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Cyclone
Donna now category 5, breaks global record
The increase comes amid powerful wind gusts and a drop in air pressure (NASA)
8
May, 2017
A
tropical cyclone that's currently passing over the Pacific Islands
has had its rating increased to Category 5, according to US
government data.
The
increase makes Cyclone Donna the most powerful Southern Hemisphere
cyclone ever recorded in May.
Wind
gusts of up to 260km/h have contributed to the increase, with air
pressure dropping overnight in Fiji to 948hPa - and CNN says it could
now be even lower
Cyclone
Donna is expected to weaken as it heads towards New Caledonia over
the next two days.
Vanuata's
Torba province was ravaged by the storm over the weekend, with homes
and other buildings damaged.
The
cyclone briefly doubled back on Saturday night, bringing severe winds
and flooding to Vanuatu's northern islands before continuing its
trajectory southwest.
Red
Cross Vanuatu coordinator Dickinson Tevi told Newshub on Sunday the
islands are experiencing major issues with water access and quality,
after supplies in the north were contaminated during heavy downpours.
Access
to fresh food is also anticipated to be a significant problem for the
Pacific Island's affected areas.
Weatherwatch.co.nz
said according to CNN's Severe Weather Team Donna now had sustained
winds of 215km/h gusting up to a ferocious 260km/h making it the
strongest May cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.
It
eclipses Tropical Cyclone Nadu which struck in 1986.
New
Caledonia is next in Donna's firing line as the vicious storm heads
south but it's still not clear if it will bring havoc to our shores.
The
Fiji MetService is yet to officially confirm any change in storm
category. New Zealand's MetService says the Fijian weather agency is
responsible for the cyclone and there is not expectation the storm
will be upgraded in the its next update due at 1pm.
As
Donna ramps up, forecasters are closely watching its projected path
across the Pacific.
While
it's expected to weaken as it moves down towards New Zealand both
MetService and Weatherwatch.co.nz say it's unlikely there will be a
direct hit.
But
there was an outside chance of it colliding with a spell of bad
weather from Australia due to hit the country late Thursday.
Even
if it passed by it was also likely to cause big swells and bring rain
to parts of the country.
Watch NZH Focus: Tropical Cyclone Donna upgraded to category 5
Forecasters
say it won't be until midweek that they'll have the best idea of
when, or if, Donna will pose any major problems.
Donna
is currently buffeting Vanuatu where entire villages in the northern
Torres group have sought shelter in caves. Elsewhere parts of
Vanuatu's capital Port Vila have been submerged after heavy rain
flooded low-lying areas.
Though #TCDonna hasn't reached Efate, heavy rain has caused severe flooding in low lying communities in the country's capital of Port Vila.
Roofs
have been lifted and buildings destroyed as Donna carves a trail of
destruction across islands in the Torba province. Authorities are
warning residents across central Vanuatu islands to get ready to go
to shelter.
Floodwaters
have left homes in ruins carving large chunks of land from properties
in Port Vila.
Community members behind Tagabe, Port Vila, are forced to relocate their homes after heavy rain & flooding caused landslides in the area.
Weatherwatch.co.nz
said after a "bouncy" tracking at the end of last week the
tropical cyclone had finally turned south after waiting for the fine
weather parked over New Zealand to leave.
Donna
is expected to track past Noumea early Wednesday morning.
The
cyclone would likely weaken once it left New Caledonia but could link
up with a low crossing the country and bring incredibly heavy
downpours.
There
was also a chance the remnants of Donna could develop into a new low
pressure system east of the North Island and deepen further.
MetService
says Donna poses no immediate risk to New Zealand.
TC Donna not moved much since yesterday, but still expected to pass close to New Caledonia+Vanuatu. Low system to W getting closer to NZ ^TA
The
next major weather feature coming our way was a complex trough
currently south of Adelaide and expected to cross New Zealand later
this week bringing widespread rain and strong winds.
MetService
said there was a slim chance of interaction between the trough and
the remnants of Donna but it was too far off and there were many
other possible scenarios.
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