Tongan meteorologists joined a 4-day sub-regional workshop aimed at building a better understanding of climate and its influence and delivering targeted climate services to vulnerable communities. The training was held at Tanoa Hotel, Nuku'alofa, on 27 March 2023.

As the climate continues to be less predictable, the need for climate services is becoming more significant.

The participants learned to use climate prediction tools used in seasonal climate forecasts.

The Chief Scientific Officer of Tonga Meteorological Services, Seluvaia Vea, said that communicating weather forecast information to the public was also a key focus.

“We must remind ourselves every time we use these tools, of our end users who are the recipients of this information and to ensure the content, packaging and tone which we use to communicate the information allows for easy uptake; and translations of information into meaningful actions to increase preparedness and to save lives.”

The training was funded by a Korean project, which provides a regional methodology and established a climate prediction system for National Meteorological Services to use called CLIK-P (or Climate Toolkit for the pacific) and PICASO (or Pacific island climate Advanced Seasonal Outlook). The climate prediction tools will help to reduce the vulnerability of Pacific communities to a changing climate.

 The republic of Korea-Pacific Island Climate Prediction Services, Sub-regional workshop was funded by the Republic of Korea-Pacific Islands Climate Prediction Project and managed by SPREP, through the Pacific Meteorological Desk. The training was held from the 27-31 March 2023 at Tanoa Hotel.