Tropical Cyclone Urmil threatens Vanuatu and Fiji as Pacific season's first storm intensifies

The Pacific’s first named cyclone of the season is intensifying near Vanuatu, with forecasters warning of strengthening winds and heavy rain as it tracks south-east through warm tropical waters.

Tropical Cyclone Urmil was named by the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) on Friday after a tropical low developed into a Category 1 system about 90 kilometres southwest of Port Vila.

The storm is expected to strengthen to Category 2, with parts of central and southern Vanuatu already experiencing heavy rain and near gale-force winds of up to 75km/h close to the centre.

Local senior forecaster Stephen Meke said conditions were deteriorating. "At the moment, the system is gradually tracking towards the south-southeast.

"It is expected to move just to the west of the southern parts of Vanuatu," Meke said.

He said wet and windy weather was already affecting much of the country. "Currently, they are experiencing heavy rain. In most parts of Vanuatu, there is a lot of cloud cover.

Satellite image shows Tropical Cyclone Urmil intensifying near Vanuatu as the first named system of the 2025–26 Pacific cyclone season. Photo/Fiji Meteorological Service.

"The anticipation is for it to bring in a lot of strong winds and that is what is observed. Especially over where the cloud band is, which is basically over the central and southern parts of Vanuatu, which is getting some 20 to 30 knot winds, near gale force winds over Vanuatu at the moment."

Vanuatu is considered the world’s most disaster-risk-prone country, with an average of two to three cyclones affecting the nation each season.

In Fiji, authorities have issued a strong wind warning for the waters of Yasawa and Mamanuca, and southwest of the main island, Viti Levu.

A file photo of homes engulfed by floodwaters during a cyclone in Fiji. Photo/supplied

A heavy rainfall alert is in force for the Western Division and Kadavu, along with strong wind warnings for affected land areas. Winds are forecast to strengthen from Saturday.

While Urmil is forecast to track south towards the North Island of New Zealand, meteorological services say it is not currently expected to pose a threat.

MetService said the cyclone remained within Fiji’s monitoring area and was expected to track well east of New Zealand, but forecasters would continue watching its path closely.

Metservice is supporting its Fijian counterparts as the system develops.

The cyclone season in the South Pacific runs from November through to April, and Urmil is the first named system of the 2025-26 season.

The storm is also raising travel concerns for New Zealanders and Australians holidaying in the region.

Watch journalist Tiffany Baldwin and Levu Antfalo, Director of Vanuatu's Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department, with an update on Cyclone Urmil below.

Flights from Australia to Vanuatu had not been cancelled as of Friday, but airlines said they were closely monitoring the situation.

Virgin Australia told 7NEWS that so far, their flights had not been impacted and that safety was their top priority. “Our meteorology team will continue to closely monitor the weather system,” an airline official said.

Travellers have taken to social media seeking advice as conditions worsen. “We were due to fly from Port Vila to Fiji on Friday,” one person said online.

“Is it still ok to travel to Fiji on Sunday?” another asked. “Leaving Brisbane on Friday on a cruise to Noumēa,” said a third.

With warm Pacific waters expected to continue fuelling the system, forecasters say island nations in its path should brace for further heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas over the coming days - even as Aotearoa remains, for now, out of harm’s way.