8 January 2022, Fiji. A low-pressure system that was located to the east of Vanuatu has weakened off and Tropical Depression 03F (TD03F) has become the dominant system.
According to the Fiji Meteorological Service, TD03F was located about 440km West-northwest of Nadi or about 445 kilometres west of Viwa at about midday yesterday, and moving Southwest at 45km/hr.
The system is expected to be slow moving to the Southwest of Fiji till early next week, attributed to a high pressure system situated to the far south of the country.
“As TDO3F lingers to the Southwest of Fiji, it has a moderate to high chance of intensifying into a tropical cyclone from next week Monday,” Fiji Met stated.
“TD03F is expected to bring continuous heavy rain over Fiji.”
It advised that rain had been falling for the last couple of days and with already saturated soil, there was a high risk of landslides and severe flooding.
“The system is also expected to bring strong to damaging gale force winds of up to 85km/hr with wind gust of up to 120km/hr over western and southern parts of Vanua Levu, Yasawa and Mamanuca Group, northern and western parts of Viti Levu, Beqa, Vatulele and Kadavu.”
According to Fiji Met, winds of this strength can:
- cause significant damage to houses of very light materials or unshielded structures with blown roof in exposed communities,
- damage power lines and disrupt communication networks,
- damage plants and crops,
- break twigs of small trees,
- cause disruption to travel/transport
- significant wave heights of about 4-5m is expected over Southwest Viti Levu waters, northern Vanua Levu waters, Yasawa and Mamanuca waters, Vatu-i-Ra and Kadavu passages. This poses a high risk of sea travel especially for small crafts and not suitable for coastal activities.
Fiji Met says it will continue to monitor this weather event and issue warnings and forecasts accordingly
