09 January 2013 |TONGAN| A TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING
A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR NIUAFO'OU
A GALE ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE VAVA'U AND HA'APAI GROUPS.
A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR NIUATOPUTAPU AND TAFAHI A HEAVY RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS INFORCE FOR NIUAFO'OU, NIUATOPUTAPU AND TAFAHI.
TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN CATEGORY 2 WAS LOCATED NEAR 16 DECIMAL 7 SOUTH 176 DECIMAL 9 WEST OR ABOUT 185KM SOUTHWEST OF NIUAFO'OU OR ABOUT 380KM NORTHWEST OF VAVA'U AT 4:00AM THIS MORNING.TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN HAS ESTIMATED WINDS OF 50KTS NEAR ITS CENTRE WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 70KTS.THE CYCLONE CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY AND IS SLOW MOVING BUT IS EXPECTED MOVE SOUTHEAST IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON ITS CURRENT TRACK, TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN MAY BRING DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO NIUAFO'OU IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24HRS AND TO VAVA'U AND HA'APAI IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48 .
WEATHER FORECAST FOR TONGA: FOR NIUAFO'OU: NORTHWEST WINDS 15-20KTS. INCREASING TO 25 TO 35KTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 35 TO 45KTS IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24HRS. RAIN DEVELOPING HEAVY AT TIMES WITH FLASH
FLOODING EXPECTED.SEAS ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELL.
FOR VAVA'U AND HA'APAI GROUPS: NORTH TO NORTEAST WINDS 10-15KTS INCREASING TO 20-25KTS WITH MOMENTRY GUST TO 30 T0 35KT IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48HR. CLOUDY PERIODS WITH OCCASIONAL SHOWERS DEVELOPING TO RAIN IN THE 24 TO 48HRS. SEAS BECOMING ROUGH WITH MODERATE NORTHWEST SWELLS.
FOR NIUATOPUTAPU AND TAFAHI NORTHWEST WINDS 15-20KTS INCREASING 20-25KTS IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24HOURS. CLOUDY PERIODS WITH OCCASIONAL SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN TO HEAVY RAIN. SEAS BECOMING ROUGH WITH MODERATE NORTHWEST SWELLS.
FOR TONGATAPU AND EUA: EAST WINDS 10-15KT. MAINLY FINE APART FROM CLOUDY PERIODS WITH FEW SHOWERS. MODERATE SEAS WITH MODERATE EAST SWELLS.
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR NUKU'ALOFA: MIN: 24 DEGREES CELSIUS TONIGHT. MAX: 31 DEGREES CELSIUS TODAY.
TIDE PREDICTIONS: LOW TIDE : 07:55AM HIGH TIDE : 02:20PM
THE MEAN SEA LEVEL PRESSURE RECORDED AT FUA'AMOTU AT 7:00AM THIS MORNING WAS 1005.4MB
THE NEXT TROPICAL CYCLCONE ADVISORY ON TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 10:00AM THIS MORNING.