TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY NUMBER 01 FOR TONGA ON TROPICAL CYCLONE VAIANU (CATEGORY 3)
ISSUED FROM THE FUA'AMOTU TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE AT 01:00PM TUESDAY 07 APRIL 2026
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A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS NOW IN FORCE FOR TONGATAPU, 'EUA, TELE KI TONGA AND TELE KI TOKELAU.
WARNINGS:
	WARNING FOR LAND AREAS NO WARNING WARNING FOR COASTAL WATERS: THE STRONG WIND WARNING PREVIOUSLY IN FORCED FOR TELE KI TONGA AND TELE KI TOKELAU COASTAL WATERS IS NOW UPGRADE TO GALE WARNING A HEAVY DAMAGING SWELL IS NOW IN FORCE FOR TELE-KI-TONGA AND TELE-KI-TOKELAU COASTAL WATERS. A STRONG WIND WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE FOR TONGATAPU AND 'EUA COASTAL WATERS. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS NOW IN FORCE FOR TONGATAPU AND 'EUA COASTAL WATERS BUT REMAIN IN FORCE FOR TELE-KI-TONGA AND TELE-KI-TOKELAU COASTAL WATERS.
SITUATION:
	SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE VAIANU (CAT 3) WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.9 SOUTH AND LONGITUDE 174.8 EAST OR ABOUT 385KM WEST OF SUVA, FIJI, 1115KM WEST NORTHWEST OF NUKU’ALOFA OR 1145KM WEST NORTHWEST OF ‘OHONUA, ‘EUA AT 12:00PM THIS NOON THE 07TH OF APRIL, 2026. THIS SYSTEM IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT A SPEED OF 8 KNOTS (16KM/HR). THE MAXIMUM WIND NEAR THE CENTRE IS ABOUT 80 KNOTS (160KM/HR). AT THE MOMENT, THE SYSTEM DOES NOT POSE ANY THREAT TO THE LAND AREAS OF TONGA IN THE NEXT 12-24 HRS. ON ITS CURRENT TRACK, SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE VAIANU IS EXPECTED TO LIE AT ABOUT 850KM WEST OF NUKU'ALOFA AT 12:00PM TOMORROW NOON. ASSOCIATED CLOUDS, HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS WILL AFFECT TELE-KI-TONGA AND TELE-KI-TOKELAU TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.
	FOR TELE-KI-TONGA AND TELE-KI-TOKELAU: NORTHEAST WINDS 35-45 KNOTS (70-90KM/HR) WITH MOMENTARY GUST UP TO 55-65 KNOTS (110-130KM/HR) AT TIMES BY LATER TONIGHT. MOSTLY CLOUDY AND OVERCAST WITH HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM. HIGH TO VERY HIGH SEAS (UP TO 7-10 METRES). A HEAVY DAMAGING NORTHWESTERLY SWELL (UP TO 4-6 METRES). POOR VISIBILITIES DUE TO HEAVY RAIN. FOR TONGATAPU AND 'EUA : EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS 15-20 KNOTS (30-40KM/HR) RISING UP TO 25-30 KNOTS (50-60KM/HR) AT TIMES. CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS, HEAVY AT TIMES WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FOR TOMORROW AFTERNOON. MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS (UP TO 4 METRES). A MODERATE NORTHWESTERLY SWELL (UP TO 3 METRES). FOR THE NIUAS, VAVA'U AND HA'APAI: EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS 10-20 KNOTS (20-40KM/HR). CLOUDY AT TIMES WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS. MODERATE SEAS (UP TO 2.5 METRES).
TIDE PREDICTION
	LOW TIDE: 5:25PM HIGH TIDE: 11:45PM
	THE MEAN SEA LEVEL PRESSURE RECORDED AT FUA'AMOTU AIRPORT AT 1:00PM WAS 1010.9 MILLIBARS AND THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY WAS 76%. THE  NEXT TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY ON TROPICAL CYCLONE VAIANU (CAT 3) FOR TONGA WILL BE ISSUED AT 7PM THIS EVENING.
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FCD: PK/IL/SI/NH/= CRS: HT/=