Pundit Umen Sharma secures his home while Ramu and Shamu look on. Photo: THE JET.
Weather Situation – Tropical Cyclone Lusi remains slow moving this morning over Santo Island in the Vanuatu archipelago to the far west-northwest of Nadi. TC Lusi has intensified slightly overnight but remains a Category 1 TC at this time but may become a category 2 cyclone later today. The slow movement of TC Lusi is working in favour of Fiji as it will hold the track closer to Vanuatu than Fiji when it starts to move, which is likely to be later today. A track towards the southeast is still anticipated with the centre likely to pass some 400 to 500 km west of Fiji later tomorrow night. North to northwest winds freshening today. Mostly cloudy with occasional showers and isolated thunderstorms from time to time. Check with Nadraki or www.met.gov.fj for latest bulletins for this system.
Forecast for Fiji – Mostly cloudy with occasional showers and isolated thunderstorms from time to time. One or two heavy falls likely with local flash flooding of low lying areas. Humid northerly winds tending more northwesterly tonight.
Outlook for the next 72 hours – TC Lusi is forecast to move southeast and at this time the most likely track will keep the centre of the cyclone well west of Fiji and no direct impact with the land areas of Fiji is expected. However rain bands on the east and north side of this system will continue to affect the western half of Fiji from tonight through to Thursday. Some periods of heavy rain can be expected over the Western Division, Northern Viti Levu and western Vanua Levu in strengthening north to northwest winds. Mostly cloudy skies with a few thundery showers about the eastern half. By Thursday evening this system will be a very powerful tropical cyclone well to the south of Fiji heading towards NZ. As it moves away cloud and rain will clear from the west slowly on Friday though some showers will linger about the eastern half.