Tonga: Warning - Tropical Cyclone Ian Category 4

Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Map

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY NUMBER TWENTY SEVEN (27) FOR TONGA ON TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN ISSUED FROM THE FUA'AMOTU TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE AT 7:30AM FRIDAY JANUARY 10TH 2014.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS INFORCE FOR THE VAVAU GROUP.

A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR HA'APAI AND NIUAFO'OU.

A STORM ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE HA'APAI GROUP.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR TONGATAPU AND 'EUA.

A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS INFORCE FOR TONGATAPU,'EUA,NIUATOPUTAPU AND TAFAHI.

A HEAVY DAMAGING SWELL ADVISORY REMAINS INFORCE FOR COASTAL WATERS OF VAVA'U AND HA'APAI GROUP.

A HEAVY RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE VAVA'U GROUP AND IS NOW INFORCE FOR NIUAFO'OU.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN CATEGORY 4 WAS LOCATED NEAR 17 DECIMAL 0 SOUTH 175 DECIMAL 8 WEST OR ABOUT 160KM SOUTH OF NIUAFO'OU OR ABOUT 265KM NORTHWEST OF VAVA'U AT 6:00AM THIS MORNING.TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN HAS ESTIMATED WINDS OF 90KNOTS NEAR ITS CENTRE WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 125KNOTS.THE CYCLONE CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY AND IS MOVING EAST AT 3KNOTS.

ON ITS CURRENT TRACK, TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN MAY BRING:

(1) DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WINDS TO THE VAVA'U GROUP IN THE NEXT 12-18HRS AND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS IN THE NEXT 18-24 HOURS.

(2) DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO HA'APAI IN THE NEXT 18-24HRS.

(3) DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WINDS TO THE HA'APAI GROUP IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48HRS

(4) DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO TONGATAPU AND 'EUA IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48HRS

WEATHER FORECAST FOR TONGA:

FOR THE VAVA'U GROUP:

WINDS INCREASING TO 45-55KTS WITH MOMENTARY GUST UP TO 65 T0 75KT IN THE NEXT 12-18HRS AND FURTHER INCREASING TO 65 KNOTS WITH GUST UP TO 85 IN THE NEXT 18-24 HOURS. OVERCAST WITH PERIOD OF RAIN DEVELOPING WITH SOME FLASH FLOODING EXPECTED.HIGH SEAS WITH DAMAGING HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELLS DEVELOPING.

FOR THE HA'APAI GROUPS:

WINDS INCREASING TO 30-35KT WITH MOMENTARY GUST TO 45-50KT IN THE NEXT 18 TO 24HR. CLOUDY PERIODS WITH OCCASIONAL SHOWERS DEVELOPING TO RAIN IN THE 18 TO 24HRS.SEAS BECOMING ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH WITH DAMAGING HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELLS DEVELOPING.

FOR NIUAFO'OU:

DAMAGING WINDS 30-35KTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 50 KNOTS. RAIN HEAVY AT TIMES BUT DECREASING LATER TODAY.SEAS ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH WITH HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELL.

FOR NIUATOPUTAPU AND TAFAHI:

WINDS INCREASING TO 20-30KTS. CLOUDY PERIODS WITH OCCASIONAL SHOWERS. SEAS BECOMING ROUGH WITH MODERATE NORTHWEST SWELLS.

FOR TONGATAPU AND 'EUA:

EXPECT EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 20-25KTS INCREASING TO 30-35 KNOTS IN THE NEXT 24-48 HOURS.

EXPECT RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES IN THE NEXT 24-36 HOURS. ROUGH SEAS WITH HEAVY SWELLS DEVELOPING.

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR NUKU'ALOFA:

MIN: 25 DEGREES CELSIUS TONIGHT.

MAX: 31 DEGREES CELSIUS TODAY.

TIDE PREDICTIONS:

LOW TIDE : 08:55AM

HIGH TIDE : 03:15PM

THE MEAN SEA LEVEL PRESSURE RECORDED AT FUA'AMOTU AT 7:30AM WAS 1005.6MB

THE NEXT TROPICAL CYCLCONE ADVISORY ON TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 10:00AM THIS MORNING.

FD:MT/SV/AA/FH CRS:ST/UV/ML=

ENDS

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