Results for Weather

Gale warnings remain in force for Tongatapu and ‘Eua with a strong wind warning for Vava’u and Ha’apai as Tropical Depression 15F was located about 465km west of Nuku’alofa at 11:00am this morning, 5 April. Forecasters warn that the system could possibly increase to tropical cyclone strength today, bringing squally thunderstorms and heavy rain. The system is moving east-southeast at about 15 km/h and on its current track is expected to lie about 25km west of Nuku'alofa or 60km west-northwest of 'Eua at about 10:00pm this evening.

The hottest day in Tonga's recorded history was 35.5C at Niuafo’ou on February 1 this year, when a long heatwave was experienced during the month prior to Cyclone Winston reaching Tonga.

"Malo and thank you!", was the feeling of most people in Vava‘u at the weekend, after escaping the worst of Tropical Cyclone Winston - one of the strongest cyclones to ever visit the region - when it passed Vava’u twice in one week, firstly on Monday February 15 and returning on Friday February 19, but without making as much damage as they feared it might.

The latest Tropical Cyclone Advisory (No. 29) for Tonga on Tropical Cyclone Winston issued by the Fua’amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre at 4.30 pm Friday, 19 February 2016 has downgraded a storm warning to gales for Vava'u, Niuatoputapu, Niuafo’ou and Ha’apai. A strong wind warning remains in force for Tongatapu and ‘Eua.

The very large Tropical Cyclone Winston (Cat. 4) currently has hurricane force winds across its 150kms diameter and the intensifying storm might become a high Cat. 4 – or even Cat. 5, sometime before midday Friday, north of Vava’u, warns Tonga Met. NEMO was meeting this afternoon and may possibly declare a state of emergency for Tonga later today, based on emerging models of the intensifying and dangerous storm.

A Tonga National Emergency Coordination Centre was activated today in response to Tropical Cyclone Winston, after a meeting was told that Cyclone Winston, category 2 poses a direct threat to Ha’apai and Vava’u, and also that there is a likelihood that the cyclone could turn around after passing Vava’u and head back toward Tongatapu and ‘Eua.

A short tremor was felt in Tongatapu tonight at around 4:03 am. The M 5.7 earthquake rattled houses and woke people, who stayed indoors sheltering from the gale force winds and heavy rains brought to Tonga overnight by Tropical Cyclone Winston - an unusual cyclone that is worrying weather experts because it is moving north.

There is a high chance of another cyclone forming up to the second week of March this year, even though Tonga has already experienced three cyclones this season as forecasted, Tonga Met predicts.

Tropical Cyclone Victor (cat. 2) is forecast to bring damaging gale force winds of 65-75kph, squally seas and thunderstorms this evening to southern Tongan islands, according to the latest Tropical Cyclone Advisory #12 issued by the Fua'amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre at 1:30pm Friday 22 January 2016. The centre of the cyclone is expected to lie about 150km southeast of 'Eua at 7:00pm.