Nuku‘alofa is experiencing flash flooding of low-lying areas, with water coming inside some homes, after thunderstorms this afternoon dumped almost a month's rainfall over Tongatapu in only seven hours.

The Tonga Meteorological Office at Fua'amotu recorded 184 mm of rain between 1pm and 7 pm today. This compares to the mean total rainfall for the month of February of 221mm, and the mean for March of 186mm for the same station.

The heaviest rainfall late in the afternoon turned roads into rivers as people in the capital were finishing work. In parts of Pahu people were wading in water 30cm (one foot) deep and more to reach their homes.

One family who evacuated their home in the Teufaiva area tonight reported that several inches of water had come inside the house. When their yard went under water their dogs were distressed and had nowhere to go. As showers continued into the night they decided to move, dogs and all, to a relative's home on higher ground.

Taufa'ahau Road late tonight was still awash as showers continued and traffic was moving slowly through running water, still inches deep, in the areas around Fanga and Mailetaha.

The rainfall was associated with an active trough that remains slow moving across the kingdom.

Fua'amotu's 6:30 pm weather forecast to midnight tomorrow (Saturday) for Tongatapu and 'Eua is for periods of heavy rain continuing with isolated thunderstorms and flash flooding of low lying areas. Heavy rain will ease into showers tonight.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are also forecast for the rest of the kingdom.

This year heavier than usual rainfall was forecast as a high probability for January-March. Tonga receives most of its annual rainfall in the wet season between November and April.