Results for Natural events

UPDATED 1:21pm: Severe Tropical Cyclone Tino intensified into a Category 3 storm this morning, as it entered Tongan waters, packing very destructive wind gusts of up to 130-140 km/hr near its centre. On its current track, STC Tino is expected to lie at about 165km West of Pangai, Ha'apai at 7:00pm this evening. Storm to Hurricane force winds will affect Vava'u, Ha'apai, Tongatapu and 'Eua tonight, according the Fua'amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre at 11:00am Saturday 18 January 2020.

All the islands of Tonga should prepare for a Category 3 Tropical Cyclone to arrive over the weekend 18-19 January, Tonga Met Services advised today.

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake was felt on Tongatapu at 2:05 pm today. Tonga Meteorological Service reported that the earthquake was located 88km Southeast of Nuku'alofa at a depth of 83.9km. There is no tsunami threat to Tonga from this event.

The installation of new weather stations and sea level monitoring equipment throughout Tonga has been a huge logistical exercise, six months in the planning and another year in the implementation. Tonga welcomes 2020 with 21 new weather stations and two sea level monitoring stations.

UPDATED: At 2:00am on Tuesday, 31 December, Tropical Cyclone Sarai (Category 2) was tracking closer to Nuku'alofa than previously forecast. On its current track, Tropical Cyclone Sarai is expected to be located 90km west of Nuku'alofa at 7:00am Tuesday morning. Occasional rain and strong to gale force winds will continue to affect the group this morning.

Gale warnings are now in force for Tongatapu and 'Eua and for Tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau coastal waters with heavy rain warnings for all groups, as Tropical Cyclone Sarai moves closer to Tonga today.

It was wet underfoot for Christmas shoppers in Nuku‘alofa this morning as a band of cloud brought showers to the capital. Humidity was 87%. Meanwhile, a slow moving tropical depression TD03F near Tuvalu has the potential to intensify into a Tropical Cyclone after Christmas.

One or two cyclones may be expected in Tongan waters, in the coming cyclone season (November-April) according to a weather outlook by Tonga's Meteorological Service. There is a high chance that one might be severe.

An intermittent smoke eruption towering to 15,000-17000ft above the summit of the Metis Shoal Volcano, Ha'apai, this morning, has an increased likelihood of eruption, with an aviation VONA alert now increased to Orange, the Tonga Meteorological Service advised at 10:20am.