Two Tongan Navy patrol boats were moved out from Masefield Naval Base at Touliki to anchor in deeper water offshore this morning, as a low pressure system brought strong winds and gales into Tongatapu. Strong winds and heavy rain are expected to continue throughout the day and more rough weather is forecast for the weekend.
Navy Commander Haisi Fonohema said today the patrol boats were moved for safety due to the strong winds.
He said they had two other patrol boats anchored at the base so they moved VOEA Neiafu and VOEA Savea to the deeper water for safety reasons as the wind has started to pick up.
Meanwhile, boat owners in Nuku'alofa scrambled at the port to secure small vessels with strong ropes at high tide.
Business owners and home owners were up on roofs securing loose roofing iron. Tonga Power Ltd. crews were out responding to calls to repair lines that were cut in the winds.
Forecast
A storm warning remains in force for Tongatapu, 'Eua, Tele-ki-Tonga, Tele-ki-Tokelau, Vava'u and Ha'apai land areas and coastal waters according to Tropical Cyclone advisory no. 9 for Tonga on Tropical Disturbance 06F issued from the Fua'amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre at 1:00pm Friday 08 February 2019.
A gale warning remains in force for the Niuas.
A heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory remains in force for all of Tonga.
A heavy damaging swell warning remains in forcA gale warning remains in force for the Niuas.
A heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory remains in force for all of Tonga.
A storm warning remains in force for Tongatapu, 'Eua, Tele-ki-tonga, Tele-ki-tokelau, Vava'u and Ha'apai land areas and coastal waters.
A heavy damaging swell warning remains inforce for all of Tonga coastal waters.
Tropical Depression 06F was located near latitude 19.1 South, longitude 176.8 West or 290km West southwest of Vava'u, 280km west north west of Ha'apai, 250km northwest of Nomuka or 285km northwest of Nuku'alofa at 10:30am this morning. This system is moving south southeast at the speed of 15 knots (28km/hr) close to Nomuka. The potential for this system to develop into a tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours is low. Meanwhile, an active trough of low pressure lies slow moving over the group. Associated clouds, heavy rain and gale to storm force winds may affect the group.
Over Tonga
Strong winds and heavy rain were shown on forecast models by windy.com as follows:
