Category 1 Cyclone Urmil has been named south-west of the Vanuatu capital Port Vila. 27 February 2026 Photo: Zoom Earth
The Fiji Meteorological Service has named Cyclone Urmil near Vanuatu, the first of the 2026 South Pacific cyclone season.
The slow-moving Category 1 system is currently southwest of Port Vila, tracking towards Tanna Island.
Stephen Meke, a senior forecaster at the Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre, said they have notified authorities in Vanuatu who will issue the relevant warnings to the public.
"There is still a lot of rain that is affecting the Vanuatu land areas but the winds are not so strong, the winds are quite close to the centre and really not touching the land areas," Stephen Meke said.
Meke said Cyclone Urmil is intensifying, likely to develop into a Category 2 system if it tracks to the southeast. However, this would be less likely if it tracks due south to cooler Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs).
"To the far south there are some cooler SSTs which might weaken it and some dry air as well, which could impede the system if it drifts too far south." Meke said.
"So if it tracks to the southeast we expect it to continue to develop, but if it dives straight south, most likely it will be weakened by the dry air and the cool sea surface temperature."
According to the Fiji Metservice warning for Cyclone Urmil, the atmospheric pressure at the centre of the system is 995 hPa, generating winds of 50 knots (approximately 93 kilometres) per hour.
Tropical cyclone threat track map: TD09F as at 6am NZT Friday 27 February 2026. Photo: Fiji Meteorological Service
