Rotuma can expect damaging winds and heavy rain from tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon as a Tropical Depression moves slowly east towards Fiji.
Located about 1000 km west of Rotuma at 6am today, TDF04 has winds of between 40-60km per hour and is expected to gradually intensify.
A high system to the south of Fiji pushing northwards has kept TDF04 on an easterly track, which is why it has not started to take a more southerly course at this stage.
The Regional Forecasting Centre in Nadi has issued heavy rain alerts for northern and eastern parts of the Fiji Group. TDF04 is expected to speed up from 7kmph to 10kmph later today and be located about 160km south-southwest of Rotuma tomorrow morning.
SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN NUMBER FOUR FOR HEAVY RAIN ISSUED FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE,
NADI AT 9.00AM ON WEDNESDAY 15TH JANUARY, 2020.
HEAVY RAIN ALERT:
A HEAVY RAIN ALERT RAMAINS IN FORCE FOR YASAWA AND MAMANUCA GROUP, VITI LEVU, LOMAIVITI GROUP,
VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS AND NORTHERN LAU GROUP.
SITUATION: TROPICAL DISTURBANCE TD04F LIES TO THE FAR NORTHWEST OF FIJI, CLOSE TO VANUATU AND
CURRENTLY MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 7KM/HR. IT IS EXPECTED TO TURN AND MOVE EASTWARDS
TOWARDS ROTUMA FROM LATER TODAY. THE ASSOCIATED ACTIVE RAINBANDS ARE EXPECTED TOSTART AFFECTING FIJI FROM LATER TODAY.
FORECAST FOR YASAWA AND MAMANUCA GROUP, VITI LEVU, LOMAIVITI GROUP, VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI AND NEARBY
SMALLER ISLANDS AND NORTHERN LAU GROUP:
OCCASIONAL SHOWERS. ISOLATED HEAVY FALLS EXPECTED AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED
ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON OR EVENING. SHOWERS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO RAIN AND BECOME FREQUENT AND
HEAVY WITH SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATER TODAY.
THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL BE ISSUED AT AROUND 3.00PM TODAY OR EARLIER.