Fiji in the Path of 200 mph Cyclone Winston

The latest JWTC bulletin predicts even higher wind speeds:

WARNING POSITION:
191800Z — NEAR 17.2S 178.9W
MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS – 275 DEGREES AT 13 KTS
POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 010 NM
POSITION BASED ON EYE FIXED BY SATELLITE
PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS – 145 KT, GUSTS 175 KT

WINSTON IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS AS UPPER LEVEL CONDITIONS AND SSTS REMAIN EXTREMELY FAVORABLE, PEAKING AT 160 KNOTS JUST PRIOR TO MAKING LANDFALL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE NORTHERN FIJI ISLANDS.

This morning Winston's winds are even stronger than predicted last night:

WARNING POSITION:
200600Z — NEAR 17.4S 178.7E
MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS – 260 DEGREES AT 14 KTS
POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 015 NM
POSITION BASED ON EYE FIXED BY SATELLITE
PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS – 155 KT, GUSTS 190 KT

TROPICAL CYCLONE (TC) 11P (WINSTON), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 45 NM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF SUVA, FIJI, HAS TRACKED WESTWARD AT 14 KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS A FAIRLY SYMMETRIC CONVECTIVE STRUCTURE WITH A 14-NM EYE THAT HAS BECOME SLIGHTLY RAGGED AS IT NEARS THE FIJI COASTLINE. OVER THE PAST FEW FRAMES THE SYSTEM HAS GAINED A SLIGHT SOUTHERLY COMPONENT TO ITS WESTWARD MOVEMENT AND HAS MADE LANDFALL ALONG THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE MAIN ISLAND OF VITI LEVU, FIJI.

Here's how he looked from the Himawari 8 geostationary satellite at 04:00 UTC this morning, as the sun was going down over Fiji:

The Government of Fiji has declared a State of Natural Disaster across the whole nation:

The National Disaster Management has advised that a total public curfew will take effect across the country today from 6.00pm.

This latest measure is designed to restrict movement and ensure the safety of all Fijians. Only essentials services will be permitted to travel.

This curfew will take place until further notice.

Emergency bulletins are being issued on the Facebook page of the Ministry of Rural & Maritime Development and National Disaster Management:

https://www.facebook.com/developmentfiji/

Please contact the following numbers for updates:
National Emergency Operation Centre: 331 9250
Northern Division: 8811322/8811005
Central Division: 3477000
Western Division: 6281553
Eastern: 3216466

Here's Winston's current forecast track:

As if the population of Fiji didn't already have enough to worry about there now comes news from the United States Geological Survey of what seems to be two earthquakes in quick succession in the region:

M5.8 – 155km SSW of Ndoi Island, Fiji

followed by an aftershock:

M5.2 – 156km SSW of Ndoi Island, Fiji

Fortunately in all the circumstances they were very deep in the Earth's crust.

Winston's wind speeds have dropped a bit as he interacts with the islands of Fiji, but the resulting waves have got bigger. The latest JWTC bulletin states:

WARNING POSITION:
201800Z — NEAR 17.4S 175.8E
MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS – 270 DEGREES AT 11 KTS
POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 035 NM
POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY SATELLITE
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS – 130 KT, GUSTS 160 KT

ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS A CLOUD COVERED EYE FEATURE THAT IS JUST STARTING TO REEMERGE AFTER PASSING OVER VITI LEVU, FIJI. ANIMATED RADAR IMAGERY AND A 201803Z SSMIS 91 GHZ MICROWAVE IMAGE DEPICT A COMPACT, WELL-
DEFINED EYE FEATURE SUPPORTING THE INITIAL POSITION WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE.

THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT REMAINS FAVORABLE WITH 10 TO 15 KNOT VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS) OFFSET BY STRONG DIVERGENCE ALOFT AND SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES (SSTS) OF 30 CELSIUS. TC WINSTON CONTINUES TO TRACK WESTWARD UNDER THE STEERING INFLUENCE OF A DEEP LAYERED SUB-TROPICAL RIDGE (STR) TO THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST. OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS THE CYCLONE WILL MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT INTENSITY AS THE ENVIRONMENT WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE THROUGH THIS PERIOD.

MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT AT 201800Z IS 40 FEET.

Here's how Winston currently looks from on high: