Meteorogical services in the Pacific islands are aiming to improve tropical cyclone warning services in the region.

Weather warning activities were reviewed at the 17th WMO Tropical Cyclone Committee Meeting for the South West Pacific and South East Indian Ocean in New Caledonia in July.

Director of Meteorology ‘Ofa Fa’anunu who represented Tonga at the bi-annual meeting on July 23-26 said the region is vulnerable to the impacts of tropical cyclones. The meeting reviewed warning activities during the last two cyclone seasons and also considered the regional tropical cyclone operational plan.

He said it is important for them to keep striving to improve tropical cyclone warning services in the region to give communities the timely and accurate information they need to minimize the risk of impacts.

 They looked at disaster risk management based decision-making for tropical cyclone warnings. "Not to just issue warnings based on when certain criterias are met but to anticipate what is likely to be the impacts ahead of time and take steps to improve warnings," he said.

The operational capacities and competencies within National Met Services was also discussed.

"One of the things that didn’t go so well for Tonga during the 2017/18 Tropical Cyclone Season was the handover of warnings responsibilities for Tonga to the Regional Centre in Fiji after Tropical Gita damaged the Fua’amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre."

He said it was clear that coordination during such incidences needed to be improved in the region and a special focus last week was to ensure regular tests are done regionally with the view to minimise disruptions to warnings.

The committee has 18 member countries including Tonga with partners from regional and international organizations such as the IFRC, UNESCAP, SPC and SPREP.