Cyclone Jasmine can be seen reaching Category 4 force between New Caledonia and Vanuatu on Wednesday.
A swirl of disturbed weather off Australia's Queensland coast quickly intensified into Cyclone Jasmine over the Coral Sea.
The storm reached its maximum strength on Wednesday, packing sustained winds of more than 130 mph as its eye passed about 35 miles south of Vanuatu’s southernmost island of Aneityum.
Meteorologists predicted Jasmine would produce high seas and flash flooding on the islands that it passed nearest to.
It was predicted to eventually dissipate over the cooler South Pacific waters well to the south of Tonga over the weekend.
Cyclone Jasmine Track
Satellite Loop Data: CIMSS