Hot summer days in Tongatapu [1]
Monday, January 12, 2009 - 20:46. Updated on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 - 20:45.
January this year has delivered some hot days for Tonga getting close to record temperatures, with more hot days forecast.
The hottest day so far this year, was Friday January 2, with a maximum temperature of 32.1 in Tongatapu, 31.5 in Ha'apai and 31.0 in Vava'u, recorded by the Tonga Meteorological Service at the Fua'amotu weather station.
They reported that the 32.1 degrees that was recorded in Tongatapu on January 2 was not far off the record maximum temperature of 33.1 degrees for Nuku'alofa in February 2002.
But over the weekend a low depression has brought heavy rain and cooler weather to Tonga. The depression lost its power as it moved southward but brought high tides to the southern coast of Tongatapu.
As of today a minimum temperature stood at 24.4 degrees for Nuku'alofa but the Meteorological Service predicts that the temperature for January could exceed the 32.1 degrees mark.
During the rainy season from November to March Tonga's daily maximum temperature is usually in the high 20s with a relatively high humidity of 70 to 80%, while February usually has the highest temperature and humidity rate.
Vava'u hottest
The highest national temperature on record for the last 38 years by the Tonga Meteorological Service was 35 degrees on February 11, 1979 in Vava'u.
The hottest day for 2008 was recorded in Ha'apai on December 17 with 33.4 degrees followed by 31 degrees recorded in Vava'u and 30.6 in Tongatapu.