A Tropical Cyclone Alert is now in force for Vava'u, Ha'apai, Tongatapu and 'Eua, the Tonga National Weather Forecasting Centre, Fua'amotu advised at 4:00pm today, Tuesday 27 January 2009.
A Tropical Depression forming over Tonga is expected to curve southwards tonight and turn towards the southwest later tomorrow. On this forecast track the depression may bring damaging gale force winds to the Ha'apai group, Tongatapu and 'Eua in 24 hours.
SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN NUMBER TWO
ISSUED FROM NATIONAL WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE, FUA'AMOTU
AT 10:00PM TUESDAY 27 JANUARY 2009.
A TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE FOR ALL OF ISLANDS OF VAVA'U, HA'APAI, TONGATAPU AND 'EUA.
TROPICAL DEPRESSION 08F WAS LOCATED NEAR 18.2 SOUTH, 176.2 WEST OR ABOUT 240 KILOMETERS WESTNORTHWEST OF VAVA'U AT 7:00PM THIS EVENING.
THE DEPRESSION IS SLOWLY INTENSIFYING AND IS MOVING SOUTHSOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 10KNOTS BUT IS EXPECTED TO CURVE SOUTHWARDS IN THE NEXT 12 HOURS AND TURN TOWARDS THE SOUTHWEST LATER TOMORROW. ON THIS FORECAST TRACK THE DEPRESSION MAY BRING DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO THE ISLAND GROUPS OF VAVA'U, HA'APAI, TONGATAPU AND 'EUA WITH IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
THE WEATHER FORECAST EXPECT NORTHWEST TO NORTHEAST WINDS 25 TO 30 KNOTS GUSTING 45 KNOTS ABOUT THE NIUAS AND THE VAVAU GROUP SPREADING TO HA'APAI,TONGATAPU AND 'EUA TONIGHT.
WINDS MAY POSSIBLY INCREASE TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS ABOUT HA'APAI, TONGATAPU AND 'EUA. RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES WITH SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. VERY ROUGH SEAS WITH HEAVY NORTHWESTERLY SWELLS. POOR VISIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN AND SEA FLOODING IS POSSIBLE OVER LOW LYING AREAS OF HA'APAI, TONGATAPU AND 'EUA. ESPECIALLY AROUND HIGH TIDE.
TIDES:
LOW02:50AM
HIGH09:04AM (TOMORROW)
THE MEAN SEA LEVEL PRESSURE RECORDED AT FUA'AMOTU AT 10:00AM WAS 1009.2 MILLIBARS.
THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1:00AM OR EARLIER IF CONDITIONS CHANGE DRAMATICALLY.
See also:
Tonga Meteorological Services and
Regional Satellite Images & Weather Maps
