Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa hit Fiji early on Thursday. At 4:00 a.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Yasa was located at latitude 16.8°S and longitude 179.2°E which put it about 30 miles (50 km) south of Naduri, Fiji. Yasa was moving toward the east-southeast at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 185 m.p.h. (295 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 922 mb.

The eye of Tropical Cyclone Yasa made landfall in Fiji on Vanua Levu west of Naduri early on Thursday. Yasa was a large, powerful tropical cyclone when it hit Fiji. Tropical Cyclone Yasa was the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale at the time of landfall. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 65 miles (105 km) from the center of Yasa. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Tropical Cyclone Yasa was 31.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 23.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 54.7. Yasa was capable of causing severe damage.

Tropical Cyclone Yasa brought destructive winds to Vanua Levu when the core of the circulation passed over that island. Severe wind damage was likely. Yasa was capable of causing a storm surge of up to 15 feet (5 meters) on the north coast of Vanua Levu. It was also dropping heavy rain and flash floods were likely. Bands in the western half of Tropical Cyclone Yasa caused strong winds and heavy rain over the eastern part of Viti Levu. Widespread power outages were likely.

Tropical Cyclone Yasa will move toward the southeast over the islands in the Lau Group later on Thursday. Yasa will weaken as it crosses Vanua Levu, but it will still be a strong tropical cyclone. Tropical Cyclone Yasa could cause serious wind damage and cause flash floods on many of the islands in the Lau Group.