Tropical Cyclone Ruby intensified over the Coral Sea on Sunday morning. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Sunday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ruby was located at latitude 16.2°S and longitude 158.6°E which put it about 475 miles (765 km) northwest of Poum, New Caledonia. Ruby was moving toward the south-southeast at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Ruby intensified more rapidly over the Coral Sea northwest of New Caledonia on Sunday morning. Microwave satellite images provided evidence that a small eye was forming at the center of Ruby’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Tropical Cyclone Ruby. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the southeast of the tropical cyclone. The circulation around Ruby was small. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles from the center of circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Ruby will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Ruby will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge over the South Pacific Ocean. The ridge will produce northwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ruby’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will be too small to prevent intensification. Tropical Cyclone Ruby will intensify and it could strengthen to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon within 12 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Ruby will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the South Pacific Ocean during the next 36 hours. The high pressure system will steer Ruby toward the southeast. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Ruby could approach the northwestern part of New Caledonia in 36 hours. Ruby is very likely to be the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon when it nears New Caledonia. Tropical Cyclone Ruby will bring strong winds and heavy rain to much of New Caledonia. Locally heavy rain is likely to cause widespread flash floods.