APCEDI ALERT 09F/08F #21, 2005: CYCLONE OLAF EXITS INTO SOUTHERN OCEAN

Cyclone Olaf has finally moved into the Southern Ocean after giving Rarotonga and Palmerston a glancing blow. Storm surge on Rarotonga caused some damage to residences and a some resorts on the west coast. Alerts and warnings are now coming down or being down-graded throughout much of the Pacific as Olaf departs, but some are still in place as follows:

Warnings for the Southern Cooks as follows:

SOUTHERN COOK ISLANDS ALERT FROM FIJI METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE

Special Weather Bulletin Number FOURTEEN for Southern Cooks ON TC OLAF
issued from RSMC NADI Feb 18/1734 UTC 2005 UTC.

THE TROPICAL CYCLONE GALE WARNING PREVIOUSLY IN FORCE FOR RAROTONGA, MANGAIA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS IS NOW CANCELLED.

A STRONG WIND WARNING AND A DAMAGING HEAVY SWELL WARNING REMAIN IN FORCE FOR THE SOUTHERN COOKS.

TROPICAL CYCLONE OLAF CENTRE [940HPA] WAS LOCATED NEAR 24.6S 161.1W OR ABOUT 240 MILES SOUTHSOUTHWEST OF RAROTONGA AND ABOUT 260 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MANGAIA AT 181700 UTC. MAXIMUM 10-MINUTE AVERAGE WINDS NEAR THE CENTRE ESTIMATED AT 90 KNOTS, DECREASING TO 80 KNOTS IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. OLAF IS MOVING TOWARDS THE SOUTH.

ON THIS TRACK, THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS NO LONGER EXPECTED TO CAUSE GALES OVER RAROTONGA, MANGAIA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

EXPECT NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 30 KNOTS GUSTING 40 KNOTS OVER OPEN SEAS, STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS OVER LAND, GRADUALLY EASING TONIGHT. OCCASIONAL SHOWERS ABOUT PALMERSTON. ELSEWHERE, RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES WITH A FEW SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS, EASING TONIGHT. ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.

This will be the final Special Weather Bulletin for the Southern Cook Islands and the next issue will be the routine bulletin at 182345UTC.
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The following is a full and current list of remaining Watches and Warnings in the area:

NORTHERN COOK ISLANDS:
A STRONG WIND WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE FOR PUKAPUKA, NASSAU, SUWARROW, RAKAHANGA AND MANIHIKI.

SOUTHERN COOK ISLANDS:
A STRONG WIND WARNING AND A DAMAGING HEAVY SWELL WARNING REMAIN IN FORCE FOR THE SOUTHERN COOKS

NIUE
DAMAGING SWELL WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR EASTERN COASTAL AREAS OF NIUE.

SAMOA:
Small craft advisory remains in effect for the northern open waters.

AMERICAN SAMOA:
A HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT

TOKELAU
A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR TOKELAU WATERS.

This will be the last APCEDI alert on this system.

Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator
http://www.afap.org