A first Tropical Cyclone advisory was issued at noon today, Thursday, for Tropical Cyclone Kevin, a category 1 storm that may enter southern Tongan waters late on Sunday, 9 March, if it stays on its forecast track.
Today Cyclone Kevin was still a long way from Tonga.
Tonga Meteorological Services in its South Pacific Tropical Cyclone Advice no.1, stated that at 10:00am this morning, TC Kevin was located near latitude 13.6 south and longitude 162.0 east or about 820km north-west of Port Vila, Vanuatu. This 2565km west northwest of Nuku’alofa Tonga.
“The average wind speed near the center of the system is 35 knots and it is moving southeast at about 4 knots. The system is not likely to affect Tonga in the next 24-48hrs.”
Tonga Met will issue an updated advice at noon tomorrow, Friday 3 March.
Meanwhile, they stated the potential for a Tropical Cyclone to affect Tonga on Sunday is Moderate
Tropical Cyclone Kevin follows TC Judy (Cat. 3). Judy is forecast to pass further to the south on Saturday and is not likely to pose any direct threat to Tonga except for the Tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau coastal waters.
Outlook
Before the start of the cyclone season in October last year It was predicted that at least one to two Tropical Cyclones might cross Tonga waters during the 2022-2023 cyclone season, with a high chance that one will be severe.
Tonga is currently in its cyclone season which started on 1 November 2022 and will officially end on 30 April 2023.
