A gale warning is now in force for Vava’u and the two Niuas land areas, while, the rest of the islands remain with a strong wind warning. A heavy rain advisory for all of Tonga was issued today by Tonga Meteorological Services.
The weather bulletin issued at 1:00pm today from the Fua’amotu Forecasting Centre, said this was due to Tropical Disturbance 09F which has developed to the north of Fiji or west to northwest of the Tonga group.
TD 09F was expected to move southwards today bringing associated strong to damaging gale force winds, cloudy conditions with periods of heavy occasional rain and thunderstorms affecting Tonga by today and tomorrow.
Tropical Cyclone Outlook
Tonga Met forecasts there is a low to moderate potential for formation of a Tropical Cyclone in the Tonga area over the next two days:
Forecast for midnight tomorrow
For the Niuas and Vava'u: Fresh to strong North to Northeasterly winds with momentary gusts of up to damaging gale force winds at times.
Cloudy and overcast at times with occasional rain, heavy at times with thunderstorms.
Possibly flooding in low lying areas due to heavy rain.
For Ha'apai, Tongatapu and 'Eua: Moderate to fresh North to Northeasterly winds, strong at times.
Cloudy and overcast at times with developing heavy occasional rain and thunderstorms.
Possibly flooding in low lying areas due to heavy rain.
The outlook for Wednesday, for the Niuas and Vava'u is fresh to strong North to northeasterly winds. Cloudy and overcast at times with heavy occasional rain and thunderstorms.
For the rest of Tonga the outlook is for fresh to strong north to northeasterly winds with momentary gusts of up to damaging gale force winds.
The forecast is cloudy and overcast at times with heavy occasional rain and thunderstorms.
