APCEDI Alert SP/CI 15P Rene #3-2010: Cyclone Rene Bearing down on American Samoa

The RSMC-Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre, the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre and the US National Weather Service are issuing guidance on Cyclone Rene, a tropical cyclone that is bearing down on American Samoa.

Cyclone Rene is currently located 204 miles (330 kms) northeast of Manu'a in American Samoa or 240 miles (390 kms) northeast of Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa. It is moving southwest at 9 kts. Maximum sustained winds are 60 kts making Rene a borderline Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Cyclone Rene is expected to slowly strengthen into tomorrow and is forecast to reach Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale in 24-36 hours as it approaches American Samoa. Most models are forecasting Cyclone Rene to continue moving southwesterly over the next 24 hours.

American Samoa is now under direct threat from Cyclone Rene in the next 24 hours, and the US National Weather Service has issued a Hurricane Warning for most of the region including all major islands. Residents and interests in American Samoa should rush all cyclone preparations to completion and follow all advice provided by the Government.

Residents and interests in Samoa, Tonga, Niue and Fiji's Lau Group should monitor the storm closely and follow all Government advice as Cyclone Rene could pose a threat in 24-48 hours.

Cyclone Rene is moving away from the Cook Island, but residents and interests should remain vigilant until the storm is well clear of the region and the Government has lowered all warnings.

The following is an interactive list of the situation in each island group:

AMERICAN SAMOA

HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MANU'A GROUP (population 1,700), TUTUILA (population 55,000) AND AUNUU (population 500).

SAMOA

A GALE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR UPOLU ISLAND (population 135,000)

NIUE

A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR NIUE (population 1,400)

NORTHERN COOK ISLANDS

A TROPICAL CYCLONE GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR NASSAU (population 75).

A STRONG WIND WARNING IS IN FORCE FOR PUKAPUKA (population 600) AND SUWARROW (population 1-2 caretakers).

SOUTHERN COOK ISLANDS

A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR SOUTHERN COOKS WATERS.

TROPICAL CYCLONE RENE - LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PAGO PAGO AS
300 AM SST FRI FEB 12 2010

...A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TUTUILA AUNUU AND MANU'A...

...NEW INFORMATION...
TROPICAL CYCLONE RENE WAS LOCATED NEAR 13.7 SOUTH 167.5 WEST OR ABOUT 90 MILES NORTHEAST OF MANU'A AND ABOUT 230 MILES NORTHEAST OF PAGO PAGO AT 12 AM LOCAL TIME FRIDAY...MOVING SOUTHWEST 8 MPH. IF RENE CONTINUES TO MOVE ON THIS TRACK...THEN IT WILL BE AT 14.1 SOUTH 168.8 WEST BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON OR ABOUT 70 MILES NORTHEAST OF MANU'A...AND AT 14.7 SOUTH 170.5 WEST OR ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF PAGO PAGO BY FRIDAY NIGHT. RENE IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTHWESTWARD.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS OF TUTUILA, AUNUU AND MANUA.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MANU'A.
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TUTUILA AND AUNUU.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS WINDS OF 75 MPH OR HIGHER ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR.

...STORM INFORMATION...
TROPICAL CYCLONE RENE WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY AS IT MOVES WEST-SOUTHWEST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL RESIDENTS OF AMERICAN SAMOA SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. PREPARATIONS SUCH AS SECURING TENTS AND LOOSE ITEMS...AND TYING DOWN AND BOARDING OF HOME SHOULD BEGIN IN ALL OF AMERICAN SAMOA.

...WIND IMPACTS...
ON MANUA...SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 50 TO 60 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY MORNING...THEN INCREASING TO 65 TO 75 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 90 MPH BY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. ON TUTUILA AND AUNUU...SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 15 MPH WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 40 MPH BY FRIDAY MORNING...THEN INCREASING TO 45 TO 60 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH BY FRIDAY LATE AFTERNOON...THEN INCREASING TO 65 TO 75 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 90 MPH FRIDAY NIGHT.

...STORM SURGE AND TIDE IMPACTS...
HAZARDOUS SURF HEIGHTS OF 10 TO 12 FEET WILL BUILD TO NEAR 13 TO 15 FEET BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND IT WILL AFFECT NORTH...EAST AND SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES ON TUTUILA...AUNUU AND MANUA.

...NEXT UPDATES...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN PAGO PAGO AT 600 AM SST FRIDAY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANTS.

APCEDI will continue to monitor the progress of this system.

Please go to http://www.afap.org/apcedi/ for the complete interactive alert on Cyclone Rene.
________________________________________
Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator

To donate to AFAP's Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Rehabilitation Programs in Asia and the Pacific, go to http://www.afap.org and click on the "Donate On-Line" icon in the top right-hand corner.

To sign up for AFAP's free APCEDI email service, please go to http://www.afap.org/apcedi/ and register your email address.