From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 18, no. 2, August 2003.

A new US$1.2 million Autonomous Meteorological Centre should be in operation at the Fua‘amotu International Airport by December.

The Senior Meteorological Officer, ‘Ofa Fa‘anunu said that the new centre will enable Tonga to receive more frequent weather reports during the hurricane season and hourly cyclone alerts whenever a cyclone is approaching.

At the moment the Fiji Meteorological Service in Nadi provides weather forecast information for Tonga three times a day.

‘Ofa said that the project was initiated by the Minister of Civil Aviation Prince ‘Ulukalala when he attended the 14th World Meteorological Congress in Geneva in May. The Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organisation, Professor G. O. Obasi responded positively to the request for Tonga to have its own National Meteorological Centre with a full forecasting capability.

In June WMO sent to Tonga a meteorological consultant, Rafendra Prasad, the director of the Fiji Meteorological Service, and Henry K. Taiki a programme officer from WMO  sub-regional office in Apia, to identify Tonga’s requirements.

In order for the new centre to operate 24 hours, the project will involve the upgrading of specialized meteorological equipment, improved communication facilities, recruitment and training of four weather forecasters, and the development of legislation and standard operating procedures.

‘Ofa said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s contribution to the project would include the renovation of part of the Old Airport Terminal to accommodate the centre and the recruitment of the four graduates to be trained as forecasters. The WMO will provide the equipment.