The Tonga Meteorological Service has confirmed that Tropical Depression TD09F has intensified into Tropical Cyclone Urmil, a Category 1 cyclone, as of Friday afternoon.
According to the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), the cyclone was centred near latitude 18.7 degrees south and longitude 168.1 degrees east, placing it approximately 1770km west of Nuku’alofa, 1850km west of Ha’apai, 1890km west of Vava’u, 1770km west–southwest of Niuafo’ou, and about 1950km west of Niua Toputapu.
The advisory was issued at 4pm today, with the next update scheduled for 4am Saturday 28 February 2026.
Cyclone moving slowly over Vanuatu
TC Urmil is currently tracking slowly westward over Vanuatu. Meteorologists say the cyclone’s maximum sustained winds near the centre are about 35–40 knots (70–80 km/h), consistent with a Category 1 rating under the Australian cyclone classification system.
Despite the upgrade, authorities say Tonga faces no immediate threat.
“On its current track, TC Urmil is moving slowly over Vanuatu. This system does not pose any threat to Tonga for the next 24–48 hours,” the advisory states.
No warnings for Tonga
As of this afternoon, no tropical cyclone warnings or alerts have been issued for any part of Tonga.
The Meteorological Service will continue to monitor the system closely, particularly its movement over the weekend.
A track map released by MEIDECC shows TC Urmil circulating west of Fiji and Vanuatu, far from Tonga’s island groups. The map confirms the cyclone’s projected path keeps it well removed from Tongan waters over the next two days.
While the cyclone does not currently threaten the kingdom, authorities recommend the public stay informed through official channels, particularly if weather patterns change.
The next official update is expected early Saturday morning.
