Tropical cyclone Pita which formed east of Fiji as a tropical depression, is the first named system for the South Pacific cyclone season but is expected to move southeast over the next couple of days without major damage to the South Pacific island nations in its path.

Published 4 days ago

First tropical cyclone of the South Pacific Season

Tropical depression TD04F, which had already brought bad weather to parts of the Pacific, developed into Tropical Cyclone Pita on Friday 10 January, NZT.

Cyclone alerts were then issued for Niue by the weather office there and in Tonga, the Met service there issued warnings for the Niuas, Vava’u and Ha’apai.

However, the tropical cyclone warning for Niue due to Cyclone Pita was cancelled on January 10 and Fiji’s metservice also lifted associated coastal inundation, gale winds and heavy swell warnings.

By Sunday January 12 (NZT) The Cook Islands Meteorological Service said Tropical Cyclone Pita had been downgraded to a tropical low and was gradually weakening and moving east southeast of Rarotonga.

The weather office said weather warnings remained in place for the Southern Cook Islands:

• A strong wind warning remains in force over land areas and waters of Southern Cooks.
• A coastal inundation warning remains in force for Southern Cook Islands.
• A damaging heavy swell warning remains in force for open waters of Southern Cooks.

The system was expected to weaken further as it tracks westward away from the southern Cook Islands on January 12. However, forecasters said some uncertainty remains in the track and intensity forecast and significant changes could occur in the coming days.

Six to 10 Named Tropical Cyclones Forecast

New Zealand’s NIWA and MetService assessment of tropical cyclone (TC) activity for the 2024 cyclone season indicates normal to below normal activity.

Six to 10 named TCs could occur in the Southwest Pacific from November 2024-April 2025 said NIWA. The long-term average number of named TCs per season is around nine.

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Related News:

• Tropical Cyclone Pita Downgraded to Tropical Low (Radio New Zealand)
• NZ Met Service Tropical Cyclone Bulletin
• Average Cyclone Season Predicted for 2024/2025 (Noonsite October 2024)

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