[LIVE] Tropical Cyclone Hola Updates

9 March 2018

TC Hola prints on Malekula Island dated 7 March 2018. Reports of collapsed houses, other structural damage on Vanuatu from Cyclone Hola. Roof blown off school.

8 March 2018 3.45am

Unmet School, Malekula.

The picture shows a telecommunication tower broken on Malekula Island.

Category 4

Fiji met saying #CycloneHola could become a monster cat-5 https://t.co/vn1XZcPLet pic.twitter.com/XDhVxXsUI5

— Sam Bolitho (@SamBolitho) March 7, 2018

The Fiji metservice says Cyclone Hola has rapidly developed into a category 4 cyclone with winds gusting to 230 kilometres per hour. An updated warning and more information is expected soon. pic.twitter.com/wkjefLYypi

— RNZ Pacific (@RNZPacific) March 7, 2018

Latest update from Fiji – #CycloneHola now cat 4 tropical cyclone https://t.co/iPKEm7fxQx ^TA pic.twitter.com/FrzPSrR4JM

— MetService (@MetService) March 7, 2018

Tropical Cyclone Hola now equivalent of hurricane/typhoon, max wind 75 mph (120 km/h), intensifying rapidly, eye about 135 miles (220 km) northwest of Port Vila, Vanuatu. pic.twitter.com/ZeaO72Nz5H

— Jay Hobgood (@jayhobgood) March 7, 2018

Tropical Cyclone Hola (!) near Vanuatu has developed a pinhole eye, rapidly intensified. May reach Category 4 well east of Australia in the SW Pacific Ocean. It's still hurricane season down there!
Satellite Loop: https://t.co/ZHlmEmCXST pic.twitter.com/9owtrMkIsf

— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) March 7, 2018

Tropical Cyclone Hola makes landfall in Vanuatu, impact on New Zealand uncertain https://t.co/QvnIjgiXVq pic.twitter.com/F19HMhwoDj

— Stuff (@NZStuff) March 7, 2018

Tropical cyclone Hola, currently sitting on Vanuatu, is gathering strength. It is expected to intensify to a category 3 storm. Now and in the next few days it will affect #Vanuatu and #NewCaledonia, then may hit #NorthIsland, #NZ. #foreca #CycloneHola #TCHola pic.twitter.com/IPz0Gv8QUS

— Foreca (@foreca) March 7, 2018

Nouvelle-Calédonie : #Hola une dépression tropicale forte évolue ce mercredi sur le nord du Vanuatu https://t.co/TPGJ5Dq4Qm pic.twitter.com/VnYs2wIn9f

— Météo-France (@meteofrance) March 7, 2018

So. Pacific Ocean -NASA Finds Heavy Rain in New Tropical Cyclone Hola Near Vanuatu
NASA obtained rainfall data on newly formed #TropicalCycloneHola as it triggered warnings in Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean.https://t.co/q7E6nVqxPz pic.twitter.com/VhjAqaA5oz

— NASAHurricane (@NASAHurricane) March 7, 2018

7 March 2018

[expander_maker]

Tropical Cyclone Hola was located about 118 NM northwest of Port Vila, Vanuatu and was moving towards the southwest at 6 knots. Max winds currently estimated at 65 knots. Hola is forecast to turn south the southeastward intensifying to over 120 knots by 9th 1200 UTC . pic.twitter.com/g1eWPpmRcW

— Fred Pickhardt (@fredwx) March 7, 2018

Ranon Junior Secondary School this morning March 7th 2018. Photo courtesy of Sam Bong.

High surface wind speed Tropical #Cyclone #Hola during #Vanuatu landfall observed today by @eumetsat @OSISAF satellite wind product based on @isro ScatSat-1 scatterometer. https://t.co/cMHRzvzMdP pic.twitter.com/B4Cby8KMy8

— Lothar Schüller (@LotharSchueller) March 7, 2018

Damages in West Ambrym. Photo courtesy of Densly Mana and Andrew Tavi (AYTS).

Note the above chart may not correspond to the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazard warning positions plotted on the local Cyclone Tracking Map.

Tropical Cyclone Hola was tracked near Malampa Province, Vanuatu with 60mph W winds #Hola #hurricane https://t.co/Gux4Bx1B6l pic.twitter.com/C6ykDCKJAX

— My Hurricane Tracker (@myhurricaneapp) March 7, 2018

A thunderstorm has hindered power services in Luganville which also affects the telecommunication networks around Sanma Province.

#Vanuatu is on #cyclonealert. #CycloneHola, a category 2 storm, is moving between Ambrym and Epi islands. Forecasters expect it to intensify to a category 3 system #PacificBeat pic.twitter.com/zX2gEkQlfy

— Radio Australia (@radioaustralia) March 7, 2018

The damages by Cyclone Hola damage at Ranwadi in Central Pentecost. Photo credit: Andrew Gray

#tchola Cat2 has become more impressive today in very favorable environment. Crossing #Vanuatu now with fcst. track just N. of New Caledonia THU/FRI. One to watch for #NZ early next week! The shape/speed of upper steering trough will be key. pic.twitter.com/L231x9pt3D

— Daniel Corbett (@danielcorbetttv) March 7, 2018

TC Hola to cross Vanuatu as a cat 2 Tropical Cyclone https://t.co/bVEniFgeeG pic.twitter.com/WAc0A6uass

— Graham Creed (@WeathermanABC) March 7, 2018

Cyclone Hola nears #Vanuatu

Tropical Cyclone Hola was named by Fiji Meteorological Service early this morning. It is currently category 2, lying east of Vanuatu.

It is expected to move over Vanuatu, before re-curving to head southeast into NZ waters.

The category 1 Tropical #CycloneHola, is bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to #Vanuatu’s Pentecost, Ambrym, Paama and Epi Islands this morning.

The storm is expected to strengthen over the next several days.

Vanuatu cyclone forecast map showing a worrying course towards the capital Port Vila. Hopefully remains a tropical low. http://www.vmgd.gov.vu/vmgd/index.php/forecast-division/tropical-cyclone/track

#Vanuatu Meteo has issued its first advisory concerning tropical low Hola, which is expected the pass over the Shepherd islands and Efate tomorrow morning.

At this point in time, the Government informs its Port Vila residence that the municipal election will go ahead as planned.

On March 6, 2018 at 0825 UTC the GPM core observatory satellite flew above east of Vanuatu and its GPM’s Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) scanners revealed that convective storms were dropping extremely heavy rainfall on the eastern edge of the forming tropical cyclone’s low level center.

DPR indicated that rain was falling at a rate of over 241 mm (9.5 inches) per hour in this area.

It is travelling west south west at eight knots and is expected to pass over Vanuatu today.

The system is generating winds of up to 65 kilometres an hour forecast to strengthen to about 84 kilometres per hour later today.