SPAC: IAN - Tropical Cyclone

[mrbagyo]

I agree with dexter, this must be a high end cat 4 to cat 5 by now.
the eye is almost fully surrounded by CMG + CDG is beginning to appear also

[stormkite]

wtps31 pgtw 110900
msgid/genadmin/joint typhoon wrncen Pearl Harbor hi//
subj/tropical cyclone 07p (ian) warning nr 012//

remarks:
110900z position near 20.9s 173.6w.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 07p (ian), located approximately 412 nm south-
southwest of Pago Pago, has tracked south-southeastward at 11 knots
over the past six hours. Animated infrared satellite imagery shows a
highly symmetrical system that that has further deepened and
maintained a 25-nm eye. The initial position is based on the above
animation and lines up directly with the microwave eye on a 110526z
SSMI-S pass. The initial intensity is based on congruent Dvorak
estimates from pgtw, phfo, and knes. Upper level analysis indicates
the transitory mid-latitude trough to the south has continued to
enhance the poleward outflow and allowed the system to further
intensify. In addition to the favorable upper-level conditions, warm
sea surface temperatures (ssts) will help maintain this peak
intensity over the next 12 hours before the system gradually weakens
due to increasing vertical wind shear and cooler SSTs. This will
coincide with its extra-tropical transition. Tc ian is forecast to
become a cold core low by tau 96. There is high confidence in the
forecast track due to the tight agreement among the numeric models.
Maximum significant wave height at 110600z is 30 feet. Next warnings
at 112100z and 120900z. //
Nnnn

[mrbagyo]

who can give any reliable info from Lifuka island Airport? links?
Cyclone Ian passed directly in the Island of Foa which is very near that airport

[euro6208]

07P IAN 140111 1200 21.5S 173.5W SHEM 125 929

Monster category 4!

[Ptarmigan]

Quite an impressive storm.

[HurricaneBill]

who can give any reliable info from Lifuka island Airport? links?
Cyclone Ian passed directly in the Island of Foa which is very near that airport

I'm not sure how close it is, but Haapai was showing worsening conditions until the station stopped reporting around 1/11 00Z. (13Z Tongan time)

At that time, Haapai was reporting:
1-min sustained wind: 63.3 mph (around 55KT)
Gust: 86.3 mph (around 75KT)

Pressure: 28.82 in (around 976mb)

[HurricaneBill]

One dead, widespread destruction in Tonga cyclone

[stormkite]

[euro6208]

07P IAN 140112 0000 23.4S 172.7W SHEM 120 933

Remains a strong category 4 cyclone!

[xtyphooncyclonex]

Rapid weakening. Down to 80 kts.

[euro6208]

WTPS31 PGTW 132100 COR
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL CYCLONE 07P (IAN) FINAL WARNING CORRECTED//
RMKS/
1. TROPICAL CYCLONE 07P (IAN) WARNING NR 017A CORRECTED
01 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONE IN SOUTHPAC
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
---
WARNING POSITION:
131800Z --- NEAR 30.5S 168.8W
MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 135 DEGREES AT 13 KTS
POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 060 NM
POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY SATELLITE
PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
BECOMING EXTRATROPICAL
RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 030 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
030 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 100 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
110 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
100 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
085 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
REPEAT POSIT: 30.5S 168.8W
---
FORECASTS:
12 HRS, VALID AT:
140600Z --- 32.8S 166.0W
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 040 KT, GUSTS 050 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
EXTRATROPICAL
---
REMARKS:
132100Z POSITION NEAR 31.1S 168.1W.
TROPICAL CYCLONE (TC) 07P (IAN), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 978 NM
SOUTH OF PAGO PAGO, HAS TRACKED SOUTHEASTWARD AT 13 KNOTS OVER THE
PAST SIX HOURS. ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS RAPIDLY
DECAYING DEEP CONVECTION DUE TO STRONG NORTHWESTERLY VERTICAL WIND
SHEAR (VWS). A 131616Z SSMIS 37 GHZ IMAGE REVEALS AN EXPOSED LOW-
LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER WITH ISOLATED DEEP CONVECTION DISPLACED
OVER THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT. TC 07P HAS BEGUN EXTRATROPICAL
TRANSITION (ETT) AS IT INTERACTS WITH THE BAROCLINIC ZONE AND
MIDLATITUDE WESTERLIES. THE SYSTEM WILL SUCCUMB TO INCREASING VWS
AND COOLER SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES (LESS THAN 24C) AS IT COMPLETES
ETT BY TAU 12. THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THE JTWC FORECAST TRACK
BASED ON THE TIGHT GROUPING OF THE DYNAMIC MODEL TRACKERS. THIS IS
THE FINAL WARNING ON THIS SYSTEM BY THE JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL
HARBOR HI. THE SYSTEM WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED FOR SIGNS OF
REGENERATION. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT AT 131800Z IS 18
FEET. JUSTIFICATION FOR CORRECTION: CHANGED THE MANOP HEADER TO
REFLECT PGTW.//
NNNN

[stormkite]

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/tong ... tion/26394

Tongan islanders taking stock after Cyclone Ian devastation
Tuesday January 14, 2014 - 12:39 EDT
Relief and recovery efforts are gaining pace after the weekend devastation brought on by Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian on Tonga's northern islands.One person was killed and thousands made homeless by the category five storm which packed sustained winds of more than 200 kilometres per hour when it swept through the area over the weekend. The worst affected area was the northern part of the Ha'apai group of islands, with damage to buildings and services such as water, telecommunications and power. In the main town of Pangai, 75 per cent of houses were destroyed.

Emergency workers in Tonga are completing their final sweep of the nation to determine where to direct resources. The secretary general of Tonga Red Cross, Sione Taumoefolau, says supplies are being given to residents who have lost everything, beginning with the distribution of five hundred tents.

Tonga's director of emergencies, Leveni Aho, has told Radio Australia's it is allowing some of the displaced to move out of emergency shelters. "The tents will give them the option to go back, to start going back to their respective places," he said. "Although they have lost a house, they can at least start go back and put their belongings, or find their belongings." The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says around 2,000 people are currently in 11 evacuation centres across the region. A Tongan-born resident of Australia has described the force of Cyclone Ian, which struck over the weekend, saying it lifted cars and buses into the air.

Moeaki Halaevalu was visiting relatives in the Ha'apai islands when the cyclone hit and survived with only the clothes he was wearing. "It as so strong, all the houses gone and it actually lifted cars, lifted cars and moved buses," he said. Tongan journalist Monalisa Palu returned from Ha'apai Monday where she was among the first reporters to visit. From the capital Nuku'alofa, she told Australia Network there's a lot of devastation but also a lot of spirit. "In the midst of this devastation, the people there are working together, already cleaning up before supplies arrive, and they just want to reassure everyone that they are okay," she said.

Contact re-established

Tongan authorities say they have made contact with most of the smaller islands, home to about 8,000 people, with reports of extensive damage. Efforts to restore power are continuing, and troops have been deployed to help clear roads. On Monday, the Australian and New Zealand High Commissioners joined the Tongan prime minister, Siale'ataongo Tu'ivakano, and other senior figures in inspecting the damage.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has announced Australia will provide an initial $AU50,000 in emergency supplies to assist the response, and pledges to work closely with the Tongan government to support their efforts. The Australian High Commission in Nukuâ??alofa has been contacting Australians in the affected region to determine their safety and welfare. New Zealand pledged $NZ50,000 for immediate response efforts and sent in the air force to assist in assessing damage. However, Tongan New Zealanders are frustrated that Tonga has not officially asked New Zealand for assistance with the clean-up from Cyclone Ian. The head of the Tongan Advisory Council in New Zealand says many Tongan churches and community groups in New Zealand want to contribute to relief supplies. Melino Maka says without a formal approach by the Tongan Government to their New Zealand counterparts, it will be difficult to get containers with goods to the affected island quickly. "It's quite frustrating for the community who constantly want us to make things happen, but we do not have any other way or other means at the moment," he said. Gusts from Cyclone Ian approached 300 kilometres per hour as it smashed into the northern Tongan islands early Saturday, local time. It briefly weakened to a category four system before building up again to category five, bringing gale winds to the capital, Nuku'alofa.

Authorities say Nuku'alofa, on the main Tongatapu islands in the south, as well as the central Vava'u island group, did not sustain as much damage as expected.

[HurricaneBill]

Ian will definitely be retired.