Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Discussion of weather and climate outside of NZ's waters. Australian weather, tropical cyclones and USA storm chasing feature here.
Cyclone Tracy
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu 07/09/2017 19:25
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Has thanked: 771 times
Been thanked: 1719 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Cyclone Tracy »

The eye is commencing to make the dreaded appearance on the Fiji composite radar loop.
Awhituobs
Posts: 2256
Joined: Tue 10/09/2019 07:20
Location: Waiuku
Has thanked: 706 times
Been thanked: 556 times
Contact:

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Awhituobs »

Cyclone Tracy
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu 07/09/2017 19:25
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Has thanked: 771 times
Been thanked: 1719 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Cyclone Tracy »

Fiji Met now has Yasa at 899 hPa. More inner eyewall lightning. 29c sea surface temps are kicking in.
User avatar
Nev
Moderator
Posts: 6216
Joined: Tue 07/03/2006 15:24
Location: Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf
Has thanked: 468 times
Been thanked: 1064 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Nev »

Cyclone Tracy wrote: Thu 17/12/2020 08:03 Fiji Met now has Yasa at 899 hPa.
And 10-minute winds of 250 km/h - same as TC Pam in 2015 and TC Monica in 2006.
Cyclone Tracy
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu 07/09/2017 19:25
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Has thanked: 771 times
Been thanked: 1719 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Cyclone Tracy »

Mesovortices erupting with lightning on the southern area of the inner eyewall. Yasa is just as strong. I assume Fiji met are watching this as they have mentioned possible gusts of 350 km/h in a latest warning message.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
JP.
Posts: 344
Joined: Mon 12/06/2006 15:16
Location: Christchurch
Has thanked: 30 times
Been thanked: 99 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by JP. »

Wow. Praying for Fiji, this is going to be terrible.
User avatar
Nev
Moderator
Posts: 6216
Joined: Tue 07/03/2006 15:24
Location: Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf
Has thanked: 468 times
Been thanked: 1064 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Nev »

Very slight weakening today as Yasa interacts with Fiji's land areas…
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Cyclone Tracy
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu 07/09/2017 19:25
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Has thanked: 771 times
Been thanked: 1719 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Cyclone Tracy »

Touchdown.
Cyclone Tracy
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu 07/09/2017 19:25
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Has thanked: 771 times
Been thanked: 1719 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Cyclone Tracy »

The Fijian Island of Vanua Levu is unfortunately getting smashed. Lots of land friction and interaction. Interesting to see how much that slows Yasa.

Less than 72 hours ago, only 2 main global models had a direct hit on that Island. UK and Access G =D> Both use the unified model as their base.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Nev
Moderator
Posts: 6216
Joined: Tue 07/03/2006 15:24
Location: Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf
Has thanked: 468 times
Been thanked: 1064 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Nev »

Last image from Fiji's Labasa radar was at 7:50pm NZDT. However, its more southern Nausori radar suggests the centre of Yasa's eye made landfall on Vanua Levu's NW coast around 8:20pm NZDT.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Razor
Moderator
Posts: 5121
Joined: Fri 10/02/2006 15:14
Location: Halswell, Christchurch
Has thanked: 717 times
Been thanked: 923 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Razor »

Some pretty confronting images starting to hit social media sadly.

https://mobile.twitter.com/kkufijimusic ... 3D12409009
Christchurch Rocks
User avatar
Nev
Moderator
Posts: 6216
Joined: Tue 07/03/2006 15:24
Location: Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf
Has thanked: 468 times
Been thanked: 1064 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Nev »

Yes, reports coming in of massive destruction and entire villages flattened… :-(

Yasa downgraded to a Cat 4 by Fiji Met this morning (or Cat 3 according to JTWC), after completing an eyewall replacement cycle while crossing Vanua Levu last night. Increasing wind shear is weakening Yasa, currently leaving its LLCC exposed.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
tornado
Posts: 1660
Joined: Sat 02/03/2019 21:58
Location: flat bush,botany,auckland
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 93 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by tornado »

Sad news for Fiji . Horrific damage due to this storm.
User avatar
Nev
Moderator
Posts: 6216
Joined: Tue 07/03/2006 15:24
Location: Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf
Has thanked: 468 times
Been thanked: 1064 times

Re: Tropical Cyclone Yasa

Unread post by Nev »

Just for the record, Fiji Met declared Yasa extratropical on Sunday morning, after dropping to Cat 4 on Friday morning, Cat 3 a few hours later, Cat 2 on Saturday morning and Cat 1 early Saturday afternoon.


I've put together a few stats for this remarkable TC (based on satellite data from 1970):
  • Yasa's lowest pressure of 899 hPa makes it the South Pacific basin's 4th most intense TC on record
    (after Winston's 884 hPa in 2016, Zoe's 890 hPa in 2002 and Pam's 896 hPa in 2015).
  • Fiji Met's 10-minute mean winds of 250 km/h ties Yasa with Monica (2006) and Pam (2015) as the basin's 3 strongest TC's.
  • JTWC's 1-minute mean winds of 260 km/h, however, only ranks Yasa as JTWC's 7th equal-strongest TC for the basin.
  • Yasa is the earliest recorded Cat 5 TC to form for the season, beating TC Zoe's record in Dec 2002.
  • Yasa and Winston (2016) are the only 2 TC's to ever make landfall on Fiji as Cat 5 TC's.
Post Reply