A cyclone warning is now in force for Fiji.

The Fiji Meteorological Office this afternoon says that a storm warning is now in force for Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups and Western and Northern Viti Levu.

A gale warning is now in force for Rotuma, the western half of Vanua Levu in Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu, Eastern Viti Levu, and Lomaiviti Group.

The weather office says a storm alert is in force for southern Viti Levu, Vatulele, Kadavu, and nearby smaller islands.

It adds that a heavy rain warning remains in force for the whole Fiji Group, while a flash flood warning is in force for Ovalau and parts of Suva.

Furthermore, a flash flood alert is in force for a number of areas in southern Vanua Levu, parts of the Central Division, especially Tailevu and Naitasiri, and Koro Island.

The weather office says tropical depression TDO2F was located approximately 700km west-northwest of Rotuma or around 1000km northwest of Yasawa-i-Rara at 3pm today.

It says the depression is expected to strengthen into a tropical cyclone later this evening.

Acting Director Bipen Prakash says the current projected path indicates that the system will approach the Fiji Group on Tuesday as a Category 2 system.

“Extreme winds are mostly expected overnight, so this is on Tuesday night and it will continue into Wednesday. The system is expected to drift south by later on Wednesday and possibly clear the group by later in the afternoon or evening.”

Prakash says the path of the system is expected to pass close to the west of Viti Levu with storm-force winds over the Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups, western and southern Viti Levu, Vatulele, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands. However, it is a huge system, and its effects can be far-reaching.

He adds that the trough of low pressure associated with TD02F is already bringing a lot of rainfall over the country, especially over the Northern, Eastern, and Central Divisions.

For mariners and seafarers, expect gale force winds with speeds of 35 to 45 knots, gusting to 55 knots over Vatu-i-Ra Passage, Yasawa, Mamanuca, Kadavu Passage, Koro Seas, and Northern Vanua Levu waters from tomorrow morning, which is likely to further increase to storm force winds with speeds of 50 knots and gusting to 70 knots from tomorrow afternoon.