Tropical Cyclone Lola was today intensifying after it was named by the Fiji Meteorological Service ahead of the start to the southern hemisphere season. 

The cyclone season runs between November and April, but occasionally systems have formed in October, the service says. Lola was at category three intensity today and was forecast to strengthen tomorrow. 

The Bureau of Meteorology says the cyclone, which was east of the Solomon Islands, will move in a south to southwest direction this week, getting close to the eastern boundary of the Australian area of responsibility. 

“Tropical Cyclone Lola is forecast to remain well away to the east of the Queensland coast with no direct impacts,” the bureau said. 

New Zealand’s MetService says Lola is expected to move towards northern Vanuatu while intensifying, but would weaken later in the week as it encounters a less favourable environment. 

Australia is expecting a below average number of cyclones this season, while the first system to cross the coast may also occur slightly later than normal, at around the second week of January, as a result of El Nino conditions.