cyclones and rain in tonga and samoa

hi

i am heading to samoa and tonga on november 12 for six weeks. i know it's the wet season, but how wet is it? how much rain do they get?

also how likely are cyclones? does anyone know of a service that can sms you the forecast and cyclone warnings?

last question, what do i do if there is a cyclone!

thanks

The only thing I remember about Tonga one October was the unsually heavy rain (unusually heavy at the time, so it's not a given that it will be the same when you get there) - and how cold it was. I was warned beforehand that it gets very cool in Nuku'alofa, specially in the evenings, and boy, did it ever. Needed a jacket, which I didn't have.

News in NZ papers/TV in the last couple of days says that there will be a high probability (much more than usual) of cyclones this season.

For what its worth this was in NZ News Today

Islands warned of high cyclone risk

27.10.2004

At least four and up to 10 South Pacific countries are at higher risk of cyclones this season, says the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.

Senior climate scientist Jim Salinger said yesterday that the chances of tropical cyclone activity for some countries near and east of the International Date Line were higher than normal for the November-May season.

Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Niue, and the southern Cook Islands were at an increased risk, and possibly Tuvalu, Tokelau, Samoa, Tonga and the Austral Islands of French Polynesia. Dr Salinger said the rate of cyclone occurrence for islands west of the date line was likely to be normal (although the institute included the Solomon Islands as being at possibly increased risk).

"This south-eastward elongation of the normal pattern is expected because of weak El Nino conditions presently affecting the tropical Pacific region, and the extra ocean warmth around and east of the date line," he said.

"The seas are warmer than normal, and are expected to remain so throughout much of the cyclone season."

Dr Salinger said the last tropical cyclone season was unusually quiet, although two out of the three recorded reached major hurricane force, including one that devastated Niue.

He said New Zealand could expect a tropical cyclone to pass somewhere near the north of the country in about two of every three weak El Nino years.

If such a cyclone did occur this season, the districts at highest risk were Northland and Gisborne.

- NZPA

PS What do you do if there is a cyclone - pray

In Samoa you can expect rain everyday during this season.....usually very heavy showers that last maybe a half an hour... they can come at any hour of the day or night. I was in Samoa in Feb. and there was only one day where it rained most of the day...... other than that these heavy showers and then lots of hot, humid sun...... and humid is an understatement in Samoa in feb. (I loved every minute of it being a frozen Canadian, though!) It certainly was not an impediment to any activities.

There had been quite a severe cyclone in January in Samoa (Heta) that did a lot of damage especially on the west and north shores of Savaii..... Manase beach lost a lot of it's sand and trees

Everyone will know if there is a cyclone coming..... someone posted on here that they spend several days in a local church that acted as the village shelter.....You will be well looked after in the event of these storms.

Well I am sitting in my house in Nuku'alofa right now and today was the most beautiful day , no rain (our tanks are empty as we await some!) weather is so beautiful, the mango trees are so full they are about to snap (which if u belive some people means we will have a hurricane this year) but to date there has been no high winds , no thunder or lightening, no excessive rain .. only beautiful clear days with a nice sea breeze.
If you get caught in a hurrican my advise would be to find a great cafe, The Family House cafe which is sheltered and about 5 mins walk from downtown Nuku'alofa , sit there with a great book drinking coffee and eating good food and then get out with the locals and experience what happens here in Tonga when there is a hurricane. They can be incredibly scary but if they are not severe they can also be exciting and energizing, think of all those positive ions we get from the sea and watch new life spring into action after one!