Cyclone Lola
Category 5 South Pacific cyclone in 2023
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Meteorological history
On 19 October, the Fiji Meteorological Service reported that Tropical Disturbance 01F had developed out of an area of low pressure, about 1295 km (805 mi) to the northeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. At this time the system was located in an area favourable for further development, with warm sea-surface temperatures of 30–31 °C (86–88 °F) and low to moderate vertical windshear. Over the next couple of days, the system gradually developed further as it moved south-westwards towards the Santa Cruz Islands, before it was classified as a tropical depression by the FMS on 21 October. Several hours later, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA), after the system developed a partially exposed low-level circulation center. Over the next couple of days, the system gradually moved southwestward before the FMS classified it as a tropical depression. The convective structure improved considerably, and the JTWC initiated advisories on the system and classified it as Tropical Cyclone 01P at 21:00 UTC. The cyclone drifted southward until an upper-level ridge forced the storm to the south. The FMS subsequently named the system Lola at around 03:00 UTC on 22 October, after it had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale.
Lola intensified into a Category 2 tropical cyclone twelve hours later, as fragmented banding that was wrapping broadly into the slowly consolidating central dense overcast (CDO). The JTWC upgraded Lola to a Category 1-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS), with maximum one-sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph). By early on 23 October, Lola had intensified into a Category 3 tropical cyclone, while the system's depiction showed that tightly wrapped convective banding was circulating around a ragged eye. Lola rapidly intensified into a Category 4 intensity was reached by 12:00 UTC that day, with Lola exhibiting maximum ten-minute sustained winds of 175 km/h (110 mph).
At 0000 UTC on 24 October, the JTWC reported that Lola had peaked with 1-minute sustained winds estimated at 230 km/h (145 mph), which made it equivalent to a category 4 tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. At around the same time, the FMS estimated that Lola had peaked with 10-minute sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph), which made it a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone. As a result, Lola become the earliest Category 5 tropical cyclone on record in the southern hemisphere. Lola's eye quickly disappeared, signaling a phase of rapid weakening. Rapidly weakened due to vertical wind shear, Lola made landfall in Sowan, at around 03:00 UTC on 25 October. The FMS and the JTWC reported that Lola's winds weakened to 100 km/h (65 mph), for the weakening system tracked over the Malakula. During 26 October, Lola degenerated into a tropical depression, before it was last noted the next day and the JTWC issued their final advisory on the storm.
Lola's remnants passed near New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands during 27 October, before they were last noted later that day, as they moved out of the FMS area of responsibility and into New Zealand's area of responsibility monitored by MetService.
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Impact
Vanuatu
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), a disaster relief and rescue plan agency, was activated in six provinces and prepared to conduct an immediate assessment following the cyclone. All government buildings, markets, and banks are closed until further notice in the capital city of Port Vila. On 23 October, the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office (VNDMO) issued a yellow alert—indicating the threat of a tropical cyclone within 12 hours—for Penama and Sanma. The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department also issued a tropical cyclone warning for these areas.
Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai took a Royal Australian Air Force to inspect the early damage. Additionally, the New Zealand, Australian, and French defense forces will provide further aid and assess damages. In Ambrym, two women, one of whom was pregnant, were reportedly killed. Damage across the nation were estimated to be 43.28 billion vatu (US$352 million).
Due to a communications breakdown on the islands, those reports were limited, but local officials told that homes, schools, and crops had been devastated by the central provinces of Penama and Malampa. Pentecost, Malakula, and Ambrym have been most severely affected; It is estimated that 50% of all homes there have suffered damage. UNICEF reported that Vanuatu requested support from the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). The agency had emergency stockpiles in place across the country, including surveillance flight, shelter kits, tarpaulins. On 30 October, New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced that New Zealand would contribute NZ$450,000 in relief aid to Vanuatu; including NZ$350,000 to the Adventist Development and Relief Agency and NZ$100,000 to the Vanuatu government.
Solomon Islands and New Zealand
The Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) reported that Cyclone Lola had severe impacts on Tikopia. Lola caused four people, including a young child, to suffer injuries; 116 homes, and one church were destroyed. Additionally, the phone tower has been damaged. The remnants of Cyclone Lola merged with a low-pressure system in the Tasman Sea before impacting northern areas of New Zealand on 30 October. Severe weather caused flooding and power cuts across the upper North Island, while strong winds damaged power lines and led to cancelled flights. A cruise ship bound for Auckland had to shelter near Rangitoto after the weather closed the port.
Retirement
Due to extensive damages caused by the cyclone in Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Lola was retired by the World Meteorological Organisation on August 5, 2024. It was replaced with the name Lute.