Severe Tropical Cyclone Rene is continuing to weaken as it moves south west and is now a Category 2 cyclone.

It is significantly weaker than it was 24 hours ago but still remains dangerous, particularly to low lying areas.  The cyclone is now looking messy on satellite maps and has lost the iconic cyclone cloud swirl and eye.

Here is the latest cyclone warning statement issued by the Fiji Meteorological Society in its entirety, checked at 9:55am Tuesday NZT.

A STORM WARNING IS IN FORCE FOR ATA. A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR TONGATAPU GROUP, EUA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS. A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR VAVAU, HA’APAI AND NOMUKA GROUPS.

TROPICAL CYCLONE RENE CENTRE [975HPA] CAT 2 LOCATED NEAR 22.7S 176.4W OR ABOUT 20 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF ‘ATA OR ABOUT 120 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF NUKUALOFA AT 151800 UTC. THE CYCLONE IS MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 12 KNOTS. CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE, THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 60 KNOTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 85 KNOTS, DECREASING TO 40 KNOTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS IN THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS.

ON THIS FORECAST TRACK THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO LIE ABOUT 100 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF ‘ATA OR ABOUT 200 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF NUKU’ALOFA AT 160000 UTC AND ABOUT 180 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF ‘ATA OR ABOUT 270 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF NUKU’ALOFA AT 160600 UTC.

FOR ‘ATA:
DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WINDS WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 60 KNOTS AND MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 85 KNOTS, DECREASING TODAY. PERIODS OF RAIN HEAVY AT TIMES AND SQUALLY THUNDESRTORMS. HIGH TO VERY HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING SEA FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.

FOR TONGATAPU GROUP, EUA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS:
DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS 35 KNOTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS, DECREASING THIS MORNING. VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS ABATING. HEAVY SWELLS EASING.

FOR VAVA’U, HA’APAI :
WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS GRADUALLY EASING LATER TODAY. CLOUDY WITH SOME RAIN, AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. VERY ROUGH SEAS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS ABATING.

FOR THE NIUAS:
MODERATE WESTERLY WINDS. CLOUDY PERIODS WITH A FEW SHOWERS. MODERATE SEAS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS ABATING.

THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ESPECIALLY FOR MARINERS:
EXPECTE WINDS ABOVE ABOVE 47 KNOTS WITHIN 50 NAUTICAL MILES OF CENTRE WITH VERY HIGH SEAS. WINDS ABOVE 33 KNOTS WITHIN 210 NAUTICAL MILES OF CENTRE IN THE SOUTHEAST SEMI-CIRCLE AND WITHIN 120 MILES OF CENTRE IN THE NORTHWEST SEMI-CIRCLE WITH HIGH SEAS. STRONG CYCLONIC WINDS 25 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 45 KNOTS WITHIN 180 MILES OF CENTRE WITH VERY ROUGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.