File:Tropical Cyclone Oma (MODIS 2019-02-16).jpg

English: On February 14, 2019, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of Tropical Cyclone Oma spinning in the South Pacific Ocean, with the center of the storm located just northwest of the island of Espiritu Sancto, Vanuatu. At the time the image was acquired, large bands of powerful thunderstorms were wrapping into a partially cloud-filled eye, with most of the storm bands displace to the north of the low-level center.

On February 14, the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) reported that a Tropical Cyclone Warning was in effect for the Torba, Sanma, Penama, and Malampa Provinces. Those provinces were expecting heavy rainfall and flash flooding over low lying areas and areas close to the river banks, as well as coastal flooding.

The VMGD noted “At 2:00 a.m. local time (Vanuatu) on February 15 (9 a.m. EDT on February 14), Tropical Cyclone Oma was located at 16.0 degrees south and 164.7 degrees east. This is about 240 kilometers (149 miles) west southwest of Santo and 370 kilometers (230 miles) southwest of Banks. Tropical Cyclone Oma has moved in a south southwesterly direction at 16 km/h (10 mph). The central pressure of the system is estimated at 984hPa. Sustained winds close to the center are estimated at 95 km/h (59 mph).

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects Oma to continue to move away from Vanuatu in a southwesterly direction, but gale-force winds will continue to impact the islands for another 14-48 hours.