Tropical Cyclone Fili brought gusty winds and rain to New Caledonia on Wednesday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Fili was located at latitude 22.9°S and longitude 164.7°E which put it about 115 miles (185 km) west-southwest of Noumea, New Caledonia. Fili was moving toward the south-southeast at 9 m.p.h (15 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 989 mb.

Bands in the eastern half of Tropical Cyclone Fili brought gusty winds and locally heavy rain to New Caledonia on Wednesday. The core of Fili’s circulation with the strongest winds passed just west of New Caledonia. Tropical Cyclone Fili began to weaken slowly on Wednesday evening, but the circulation remained well organized. The strongest thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the eastern half of Fili’s circulation. Bands in the western half of Tropical Cyclone Fili consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 120 miles (195 km) from the center of Fili.

Tropical Cyclone Fili will move through an environment unfavorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Fili will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26˚C. It will move under the southwestern part of an upper level ridge over the South Pacific Ocean. The ridge will produce stronger northwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Fili’s circulation during the next two days. Those winds will cause more vertical wind shear. Drier air in the western half of Tropical Cyclone Fili will inhibit the formation of thunderstorms in that part of the circulation. The combination of more vertical wind shear and drier air will cause Tropical Cyclone Fili to weaken during the next 36 hours. Fili could begin to make a transition to an extratropical cyclone when it moves farther south where the Sea Surface Temperatures are colder.

Tropical Cyclone Fili will move around the western end of a high pressure system over the South Pacific Ocean during the next 36 hours. The high pressure system will steer Fili toward the southeast during that time period. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Fili will move away from New Caledonia during the next 36 hours. The gusty winds and locally heavy rain will diminish when Fili moves farther away from New Caledonia.