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Rain is slowly easing today on Tongatapu after a bout of heavy rain, which has fallen almost continuously since the end of last week, causing widespread flooding especially in low lying areas. Roads around Nuku’alofa were still flooded today, although the water should start subsiding as rain eases over the next few days.

NASA will launch a powerful and advanced weather satellite named GOES-S on Thursday 1 March from Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, enabling more accurate and reliable weather forecasts and severe weather outlooks over most of the Western Hemisphere, including the Pacific.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita is forecast to hit Tonga with up to Category 4 force winds from tomorrow morning, Monday February 12, according to the latest forecast from the Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre in Fiji. Tongans are handicapped in their preparations for the storm as strict sabbatical laws prevent Sunday trading for emergency supplies. At 4:30pm today the capital, Nuku'alofa remains quiet and sleepy. Tonga Met officers said this afternoon that if the cyclone speeds up from its present slow moving approach it might arrive earlier. A hurricane warning remains in place for most of Tonga. Tonga should be on high alert until the storm passes on Tuesday morning.

Three low pressure systems circling the South Pacific region today may potentially form cyclones by the weekend, says Tonga's Meteorology Department, who are monitoring Tropical Depression O7F near Vanuatu which is moving toward Fiji. Meanwhile, Tonga MET’s forecast to midnight tomorrow issued at 1:00pm today warns of strong wind and heavy rain for the Niuas.

For the first time in 60 years, only one tropical storm has struck the Southern Hemisphere so far this year in Indonesia in late November, compared to an average of at least five storms by Christmas Day. However, at least eight to 10 tropical cyclones are expected to hit this season, while the sea temperature is warmer than usual.

The chance of El Nino developing has been stalled says Tonga’s Department of Meteorology (MET), although drier weather is predicted for all of Tonga for the remainder of the year. They encourage the public to use water wisely.

Forecasts of drier conditions in the second half of 2017 may lead to the development of an El Nino climate cycle according to the Department of Meteorology (MET). However, although there is a 50% chance of El Nino developing, the El Nino - South Oscillation (ENSO) remains neutral.

Tropical Cyclone Ella (Category 2) was located 247km northwest of Niuafo'ou in northern Tonga at 3:00am this morning 12 May 2017, and on its current track is moving west at about 3 knots toward northern Fiji.

A Tropical Cyclone warning remains in force for the Niuas today, Wednesday 10 May 2017 as Tropical Cyclone Ella (category 1) is expected to lie north-northwest of Niuafo'ou tonight.