Updated Nov. 24, 2019 11:14 AM
Tropical Cyclone Rita has developed over the South Pacific Ocean and is expected to bring locally heavy rainfall to Vanuatu as well as Fiji.
An area of low pressure, which became Tropical Depression 1 Sunday morning, local time, meandered to the east of the Solomon Islands into the beginning of the weekend.
This satellite image shows Rita becoming more organized to the northeast of Vanuatu on Sunday night. (Photo/RAMMB)
The depression was located in an environment conducive for tropical development and quickly strengthened into Tropical Cyclone Rita later in the day on Sunday.
The storm is expected to continue tracking to the south-southeast through the early part of the week as a Category 1 tropical cyclone. This is equivalent to a tropical storm in the Atlantic Basin.
During this time the center of the storm is expected to stay east of Vanuatu.
However, some outer rain bands can brush some some of the islands, bringing periods of downpours and gusty winds.
There is still some potential that the storm can track farther west, bringing the storm closer to, or over the islands.
In this scenario, heavier and more persistent rainfall as well as locally damaging wind gusts would be expected.
Flash flooding and mudslides would also be more likely.
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Regardless of the track, shipping interests should monitor this storm as seas will be rough across the region through the week.
There is a small window that the storm could strengthen into a Category 2 tropical cyclone before the middle of the week, equivalent to a strong tropical storm or a weak Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic Basin.
If the storm reaches this strength, it is likely to be short-lived.
By the middle of the week, the system is forecast to move into an area of high wind shear and weaken rapidly.
While the storm is expected to dissipate, tropical moisture will linger over the area. This moisture may enhance rainfall over Vanuatu and Fiji during the middle to latter part of the week.
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