Tonga: Warning - Tropical Cyclone Ian Category 4 1pm 10/1/14

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY NUMBER TWENTY NINE (29) FOR TONGA ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN ISSUED FROM THE FUA'AMOTU TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE AT 1:00PM FRIDAY JANUARY 10TH 2014.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS INFORCE FOR THE VAVAU GROUP.

A STORM WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE AND A HURRICANE ALERT IS NOW IN FORCE FOR THE
HA'APAI GROUP.

THE GALE WARNING PREVIOUSLY IN FORCE FOR NIUAFO'OU IS NOW CANCELLED.

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

A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS INFORCE FOR NIUAFO'OU, NIUATOPUTAPU, TAFAHI
TONGATAPU, 'EUA AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS.

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

A HEAVY RAIN ADVISORY IS NOW IN FORCE FOR THE VAVA'U AND HA'APAI GROUPS.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN CATEGORY 4 WAS LOCATED NEAR 17 DECIMAL 2 SOUTH 175 DECIMAL 5 WEST OR ABOUT 180KM SOUTH OF NIUAFO'OU OR ABOUT 230KM NORTHWEST OF VAVA'U AT 10:00AM THIS MORNING.TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN HAS ESTIMATED WINDS OF 90KNOTS NEAR ITS CENTRE WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 125KNOTS.THE CYCLONE IS NOW MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 6KNOTS.

ON ITS CURRENT TRACK, TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN MAY BRING:

DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO VAVA'U IN THE 3-6HRS, DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WINDS IN THE NEXT 6-12HRS AND VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS IN THE NEXT 12-18HRS

FOR THE HA'APAI GROUP TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN MAY BRING DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS IN THE NEXT 6-12HRS, DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WINDS IN THE NEXT 12-18 AND POSSIBLE VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANCE FORCE WINDS IN THE NEXT 24 TO 36HR.

FOR TONGATAPU AND EUA THE CYCLONE MAY BRING DAMAGING GALE FORECE WINDS IN THE NEXT 24-48HRS

WEATHER FORECAST FOR TONGA:

FOR THE VAVA'U GROUP:

NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS 15-20KT INCREASING TO 45-55KTS WITH MOMENTARY GUST UP TO 65 T0 75KT IN THE NEXT 6-12HRS AND FURTHER INCREASING TO 65 KNOTS WITH GUST UP TO 85 IN THE NEXT 12-18HRS. OVERCAST WITH RAIN DEVELOPING WITH FLASH FLOODING EXPECTED.HIGH SEAS WITH DAMAGING HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELLS DEVELOPING. SEA FLOODING OF NORTHERN COASTS LIKELY.

FOR THE HA'APAI GROUPS:

EAST WINDS 15-20 INCREASING TO 45-50KT WITH MOMENTARY GUST TO 55-60KT IN THE NEXT 12-18HR. BECOMING OVERCAST WITH RAIN DEVELOPING.FLASH FLOODING EXPECTED. SEAS BECOMING ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH WITH DAMAGING HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELLS DEVELOPING.SEA FLODDING OF LOW LYING COASTAL AREAS POSIBLE.

FOR NIUAFO'OU:

WEST WINDS 20-25KTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP 30-35KT BUT EASING TODAY. RAIN EASING.SEAS ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH WITH HEAVY SOUTHWEST SWELL.

FOR NIUATOPUTAPU AND TAFAHI:

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

FOR TONGATAPU AND 'EUA:

SOUTHEAST WINDS 15-20KTS POSSIBLY INCREASING TO 30-35 KNOTS IN THE NEXT 24-48 HOURS. EXPECT RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES IN THE NEXT 24-48HOURS. ROUGH SEAS WITH HEAVY SWELLS DEVELOPING.

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR NUKU'ALOFA:
MAX: 31 DEGREES CELSIUS TODAY.
MIN: 25 DEGREES CELSIUS TONIGHT.

TIDE PREDICTIONS:
HIGH TIDE : 03:10PM
LOW TIDE : 09:35PM

THE MEAN SEA LEVEL PRESSURE RECORDED AT FUA'AMOTU AT 1:00PM WAS 1004.3MB

THE NEXT TROPICAL CYCLCONE ADVISORY ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE IAN WILL BE
ISSUED AROUND 4:00PM TODAY.

FD:OF/NH/SF/NO/ CRS:SVH/TT/TN=

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