Overnight severe cyclone Harold strengthened further despite moving away from the equator and tracking south east towards Tonga.

It’s worse news for the small nation, no stranger to passing cyclones and ex-cyclones. However a Category 5 monster is rare. “It’s almost unheard of to see a cyclone tracking south away from the equator, weakening, then suddenly returning back to Cat 5 so far south” says WeatherWatch.co.nz head forecaster Philip Duncan. “Harold is tracking in a well known cyclone path and warm seas and ideal atmospheric conditions will be fuelling this storm”.

Harold gained power as it departed Fiji last night, moving away from land and over very warm sea waters just shy of 30 degrees. It’s here that it reenergised back to the most power level, Category 5.

There is some good news for Tonga today – the centre of the storm has remained south, meaning the most destructive part of the storm was just shy of the main island. The bad news is that coastal flooding could be ‘catastrophic’ in some spots and wind damage may have also been significant.

This afternoon Harold is quickly moving away.

UPDATE on Severe #CycloneHAROLD. Better news for #Tonga, as forecast the storm is quickly moving away from the nation now/this afternoon.

Conditions will quickly improve. However, highly dangerous seas & coastal conditions continue into Good Friday.

Latest Himawari Satellite: pic.twitter.com/gbGDrTd00z

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) April 9, 2020

This will be our final update on Cyclone Harold with no more nations exposed to the storm.

Incredibly, this will also be the first time WeatherWatch.co.nz has ever stopped daily tracking such a high end South Pacific cyclone, simply because it’s so far south and by the end of today will be no where near land and moving further out to sea.

#BreakingNews: Incredibly #CycloneHarold is back to a severe #Category5 cyclone. Almost unheard of to strengthen like this while tracking south east.

Not good news for #Tonga. #Harold is as close to Tonga as it will get, tracking to the south of the nation as forecast. pic.twitter.com/sGKIynVA8n

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) April 8, 2020

Cat 5 #CycloneHarold tracking near #Tonga, but not making landfall there (too far south).

Positives: Main island avoiding the most powerful part of #Harold. Storm also tracking quite fast, will clear away by noon.

Negatives: Catastrophic coastal flooding & serious wind damage. pic.twitter.com/zyZyv6SR1P

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) April 8, 2020

• WeatherWatch.co.nz