Tropical Cyclone 07P (Heta) brewing over Samoa

[senorpepr]

APIA (AFP) - Samoan authorities issued storm warnings as a powerful tropical cyclone built up north of the Pacific island nation.

The Samoa Meteorology Division said Cyclone Heta would be about 500 kilometres (315 miles) north-west of Savai'i, Samoas largest island, by 1:00 pm Friday (0200 GMT Saturday).

Flights to American Samoa were cancelled, worsening a backlog of passengers which Polynesian Airlines had been trying to clear.

The approach of Heta also resulted in the postponement of a rare horse-racing meeting in Samoa.

Heta is the first cyclone of the 2003-2004 season and is the first to threaten Samoa in nearly a decade.

Cyclones Ofa in 1990 and Val in 1991 were the last major storms to hit the country and nearly bankrupted its economy.

Ofa caused losses of more than 440 million US dollars, and in the environmental conditions that followed a blight devastated the national taro crop.

Savaii was badly hit by both cyclones.

[senorpepr]

JTWC Forecast on 07P (Heta)

02/18Z: 8.3S 173.5W 65G80MPH (TS)
03/06Z: 9.1S 173.5W 70G85MPH (TS)
03/18Z: 10.3S 173.7W 85G105MPH (Cat 1)
04/06Z: 11.8S 173.8W 100G120MPH (Cat 2)
04/18Z: 13.3S 173.2W 120G150MPH (Cat 3)
05/18Z: 17.0S 170.1W 130G160MPH (Cat 3)

(Note: category strengths based from Saffir-Simpson Scale)

TC 07P (Heta) was located approx. 340nm NNW of Apia, Western Samoa, and has tracked SEward at 05kt over the past 6 hours. Recent enhanced water vapor imagery depicts good outflow in all directions supporting cucloing deep convection with steady intensification. Strong equatorward westerlies to the N of TC 07P are also aiding in development. 07P is beginning to transisition to a more polward track as a high builds to the E. 07P is expect to continue tracking poleward towards American Samoa and intensify to typhoon strength in a continue favorable environment aloft.

[senorpepr]