By Greg Just – Cafe Tropicana, Neiafu (Vava’u, Tonga):

Tonga has a population of 100,000 it has a large coastline and water area.

Weather forecasting is pretty bad as we have 3 weather stations at airports plus my private weather station and webcam that are online.

My weather station has been useful for tourists, farming, yachting,  airlines, shipping, fishing, search and rescue, droughts, met forecasting.

So if you are based in Tonga and are in these industries and you’d appreciate better weather forecasting… kick some money in. Give a little to get a little!

Baker Hardin, who passed away on 22/11/16, was the Vava’u weather boffin for over 10 years. His estate has donated $325 for this project. A weather station close to his home in Toula will be named after him.

I wish to deploy 50 weather stations around the Islands in Tonga and at some close-by Islands that do not have weather stations at all; that will assist weather forecasting for the entire area. They will be deployed at sites who will supply free power and 24 x 7 internet. Weather stations use just 4mb a month. I also want to install 15 webcams to key sites to allow remote viewing.

A number of spare units and calibration equipment will be purchased to allow the project to continue for up to 5 years.

https://www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/weatherstations-webcams-for-tonga-and-pacific