Tomas could dump enough rain for accumulations of 5 to 10 inches over much of Haiti, some of which could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, the hurricane center said. Public health officials are especially concerned because of a cholera outbreak in Haiti that has killed more than 300 people and could worsen with the coming storm. The official National Hurricane Center forecast track shows that Tomas is likely to make landfall in southwestern Haiti on Friday as a tropical storm, which would mean sustained winds between 39 mph (63 kph) and 73 mph (117 kph), with higher gusts. Warnings mean storm conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours.
Watches mean storm conditions are possible with the watch area, usually within 48 hours. A tropical storm watch was already in effect for Jamaica. The storm had fallen to tropical depression status just hours earlier, but forecasters anticipated the strengthening and said it might regain hurricane strength.Ī tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch were issued for Haiti, while the governments of Cuba, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas issued tropical storm watches. The fact that the cyclone has been moving rather slowly, though giving ample time for warning and for people to prepare, is not so good news for Fiji as it gives the system good opportunity to develop into a more severe Hurricane (Category 4) as it approaches the country.Tomas returned to tropical storm strength late Wednesday afternoon as it ground through the southern Caribbean en route to earthquake-devastated Haiti. Tropical Cyclone Tomas could develop into one of the most devastating hurricanes Fiji has ever faced, says the National Disaster Management Office.Ī DISMAC statement just released a while ago says that Cyclone Tomas is expected to intensify into a Hurricane by this evening and possibly develop further into a Category 4 system just before reaching landfall.īased on rather slow movement of TC Thomas to date and its new projected path, the cyclone is expected to start affecting Fiji from early on Monday 15 March. Tomas coming slow, but getting stronger (Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Ltd.) Sea surface temperatures in this region are quite warm providing plenty of fuel for intensification provided that wind shear remains low. The slow movement of Tomas provides ample time for the storm to intensify potentially becoming a very severe tropical cyclone. Strong winds and heavy rains are expected to begin Sunday afternoon and increase throughout the night as the bulk of the storm makes landfall. This storm has the potential to become one of the strongest that Fiji has experienced. Tropical Cyclone Tomas was located 545 kilometers North Northeast of Udu point at around 11am today and is moving Southwest at 11 kilometers per hour.Ĭlose to its center, Tropical Cyclone Tomas has average winds of 100km/hr to 140km/hr and on its current track, it may bring gale force winds over most parts of the country within the next 24 to 36 hours.Ĭyclone Tomas is moving slowly and is intensifying steadily. Nadi Weather Office Director Rajendra Prasad said Tropical Cyclone Tomas has slowed down and is intensifying rapidly and is expected to be upgraded to a hurricane status within the next 12 hours. Tropical Cyclone Tomas has now heading Southwest and his heading straight towards the Fiji group and is expected to start affecting the country from late tomorrow or early Monday morning. Tropical Cyclone Tomas heading straight towards Fiji Group (FijiVillage) “At the moment all the model guidance is agreeing to bring the track right across Fiji, starting from Vanua Levu, the big island to the north, and then come down through Fiji on its way southward.” The Fiji Metservice says Tomas is a category two system but is likely to significantly intensify over the next day or so.įorecaster Alipate Waqaicelua says by then the cyclone could threaten Vanua Levu and Viti Levu with winds of up to 125 knots. The projected storm track idicates Tomas will cross directly over the two main islands likely on Monday.Ĭyclone Tomas forecast to roar across the centre of Fiji from Monday (Radio New Zealand International) Tropical Cyclone Tomas is gaining in intensity as it heads towards the Fiji Islands.
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