km/hr and momentary gusts to 130km/hr from tonight. Periods of rain, heavy at times and squally thunderstorms. Sea flooding should be expected along coastal areas especially during high tides. For Cikobia, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and nearby smaller islands, the eastern half of Viti Levu, Yasawa, Lomaiviti and the rest of Lau Group: Expect strong winds with average speeds of 45km/hr with momentary gusts to 65km/hr increasing to damaging gale force winds with average speeds of 75km/hr and momentary gusts to 100km/hr from midday. Periods of rain, heavy at times and squally thunderstorms. persistent localised heavy falls may lead to flash flooding of low lying areas. Sea flooding along coast could be expected during high tides. For the rest of the Fiji Group: Expect moderate to fresh southeast winds, increasing to strong winds with average speeds of 45km/hr with momentary gusts to 65km/hr from midday. Periods of rain, heavy at times and squally thunderstorms. Periods of rain, heavy at times and squally thunderstorms. Persistent localised heavy falls may lead to flash flooding of low lying areas. The following information is provided especially for mariners: For Rotuma: Expect northwesterly winds up to 40 knots. very rough to high seas and damaging heavy northwesterly swells. For Northern Vanua Levu Waters, Lau Waters and Koro Sea: Expect northeast winds 20 to 30 knots. rough to very rough seas. Winds expected to increase up to 40 knots from midday today and further increase to 50 knots from tonight with high seas and damaging heavy northwesterly swells. The Rest of Fiji Waters: Expect east-southeast winds 20 to 25 knots increasing up to 30 knots with gusts to 24 knots from midday today and rough to very rough seas with moderate southeast swells. In anticipation of this, the following alerts and warnings are currently in force; A “Tropical Cyclone Warning” remains in force for Rotuma, Cikobia, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and nearby smaller islands, the eastern half of Viti Levu, Yasawa, Lau and Lomaiviti Group. A “Tropical Cyclone Alert” remains in force for the rest of the Fiji Group. A “Storm Warning” remains in force for Lakeba, Cicia, Tuvuca and is now in force for Nayau, Oneata, Moce, Komo, Kabara, Namuka-i-Lau, Fulaga and Ogea. A “Gale Warning” remains in force for Rotuma, Cikobia, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and nearby smaller islands, the eastern half of Viti Levu, Yasawa, Lomaiviti and the rest of Lau Group. A “Strong Wind Warning” remains in force for the rest of the Fiji Group. A “Heavy Rain Warning” remains in force for the Fiji Group. A “Flash Flood Warning” remains in force for all low lying areas, small streams and flood prone areas for the whole of Fiji. STATION 24 HOUR RAINFALL Labasa 110mm Navua 100mm Monasavu 88mm Keiyasi 83mm Momi 76mm Nabukaluka 70mm Table 1: Significant rainfall (more than 50mm) at selected sites from 9am yesterday to 9am this morning, 17 January, 2020. Figure 5: Tropical Cyclone Tino (CAT 1) track map at 7.34am today on 17 January, 2020. Figure 6: Tropical Cyclone Tino (CAT 1) threat map at 7.43am today on 17 January, 2020. Figure 7: Weather map at 9am today on 17 January, 2020. With rivers being at medium to high flows, soil already saturated and more rain predicted, the chances of flooding of low lying and flood prone areas is high. Sea flooding of low-lying coastal areas and damaging heavy swells is also anticipated. Members of the public are advised to remain alert and vigilant. Take warnings and advisories from relevant authorities seriously when issued and remain prepared at all times. The situation is closely monitored and any alert and warning will be issued as and when significant changes are anticipated. Members of the public are also advised to remain updated with the latest weather information. For more details and the latest on weather, please contact the National Weather Forecasting Centre on 6736006, 9905376 or visit the Fiji Meteorological Service’s website, www.met.gov.fj. 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