APCEDI Alert SP/Vn 20P Ului #1-2010: Cyclone Ului forms west of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu; Threatens Solomon Islands

The RSMC-Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre are issuing guidance on Cyclone Ului that formed yesterday off the northwest coast of Espiritu Santo in Northern Vanuatu. This is the second cyclonic storm to affect the South Pacific at this time along with Cyclone Tomas, which is approaching Fiji.

This centre of Cyclone Ului is currently located 180 kms northwest of Cape Cumberland (Cape Nahoi) on the Northwest tip of Espiritu Santo or 530 kms southeast of Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands. Maximum sustained winds are 50 kts making Tomas a strong tropical storm. Cyclone Ului is expected to slowly strengthen into tomorrow and will likely reach Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Most models are forecasting Cyclone Ului to on a generally westerly course toward the Southern Solomon Islands and the Louisiade Archipelago in Southeast Papua New Guinea.

A Tropical Cyclone Warning is now in effect for the Solomon Islands locations of Temotu, Makira and Rennell/Bellona and a Tropical Cyclone Watch is in place for Malaita and Guadalcanal.

All residents of the affected areas of the Solomon Islands should monitor this storm carefully, and heeding all Government warnings and advice. If required by the Government, cyclone preparations should be rushed to completion.

Residents of Northern Vanuatu should continue to monitor the storm as it moves away from the region. Fortunately when the system moved across Northern Vanuatu in the last few days, it was only a tropical depression, so damage was minor.

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING NUMBER THREE

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING NUMBER THREE ISSUED BY THE SOLOMON ISLANDS METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE AT 10:30 AM THIS MORNING 13TH MARCH 2010.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING IS NOW CURRENT FOR TEMOTU, MAKIRA AND RENNELL/BELLONA PROVINCE WHILST A TROPICAL CYCLONE WATCH ADVICE IS IN FORCE FOR MALAITA AND GUADALCANAL PROVINCES.

AT 5:00 AM THIS MORNING, TROPICAL CYCLONE ULUI (CATEGORY TWO) WITH A CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 985 HECTOPASCALS WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.0 DEGREES SOUTH AND LONGITUDE 165.0 DEGREES EAST, THIS IS APPROXIMATELY 180 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF VANIKORO ISLAND, TEMOTU PROVINCE. CYCLONE ULUI IS SLOWING MOVING WEST-NORTHWEST AT 10 KNOTS AND INTENSIFYING.

EXPECT MEAN MAXIMUM WINDS TO 50 KNOTS, WITH MAXIMUM GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS IN AREAS CLOSE TO THE CENTRE.

EXPECT GALE FORCE WINDS (34 TO 47 KNOTS) TO DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN TEMOTU ISLANDS INCLUDING SANTA CRUZ ISLAND WITHIN THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS AND MAY DEVELOP ABOUT RENNELL/BELLONA ISLANDS IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

EXPECT WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KNOTS INCREASING TO 30 KNOTS AT TIMES ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHERN MAKIRA, NORTHERN MALAITA AND SOUTHERN GUADALCANAL.

SEAS WILL BE ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH WITH MODERATE TO HIGH SWELLS.

THE PEOPLE OF TEMOTU, RENNELL/BELLONA, MAKIRA, MALAITA, GUADALCANAL AND PROVINCES SHOULD CONSIDER ACTION THEY WILL NEED TO TAKE AS THE THREAT INCREASES AND TO LISTEN TO THE SIBC OR FM RADIOS FOR FURTHER ADVICES.

NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED AT 2:00 PM THIS AFTERNOON.

DATE: 13TH MARCH 2010

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 Ului.
________________________________________
Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator

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