23/10/2023 9:58pm
It’s a very busy video today as we track an incoming wintry blast for the lower South Island and parts of Australia, and at the other end of the screen we have a major Tropical Cyclone.
Shortly before recording the Fiji Met Service lifted the severity of Cyclone Lola to Category 5 – the highest on the level. This is a major storm for Vanuatu – and we have more details in our Pacific Islands 7 Day forecast, out today.
Meanwhile NZ has warmer weather ahead of the cold change by Thursday night and Friday. Australia (from SA to VIC and TAS) also has a cold blast coming.
Finally, a new low in the Tasman Sea (sparked by Lola’s leftovers) will bring rain to dry eastern Australia at the weekend – and maybe into the upper North Island of NZ next week.
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Sean Connolley on 24/10/2023 3:44am
The closest comparison to Lola on record, in my view, is Cyclone Xavier in 2006, which was a shade weaker, with lower wind speed, although Xavier had a lower minimum pressure.
So yes, record breaking is correct.
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WW Forecast Team on 24/10/2023 3:46am
Thanks Sean, interesting! Now been confirmed to not only be the earliest Category 5 Cyclone in recorded history for the Pacific Basin – but now the entire Southern Hemisphere. May fall apart almost as fast as it started though.
Thanks for the info on Xavier – vaguely remember that storm at the time (due to the name starting with an X).
– Phil D
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janet on 24/10/2023 3:34am
the forecast is all over the place is lola coming to nz or not please
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WW Forecast Team on 24/10/2023 3:44am
Hi Janet – the video today covers it and shows Lola falling apart on Friday near New Caledonia… then the leftovers feeding into another low. So no, Lola itself does not look like it will directly coming here but we may get brushed with some easterly wind or rain in 6 or 7 days time. NZ details at the end of this story: https://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/tropical-low-90p-has-cyclone-potential-next-week-for-vanuatu
And more details in our video tomorrow.
– WW
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