Overall Green alert Tropical Cyclone for POLA-19
in Tonga

Event summary

Tropical Cyclone POLA-19 can have a low humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, exposed population and vulnerability.

GDACS ID TC 1000550
Name POLA-19
From - To 26 Feb - 01 Mar
Exposed countries Tonga
Exposed population No people in Category 1 or higher
Maximum wind speed 176 km/h Category 2
Maximum storm surge 0.3 m (26 Feb 03:00 UTC)
Vulnerability Medium (Tonga)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
Wind Storm surge Rainfall GDACS score
GDACS JTWC 74 km/h 0.3 m n.a. 0.5
Single TC: maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge, rainfall)
HWRF n.a n.a. n.a. n.a.
GFS 155 km/h 1 m n.a. 0.5
ECMWF 131 km/h 1 m n.a. 0.5
Maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge and rainfall) using different data sources.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
Tonga, Fiji - Tropical Cyclone POLA (ECHO 01 Mar 2019)Fri, 01 Mar 2019 11:03

  • Tropical Cyclone POLA continues moving southwest over the South Pacific Ocean, weakening. On 1 March at 0.00, its centre was located approximately 600 km south-west of Tongatapu island (Tonga), with maximum sustained winds of 139 km/h.
  • Over the next 24 hours, is forecast to continue moving southwest over the Ocean. Heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge are expected in several Tonga and Fiji islands.
  • As of 1 March morning, the Meterological Service of Tonga (MEIDECC) issued a gale warning for Tongatapu and 'Eua, a strong wind warning for Ha'apai and a heavy damaging swell for Ha’apai, Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Tele-Ki-Tonga and Tele-Ki-Tokelau. Furthermore, the Fiji Metereological Service issued a heavy rain warning for the Lau islands and a strong wind warning for Lau Group, Lomaiviti Group, Vatoa and Ono-i-Lau.
Tonga, Fiji - Tropical Cyclone POLA (ECHO 28 Feb 2019)Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:02

  • Tropical Cyclone POLA continues moving south-southwest over the South Pacific Ocean, strengthening. On 28 February at 0.00, its centre was located approximately 315 km south-west of Tongatapu island (Tonga), with maximum sustained winds of 157 km/h.
  • Over the next 48 hours, it is forecast to continue moving south over the Ocean. Heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge could still affect several Tonga and Fiji islands.
  • According to media, schools in Ono-i-Lau and Vatoa (Fiji) have been closed and two families have been located in shelters in Ono-i-Lau.
Tonga, Fiji - Tropical Cylone POLA (ECHO 27 Feb 2019)Wed, 27 Feb 2019 11:02

  • Tropical Cyclone POLA (previously SIXTEEN) is moving south-southwest between Tonga islands and Fiji Islands, strengthening. On 27 February at 0.00, its centre was located approximately 260 km north-west of Tongatapu island (Tonga) and 230 km north-east of Ono-i-Lau Island (Fiji), with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h. Over 26-27 February, 386 mm in 24 hours were recorded in Niufafoou (Tonga).
  • The Tropical Cyclone is forecast to continue moving south-west over the ocean. Heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge are expected in several Tonga and Fiji islands.
  • As of 27 February morning, a strong winds warning is in effect in Tonga for Niuas islands. A heavy rain warning is in effect for Vava'u, Ha'apai, Tongatapu and 'Eua islands. Strong wind and heavy rain warnings remain in effect in Fiji for Lau and Lomaiviti archipelagoes and a gale warning for Vatoa and Ono-i-Lau.
Tonga, Fiji - Tropical Cylone Sixteen (ECHO 26 Feb 2019)Tue, 26 Feb 2019 10:56

  • A new Tropical Cyclone named SIXTEEN formed in the Southwest Pacific Ocean on 25 February and started moving south towards Tonga islands. On 26 February at 0.00, its centre was located approximately 75 km north of Niuas (Tonga), with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h.
  • Over the next 24 hours, it is forecast to continue strengthening as it moves south, passing close to Niuas and further moving between Lau and Lomaiviti archipelagoes (Fiji) and Ha'aapai and Tongatapu islands (Tonga). Heavy rain, strong wind and storm surge is forecast for these islands.
  • Tonga Meteorological Service (MEIDECC) has issued heavy rain warning and flash flood advisories for Niuas, Vava'u and Ha'apai islands, while strong wind warning remains in force for Lau and Lomaiviti archipelagoes (Fiji).
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

Latest media headlines

Articles: 5 | About casualties: 0 | Last hour: 0

Cyclone Pola SHOCK satellite images: NASA aerial photo shows EYE of tr ... Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:23:00 +0100.

Cyclone Pola is tracking through the Southern Pacific Ocean and is currently located approximately 722 miles south-southeast of Suva, Fiji according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The weather system is moving southeastward at a rate o
...(more)
NASA finds a hint of an eye in Tropical Cyclone PolaThu, 28 Feb 2019 19:56:00 +0100.

IMAGE: On Feb. 28, 2019 at 0125 UTC (Feb. 27 at 8:25 p.m. EDT) the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible light image of Tropical Cyclone Pola in... Credit: NASA/NRL. Visible imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite rev
...(more)
Tonga: Tropical Cyclone Advisory Number 26 for Tonga on Tropical Cyclo ... Thu, 28 Feb 2019 06:15:00 +0100.

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY NUMBER 26 FOR TONGA ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE POLA – CATEGORY 4 ISSUED FROM THE FUA’AMOTU TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE AT 04:00PM THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2019 TONGAN ..
NASA finds heavy rainfall potential in new Tropical Cyclone PolaTue, 26 Feb 2019 19:05:00 +0100.

IMAGE: At 7:30 a.m. EDT (1230 UTC) on Feb. 26, the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite looked at Tropical Cyclone Pola (16P) in infrared light. MODIS found coldest cloud tops... Credit: Credit: NASA/NRL. Tropical Cyclone Pola for
...(more)

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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Analytical products

Daily Maps:

27/Feb/2019 04:43 UTC

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (38), (2), WMO (1), INFORM (2),