Tropical Cyclone Donna becomes Category 5 storm, worst May storm on record in South P

We will have to wait a few days to see where Donna will head. Lets hope she has cleared the area before Golden Princess heads that way.

Unusual for a Cyclone this late in the year.:eek:

Tropical Cyclone Donna becomes Category 5 storm, worst May storm on record in South Pacific

Cyclone Donna lashes Vanuatu with winds gusting up to 240kmh

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/92306587/cyclone-donna-lashes-vanuatu-with-winds-gusting-up-to-240kmh

My thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu. That country seems to get more than their fair share of cyclones. It is a surprise so late in the cyclone season.

Good news that it is not heading to NZ, like the last one. Interesting that the next NZ weather event is expected to be from a complex trough south of Adelaide.

We have friends at Espiritu Santo and they had the cyclone hanging around since Friday. Recent posts are reporting trees down and that Lugunville is without power. Our thoughts are with them.

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We spent Christmas 2015 holidaying in Port Vila and the drive around the island showed, at that stage, they where a long way from recovering the last big one. Australian & French construction crews had just arrived to plan rebuilding the waterfront near the markets.

My thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu. That country seems to get more than their fair share of cyclones. It is a surprise so late in the cyclone season.

 

Good news that it is not heading to NZ, like the last one. Interesting that the next NZ weather event is expected to be from a complex trough south of Adelaide.

Weatherzone shows models are in general agreement it is heading towards NZ as a low.

http://forum.weatherzone.com.au/ubbthreads.php/topics/1422939/TC_Donna_threatening_New_Caled#Post1422939

Weatherzone shows models are in general agreement it is heading towards NZ as a low.

http://forum.weatherzone.com.au/ubbthreads.php/topics/1422939/TC_Donna_threatening_New_Caled#Post1422939

Thanks for the link. I suspect the damage will be bad, being a Category 5 cyclone - possibly the strongest cyclone on record. So North Island NZ could get the tale end as a Low.

Have some friends heading to the islands on Carnival tomorrow, they may get diverted or redirected depending on how it turns out. Hope people stay safe and damage is minimal.

I was on Pacific Dawn last Wednesday when it tried to get into Port Vila, which was the same day that Donna was upgraded to cyclone status. The Captain wasn't game to risk the entrance in the wind and seas that were on, and I don't blame him.

If he had entered harbour, we would probably still be there.:eek:

It was a rough old road home too.

Glad the Captain made the right decision.

Here's the story with current status of Pacific Aria. We are checking for impact on Carnival and Princess. Please let us know if you hear from passengers onboard - thanks!

http://www.cruisecritic.com.au/news/news.cfm?ID=7798

this cyclone is going right down close, over to Mare and lifou

Ouvea.and isle de pines.was at Lifou last month,paradise has a high price for the locals.

today we should know how they are coping.thoughts and prayers

and alot of rebuilding if its as bad as it looks

:(

Thanks for the link. I suspect the damage will be bad, being a Category 5 cyclone - possibly the strongest cyclone on record. So North Island NZ could get the tale end as a Low.

It was said that cyclone Donna, with a central pressure of 916 is the strongest May cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere. May is virtually out of the cyclone season, and the cyclone is certainly very intense. A few other examples: Pam that hit Vanuatu in 2015 had a pressure of 896. Cyclone Winston (Fiji, 2016) had a central pressure of 914 hPa. Haiyan that hit the Philippines (Northern Hemisphere) in 2013 was more intense - 895 hPa. Cyclones Yasi and Marcia (Queensland) were both 929 hPa. There are more than a dozen cyclones more intense than Donna that have impacted on Australia.

It is possible that Donna could intensify and that thought is frightening for the people in its path.

Latest news is good and has Donna weakening.

Here's the story with current status of Pacific Aria. We are checking for impact on Carnival and Princess. Please let us know if you hear from passengers onboard - thanks!

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com.au/news/news.cfm?ID=7798

Cheers. Good news is that the cyclone is weakening just as it gets to Noumea.

I know of a couple of Aussies locally who have holiday homes on Vanuatu. Not for me, Earthquakes and Cyclones, they can have them. Not a fan of the Pacific Islands, but many cruise and holiday there, again and again. :eek:

While Donna is being downgraded , a new one ,Ella, is forming and threatening Fiji :eek:

I love the South Pacific islands but it is not a good time to be cruising there. Who would have thought in May!

I know of a couple of Aussies locally who have holiday homes on Vanuatu. Not for me, Earthquakes and Cyclones, they can have them. Not a fan of the Pacific Islands, but many cruise and holiday there, again and again. :eek:

I think tsunamis scare me the most, as a lot of the island resorts are low lying on the beachfront. Of course, that doesn't stop me holidaying there.

While Donna is being downgraded , a new one ,Ella, is forming and threatening Fiji :eek:

Ella, wow, another one late in the season.

I know of a couple of Aussies locally who have holiday homes on Vanuatu. Not for me, Earthquakes and Cyclones, they can have them. Not a fan of the Pacific Islands, but many cruise and holiday there, again and again. :eek:

I prefer the variety although the islands are a nice place to go every couple of years for a domestic cruise.

A 6.8 quake there today, nasty double... quake and cyclone. Best wishes to all out there in Vanuatu Land.:cool:

We were in Santo twice last year and we were surprised that they have earthquakes nearby most weeks. We were lucky that the biggest one we felt was a 5.0.

One of the last calls that we are friends, Fabrice Moderan from Island Fishing has been posting some pics and Lifou has now also be n hit by Donna.

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A 6.8 quake there today, nasty double... quake and cyclone. Best wishes to all out there in Vanuatu Land.:cool:

Can they take a break.:(

Whilst Cyclone Donna has gone, Cyclone Ella is now a Category 2 cyclone.

ABC Weather forecaster said this morning that he found records of cyclone as late as end of May!

Whilst Cyclone Donna has gone, Cyclone Ella is now a Category 2 cyclone.

 

ABC Weather forecaster said this morning that he found records of cyclone as late as end of May!

Hopefully Ella doesn't intensify.