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ISSUED FROM THE FUA’AMOTU TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE AT 3:00PM WEDNESDAY 08 APRIL 2020

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING

WARNINGS:

A STORM FORCE WIND WARNING REMAINS INFORCE FOR TONGATAPU AND ‘EUA LAND AREAS AND COASTAL WATERS.

A GALE WIND WARNING REMAINS INFORCE FOR HA’APAI, TELE-KI-TONGA AND TELE-KI-TOKELAU LAND AREAS AND COASTAL WATERS.

A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS INFORCE FOR THE NIUAS AND VAVA’U LAND AREAS AND COASTAL WATERS.

A HEAVY RAIN WARNING AND FLASH FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS INFORCE FOR ALL OF TONGA.

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS INFORCE FOR ALL OF TONGA COASTAL WATERS.

A HEAVY DAMAGING SWELL REMAINS INFORCE FOR VAVA’U, HA’APAI, TONGATAPU, ‘EUA, TELE-KI-TONGA AND TELE-KI-TOKELAU COASTAL WATERS.

AN ETREME HIGH TIDE IS NOW INFORCE FOR ALL OF TONGA COASTAL WATERS FOR TOMORROW AND FRIDAY.

SITUATION:

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE “HAROLD” (CATEGORY 4) WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.9 SOUTH, LONGITUDE 177.9 EAST OR ABOUT 30KM WEST OF KADAVU (FIJI), 760KM WEST NORTH-WEST OF NUKU’ALOFA, 790KM WEST NORTH-WEST OF ‘EUA, 815KM WEST OF HA’APAI AT 2:00PM THIS AFTERNOON. SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE “HAROLD” IS MOVING EAST SOUTH-EAST AT THE SPEED OF 18 KNOTS (33KM/HRS). THE MAXIMUM WINDS NEAR THE CENTER IS ABOUT 100 KNOTS (200KM/HR) WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS OF UP TO 140 KNOTS (260KM/HRS). ON ITS CURRENT TRACK, SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE “HAROLD” IS EXPECTED TO LIE AT ABOUT 90KM SOUTH-WEST OF NUKU’ALOFA, 100KM WEST SOUTH-WEST OF ‘OHUNUA ‘EUA AT ABOUT 7:00AM TOMORROW MORNING. MEANWHILE, AN ACTIVE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE LIES SLOW MOVING OVER VAVA’U, HA’APAI, TONGATAPU AND ‘EUA. ASSOCIATED CLOUDS, OCCASIONAL RAIN AND STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE GROUP TODAY.

FOR TONGATAPU AND ‘EUA:

NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS 15-20 KNOTS (30-40KM/HR), RISING UP TO 25-30 KNOTS (50-60KM/HR) BY TONIGHT, THEN BECOMING NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS AND RAPIDLY INCREASE TO STORM FORCE WINDS 50-60 KNOTS (100-120 KM/HR) WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 75-95 KNOTS (150-190KM/HR) BY EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. OVERCAST WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN, BECOMING MORE FREQUENT BY TONIGHT WITH THUNDERSTORMS TOMORROW. HIGH SEAS (6-9 METERS). A HEAVY DAMAGING NORTHWESTERLY SWELL (UP TO 6 METERS)

POOR VISIBILITY IN AREA OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS. EXPECT FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND COASTAL AREAS DUE TO HEAVY RAIN AND DAMAGING SWELL.

FOR HA’APAI:

EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS 15-20 KNOTS (30-40KM/HR), RISING UP TO 25-30 KNOTS (50-60KM/HR) BY TONIGHT, THEN BECOMING NORTHWEST WINDS AND GRADUALLY INCREASE TO GALE FORCE WINDS 34-47 KNOTS (63-87 KM/HR) WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 55-60 KNOTS (110-120KM/HR) BY EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. OVERCAST WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

VERY ROUGH SEAS (4-6 METERS). A HEAVY DAMAGING NORTHWESTERLY SWELL (UP TO 6 METERS)
POOR VISIBILITY IN AREA OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS. EXPECT FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND COASTAL AREAS DUE TO HEAVY RAIN AND DAMAGING SWELL.

FOR TELE-KI-TONGA AND TELE-KI-TOKELAU:

EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS 25-30 KNOTS (50-60KM/HR). BECOMING SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS AND GRADUALLY INCREASE TO GALE FORCE WINDS 34-47 KNOTS (63-87 KM/HR) WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 55-60 KNOTS (110-120KM/HR) BY TONIGHT TO EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. OVERCAST WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. VERY ROUGH SEAS (4-6 METERS). A HEAVY DAMAGING NORTHWESTERLY SWELL (UP TO 6 METERS). POOR VISIBILITY IN AREA OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS.

FOR THE NIUAS AND VAVA’U:

NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS 20-30 KNOTS (40-60KM/HR).

OVERCAST WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS (UP TO 4-6 METERS) AND A MODERATE NORTHWESTERLY SWELL (5 METERS) ESPECIALLY VAVA’U COASTAL WATERS.

POOR VISIBILITY IN AREA OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS. EXPECT FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND COASTAL AREAS DUE TO HEAVY RAIN AND DAMAGING SWELL.

TIDE PREDICTION

HIGH TIDE : 07:50PM (EVENING)

LOW TIDE : 02:00AM (TOMORROW MORNING)

THE MEAN SEA LEVEL PRESSURE RECORDED AT FUA’AMOTU AIRPORT AT 3:00PM WAS 1007.5 MILLIBARS AND THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY WAS 94%. THE NEXT TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE HAROLD FOR TONGA WILL BE ISSUED ABOUT 6:00PM THIS EVENING.

FCD: VF/TTK/GV/VV/SV/=

CRS: FL/=