New Zealand’s Emergency services and Civil Defence organisations are preparing for the worst as a tropical cyclone sweeps from the tropics into the Tasman Sea, passing close to New Zealand.

Published 6 days ago

Cyclone Tam was named by the Fijian Meteorology Service late on April 15 and is now a Category 1 storm with gale force winds around the centre. Category 1 is damaging, but it is also the lowest on the tropical cyclone scale (which goes up to five). In comparison, Cyclone Gabrielle had Category 3 strength when it reached New Zealand just over two years ago.

The South Pacific Cyclone season runs from November 1 to April 30. Currently, many cruising boats are preparing to leave from marinas and harbours on the east coast of the Northland area of New Zealand’s North Island for the islands of the South Pacific.

New Zealand’s MetService is warning swells could climb to six metres in the next two to three days in the Northland region. Wind gusts are expected to reach around 120km/h in an area from Cape Brett, at the entrance to the Bay of Islands to Cape Colville, the northernmost point on the Coromandel Peninsula. Conditions are not safe in the water at this time,” a message on the MetService website said.

However, Cyclone Tam is s expected to be downgraded to a storm as it tracks west of Cape Reinga and down through the Tasman Sea. In an update overnight, the Fiji Meteorological Service said the cyclone was moving south at 20 knots or 37km/h. The wind close to the centre was 45 knots, or 83km/h, but is expected to drop to 30 knots, or 56km/h, within 24 hours.

Norfolk Island Could Be Impacted

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is forecasting Cyclone Tam to pass to the east of Norfolk Island on Wednesday afternoon April 16 and says the system is likely to transition to a sub-tropical low later that day.

However, the Bureau said even if Tam is no longer classified as a tropical cyclone, significant wind, rain, and marine impacts are expected as the system moves past Norfolk Island.

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Related News:

• Tropical Cyclone Bringing Heavy Rain, Strong Winds to Upper North Island (Radio New Zealand)
• Tropical Cyclone Heads Towards North Island (NZ Herald)
• South Pacific Cyclone Season:  Average Cyclone Season Predicted fro 2024/2025 (Noonsite)

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Related Links:

• Noonsite Weather Resources
• New Zealand Metservice
• Fiji Metservice

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